A Canadian citizen says she has been stranded in Mauritius for five years because Ottawa refuses to return her passport — even after criminal charges against her were dropped.
Vanita Mirpuri, who was born in Toronto, says the Canadian government continues to hold her passport at the request of Mauritian authorities. Local officials claim she is prohibited from leaving the island because of a 2019 “computer misuse” charge filed by her ex-husband. That charge was formally withdrawn in March 2025, but she remains unable to travel.
Ms. Mirpuri handed her passport to Canada’s honorary consul in Mauritius in 2021 after being ordered to do so by local police. Since then, she says, Canadian officials have deferred to Mauritian authorities, insisting they need written permission before returning her travel document.
When Ms. Mirpuri asked the Mauritian Passport and Immigration Office to lift the travel ban after the case was dropped, she was told her former husband had filed another complaint, preventing officials from releasing her passport.
A Case Raising Diplomatic Questions
The dispute highlights how Canada handles citizens caught up in foreign legal battles. According to Gar Pardy, a former Canadian ambassador and head of consular services, Ottawa appears increasingly “selective” in how it assists citizens abroad.
“It’s absolute nonsense to say Canada cannot return a passport to one of its own citizens without a foreign government’s permission,” Mr. Pardy said after reviewing the case documents.
Background
Ms. Mirpuri moved to Mauritius in 2006 after marrying a local businessman. A graduate of universities in Halifax and Toronto, she works as a coach for students with learning disabilities and now relies on Airbnb rentals to support herself.
Court and government correspondence reviewed by The Globe and Mail show that Canadian officials have repeatedly told her that only Mauritian approval can authorize the passport’s release.
“As you are aware from previous emails from us, we have been informed by Passport Canada that we are to hold on to your passport until advised otherwise by the Mauritian authorities,” wrote Monique Kemp, a consular officer at the Canadian High Commission in Pretoria, in a 2022 email.
Even after the charge was withdrawn this March, Ms. Kemp reiterated that Canada still required written clearance from Mauritian officials before returning the document.
Official Responses
Global Affairs Canada confirmed it is aware of a consular case in Mauritius and is providing “appropriate assistance,” but declined to share details for privacy reasons.
The Mauritian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ms. Mirpuri was barred from leaving because of the “Breach of Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act” charge. “The Ministry remains attentive to the situation and continues to monitor it,” it said. The ministry did not comment further after being told the charge was withdrawn.
Legal Limb
Ms. Mirpuri says the allegations stemmed from claims by her former husband that she accessed his emails without consent — accusations she says police found unsubstantiated. She also says the court has refused to provide written confirmation that the case was dropped.
Over the years, she adds, her ex-husband has filed multiple complaints, some dismissed, others still unresolved. Finding legal representation has been difficult, she says, claiming one of her lawyers was removed by the court without explanation.
Her ex-husband’s lawyer, Jaykar Gujadhur, confirmed the cybercrime case related to “unauthorized access to private and professional data,” adding that he believed her passport had been withheld as part of that investigation. He declined to comment on the case’s withdrawal.
“I Feel Like a Hostage”
“I’m lost,” Ms. Mirpuri said in an interview. “It feels like I’m being forced to stay here against my will. They don’t give me a reason.”
She says local authorities have even restricted her movement within Mauritius. “Thank God I have a little income, but it’s almost impossible,” she said.
Mr. Pardy believes Ottawa has taken an overly cautious approach. “From what I can see, the High Commission in Pretoria has sidestepped any responsibility to assist Vanita,” he said.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada declined to comment on her specific case but noted that federal regulations allow the department to withhold services in certain circumstances to “preserve the integrity” of Canada’s passport program.