In another entry, Welcome to Madagascar, I wrote about entering Madagascar on a tourist visa.
What happens if you want to change your life and settle in the land where the pepper grows or spend the northern winter in the southern summer?
How can one live in Madagascar and what hurdles must be overcome to make the decision possible?
A brief overview on the topic of emigrating to Madagascar is the subject of this entry.
First of all, you should make some trips to the country to have at least a slight idea of what to expect and whether you can cope with such a decision at all when you are confronted with the local reality.
Of course, the vision that one has from Europe of this fascinating country is totally wrong, if one has already made some trips to Madagascar, one knows approximately what is waiting for one but it is still completely impossible to understand the people, their mentality, the way of life of the Madagascans and to adapt to it. It is again something completely different to live here permanently or to be here often as a guest.
This decision should in no case be made carelessly, without experience and without guidance.
No matter with which income, no matter if pensioner or entrepreneur, who does not quickly grasp the rules on Madagascar hardly has a chance to stay more than 6 months, countless "traps" and obstacles of all kinds are always present.
The easiest and least vulnerable category are pensioners and those who have a regular income in Europe from which they can usually live exceptionally well here.
The entry requirements are very simple, but I'll explain a little later in this article.
During the last vacation trip in Madagascar before jumping into the unknown, one should register at the "Fokontany". With the receipt of the registration and the passport you can then open an account.
The next stage is then in Europe:
One must obtain a certificate of good conduct with no record and have it translated into French by a sworn translator. Those with a criminal record cannot obtain a long-term visa to Madagascar.
Either download the necessary forms and documents via the Internet on the site of the nearest embassy of Madagascar in Europe (where there are some can be easily found out via Google) or for those who live near an embassy or consulate of Madagascar can inquire directly there.
After that, you have to present yourself in person at the nearest embassy and justify the request. Pensioners or other people who can show a regular income are quite privileged here.
The next category is also easy, those who are married to Malagasy or have children from mixed marriages also get a long term visa with the reason of family reunion.
Entrepreneurs and other company founders must first get the basics right in Madagascar and then start the business here.
Members working in aid organizations, missionaries and others who are here for religious reasons can apply for it with the appropriate justification.
At the embassy you must apply for a "visa transformable", this must be justified as already mentioned, it is subject to a fee and is only valid for one month from the date of entry.

Entry to Madagascar with the "Visa Transformable

All the files that are needed should already be ready. It is extremely helpful if you speak good French to have someone to help efficiently with the authorities. Many offer such service and few are helpful.
For those who do not speak French, advice and assistance is completely indispensable.
Many files are required, must be stamped full in red by all possible authorities. Everything has to be submitted to the Ministry of the Interior in Antananarivo in less than a month. Until a decision is made there, one can stay here in peace with a provisional residence permit, when it expires one can have it extended.
The decision should not take longer than three months, if all the papers are in order and if the stay is justified there are hardly any difficulties but during the whole procedure help is very important.
After all the paperwork, you can either enjoy a very pleasant & peaceful life or sink nice and slow into boredom, alcohol and tobacco.
The "Venus trap" is also a classic on Madagascar, older gentlemen (sometimes also ladies) imagine to have become 30 years younger at one stroke and realize after a few months that they have become much poorer but not younger at all.
However, there are also many mixed marriages that work very well and are often much more harmonious than in Europe.
Very many French people are fun-loving retirees and do not want to return to Europe under any circumstances.
Working in Madagascar is much more difficult, although many things are possible, but the country is very poor and if you do not know the rules, the company often ends tragically in a relatively short time. I would say that without excellent knowledge of Madagascar you should not invest more than you can afford to lose if it does not work out. A somewhat pessimistic advice but it is realistic.
If interested readers have specific questions on the subject, I will be happy to answer much more precisely.