Comoros is a tiny tropical island state consisting of 3 islands and 1 disputed territory. The country lies at the crossroads of two civilizations: geographically the archipelago belongs to Africa, but culturally it is part of the Arab world.

Life in Comoros: features 

Like any other country, the Union of Comoros (UC; that's the official name of the small proud state) has its pros and cons.

Advantages

The obvious advantages of living in Comoros include a mild and pretty comfortable tropical climate, amazing nature, a rich cultural heritage, fairly low prices, hospitality, and multiculturalism of the locals (including rather mild rules for appearance, although the state religion is Islam).

The last aspect is explained by the geographical position of the archipelago. Due to its existence, it was passed by the representatives of the Swahili culture, Polynesians, Persians, Portuguese, French, and British. Also mentioned living conditions attract digital nomads, curious travelers, and people who want to live in an exotic country. Therefore modern UC allows meeting people from Africa, Asia, Europe, and even Australia.

Comoros is one of the few countries in Africa where more than 90% of the population has access to clean drinking water. There is also no gender discrimination: 20% of government positions are held by women, and they can work freely and not be afraid of harassment from the male part of inhabitants.

Disadvantages

As an underdeveloped Third World country, UC suffers from the classic problems of such economies. The majority of the population (about 900,000 people residing here) is involved in agriculture, 13% of people are unemployed, and 18% live below the poverty line.

There are no tertiary education institutions here. Medicine is poorly developed (foreigners go for treatment in Madagascar or even to France), and the risk of getting malaria is pretty high. Immigrants may also face a language barrier: although the official languages are Comorian, Arabic, and French, the latter two are not widely used. Most people speak Comorian, a mixture of Swahili and Arabic though.

The most serious problem of the UC region is geopolitical instability. Its reasons are based on the fact that:

• One of the four islands — Mayotte (Maiore) still remains a territory of France, although the UN recognized it as part of the sovereign territory of Comoros.

• Mayotte people voted against independence during the referendum. Such an issue partially derives from the faith questions. The population of the island is Christians, while Comoros is an Islamic country and until 2002 it was called the Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros.

• UC authorities still hope to revive the unity of the country, while France successfully provokes skirmishes and fuels separatist sentiments in order to eliminate the possibility of Mayotte's reunification with the neighboring islands.

• The state processes in the country are influenced by Qatar and Iran.

• The turbulent colonial and modern history of the country has led to the fact that over 45 years of independence there have been about 20 coup d'état.

• After the scandalous presidential elections of 2019, the situation in the country is still tense.

Comoros: residency

The issuance of citizenship of Comoros is regulated by the Comorian Nationality Law, which is part of the local Constitution.

In accordance with it, one can acquire the citizenship of the UC by birthright or by "naturalization" through:

• marriage: for women the mere fact of formalizing a relationship is sufficient, while men need to live with their wives for at least 5 years on the territory of the state;

• acquisition of citizenship by parents of minor children or adoption of children by citizens of the Union;

• a significant contribution to the state’s arts, literature, or science and five years of permanent residence in the archipelago;

• outstanding services to the state;

It should also be noted that Comoros was the first country in Africa that allowed immigration and granted citizenship for investments. Reviewers noted that it was one of the cheapest programs of this type. Yet embezzlement of funds and inefficiency led to the discontinuation of the program in 2013.

The concept of residence in Comoros is apparently absent. Therefore, for legal stay in the country foreigners must obtain a local passport or look for long-term residence opportunities under the visa regime.

Visa

A tourist visa to Comoros is a single entry and allows a stay up to 45 days. Guests from a number of countries are entitled to receive it upon arrival in the archipelago.

It is better to clarify all questions regarding visas at the local consulate of the UC. Its employees can advise on the real possibilities of legal stay on the territory of the islands, as the Internet sometimes shows information about extended stay visas or those allowed to stay in Comoros for 10 years (it is also called an analog of a temporary residence permit). Alternatively, you can contact our specialists.