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Islamic Republic of Mauritania · residence general

Biometric Residence Card

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 14 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

ANRPTS residence documentation for an eligible underlying basis, with the 2024 pre-expiry deadline, one-to-five-year validity and physical/remote filing rules.

No sponsorship requiredDoes not lead to permanent residencyThe amended Article 7 sets card validity at one to five years. The authority determines the actual term; a five-year card is not automatic for every applicant and is not indefinite residence.In flux
Processing time
The government procedure leaves processing time unspecified. File at least 15 days before entry permission expires; this is an application deadline, not a promise that the card will be ready within 15 days. Confirm the evidence and current reception arrangements with ANRPTS.
Government fees
The residence-card procedure leaves fees unspecified. Ask ANRPTS for the current category-specific assessment and official payment instructions; do not treat the work-permit procedure no-tax entry as a residence-card fee exemption.
Typical duration
The amended Article 7 sets card validity at one to five years. The authority determines the actual term; a five-year card is not automatic for every applicant and is not indefinite residence.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Mauritania Official Gazette 1558 / ILO NATLEX reproduction ↗

In short

ANRPTS residence documentation for an eligible underlying basis, with the 2024 pre-expiry deadline, one-to-five-year validity and physical/remote filing rules. Guidance updated 14 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/mauritania/biometric-residence-card#answer

What is the Biometric Residence Card in Islamic Republic of Mauritania?

Biometric Residence Card is an unsponsored Mauritania route. Indicative government fees are The residence-card procedure leaves fees unspecified. Ask ANRPTS for the current category-specific assessment and official payment instructions; do not treat the work-permit procedure no-tax entry as a residence-card fee exemption; indicative processing time is The government procedure leaves processing time unspecified. File at least 15 days before entry permission expires; this is an application deadline, not a promise that the card will be ready within 15 days. Confirm the evidence and current reception arrangements with ANRPTS; typical duration is The amended Article 7 sets card validity at one to five years. The authority determines the actual term; a five-year card is not automatic for every applicant and is not indefinite residence. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Mauritania Official Gazette 1558 / ILO NATLEX reproduction on 14 November 2026.

Overview

Decree 2024-042 replaces Articles 7, 9 and 10 of the earlier residence-card framework. Foreign ordinary or privileged immigrants intending to establish residence must apply for their personal biometric card at least 15 days before their visa or entry authorisation expires. The card documents an accepted residence basis; it is not a standalone investor, unrestricted work or permanent-residence programme. The government procedure refers applicants to ANRPTS and a category-specific evidence attachment covering workers, companies, students, approved organisations and family circumstances.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

  • ·The published ANRPTS attachment generally requires a travel document valid for more than six months, together with the documents for the applicable category.Government administrative procedures / ANRPTS ↗
  • ·Private-sector employees: a Labour-certified employment contract, or the listed employer attestation and signed work-permit evidence. Confirm the precise alternative accepted for the case; this residence checklist does not itself exempt a worker from the employment decree.Government administrative procedures / ANRPTS ↗
  • ·Company owners/partners: commercial-register and company evidence, with continuing tax-payment evidence as applicable. Public/diplomatic/approved-organisation workers have their own employment or affiliation evidence; approved organisations also supply the specified approval evidence.Government administrative procedures / ANRPTS ↗
  • ·Students: valid enrolment evidence; private institutions and mahadras require the relevant ministry certification stated in the attachment.Government administrative procedures / ANRPTS ↗
  • ·Family circumstances: the listed biometric or recognised marriage evidence for a Mauritanian spouse, or evidence linking a minor to at least one parent resident in Mauritania. Sponsorship by a citizen has a separate notarised-evidence branch; it is not required for every applicant.Government administrative procedures / ANRPTS ↗
  • ·Entry/stay documents, national number where held and any additional current ANRPTS form or evidence instructions for the particular category.Mauritania Official Gazette 1558 / ILO NATLEX reproduction ↗

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Confirm the underlying basis and relevant ANRPTS checklist category, keeping any required work authorisation separate.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Prepare the category evidence and confirm the current fee and operational filing channel with ANRPTS.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Apply at least 15 days before entry permission expires, using the appropriate CAR/CAC physical process or eligible Houwiyeti remote request.

  4. After approval

    Complete the required biometrics/authentication and follow the authority collection instructions. Check the actual card term, residence conditions and renewal arrangements.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Biometric Residence Card, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Biometric Residence Card instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Mauritania

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read the ANRPTS residence-card procedure ↗

    Confirm current reception arrangements, fee and category instructions.

    Government administrative procedures / ANRPTS · verified

  2. Official guidanceApplicant
    Check the category-specific evidence attachment ↗

    Choose the applicable evidence branch; the attachment predates publication of the May 2024 amendment.

    Government administrative procedures / ANRPTS · verified

  3. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read the amended residence rules ↗

    Use the 2024 deadline, validity and filing provisions in place of older contradictory summaries.

    Mauritania Official Gazette 1558 / ILO NATLEX reproduction · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Is the deadline 15 days after arrival?+

The amended Article 7 says at least 15 days before the visa or entry authorisation expires. Do not substitute an older post-arrival timing description.

Can everyone make a first application remotely?+

Article 9 describes Houwiyeti for holders of national numbers, and Article 10 requires confirmed biometric authentication. Do not assume a new applicant without the necessary number or successful authentication can use that channel. The physical CAR/CAC process remains provided for.

Does marriage remove the residence-card requirement or give permit C immediately?+

The checklist describes marriage evidence for a residence application. It does not give citizenship or immediate permit C: the latter has its own ten-year residence/work requirement and additional connection.

Is the municipal certificate of residence the same document?+

No. Municipal address/residence certification is a different procedure. This guide concerns the ANRPTS biometric immigration residence card.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Mauritania Official Gazette 1558 / ILO NATLEX reproduction

Last checked: 14 November 2026

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