Under the Section 4 (1) of the National Identity Act, every person who is a citizen of Mauritius shall apply for the National Identity Card within 6 months of attaining the age of 18. In the event, the citizen did not proceed with the application within this period; the citizen will have to provide an acceptable proof of absence from Mauritius or from civil life: a passport, a discharge letter from hospital or prison or a Medical Certificate from Medical Institutions.