Entry requirements for Seychelles

Do you need a visa for Seychelles?

No. Seychelles has no visa requirement for visitors of any nationality, but every non-citizen needs an approved Travel Authorisation before travelling. The Seychelles Electronic Border System (SEBS) says there are no visa requirements for any traveller (checked 16 September 2026). The Immigration and Civil Status department adds that you still need a valid passport or a travel document recognised by the Seychelles government.

Applying for the Travel Authorisation

Apply at seychelles.govtas.com or in the Seychelles e-Border app, within 30 days of your arrival and after you have booked flights and accommodation. SEBS (checked 16 September 2026) sets out the rules:

• Who: every non-citizen traveller, including children, infants and babies, and people arriving by boat or cruise ship.
• When: any time within the 30 days before arrival. Trip details are mandatory, so you cannot apply until flights and accommodation are booked.
• What you need: your passport photo page (scanned or uploaded), a photo of yourself, trip and contact details, answers to the health and customs questions, and a credit or debit card. Cash and cheques are not accepted.
• Groups: up to six people who share a household and travel on the same flights, staying in the same places, can apply together.
• Validity: one journey. You need a new authorisation for each trip to Seychelles, but not for travel on to Praslin or La Digue.
• Transit: no authorisation is needed for a transit of under eight hours, provided you stay in the airport's international transit area.

SEBS warns that unauthorised third-party websites may charge higher fees. If you arrive without an approved authorisation, you must apply on your own phone or laptop, paying online by card plus a €30 penalty, before you can go through Immigration; the airport takes no cash or card payments.

Travel Authorisation fees and processing times

The fee depends on how quickly you need a decision, from €10 for 24 hours to €70 for 60 minutes for adults. The SEBS price list (checked 16 September 2026):

Processing	Adults	Children 12 and under
Standard (24 hours)	€10	€10
Premium (6 hours)	€30	€30
Expedited (60 minutes)	€70	€30

SEBS says the fees exclude bank charges, are subject to change, and are non-refundable and non-transferable, even when an application is refused. UK government travel advice (checked 16 September 2026) presents the faster, more expensive option as one for emergencies.

Passport, tickets, accommodation and funds

Your passport must be valid for your whole stay, and you need a return or onward ticket, confirmed accommodation and enough money for the trip. Immigration and Civil Status (checked 16 September 2026) says the passport must remain valid until you are back in your country of origin or residence, and gives a minimum of US$150 or equivalent per day as sufficient funds.

For a stay of one night or more, SEBS asks for a booking showing the property's name and your check-in and check-out dates. If you are staying with friends or family, you need a letter of invitation giving the host's name, address, contact number and NIN details. SEBS also says the Tourism Department publishes a list of licensed establishments and that applications naming accommodation not on that list may be denied, so confirm that a small guesthouse on Praslin or La Digue is licensed before you book.

SEBS says travel insurance is not required but highly recommended. UK travel advice says you may be asked for proof of insurance covering health costs at border control, so carry the policy details.

The visitor's permit on arrival

A visitor's permit for up to three months is issued free on arrival, for holidays, business or visiting friends and family. Immigration and Civil Status (checked 16 September 2026) says it can be extended in periods of up to three months, to a maximum of 12 months in total, online at permits.ics.gov.sc or at Independence House in Victoria. Each extension costs SCR 5,000 per three months or part of that period, and you must still meet the entry conditions.

Praslin Airport has no international flights, according to the Seychelles Airports Authority, so air travellers clear immigration and customs at Seychelles International Airport on Mahé before the domestic flight or ferry. SEBS says visitors have no forms to complete before leaving Seychelles and do not need to show their Travel Authorisation on departure; the Embarkation Information Form is for citizens, residents and permit holders.

Yellow fever certificate

You need a yellow fever vaccination certificate only if you are travelling from a country or region where the disease is endemic. SEBS (checked 16 September 2026) says travellers aged 1 to 59 coming from those places must upload a certificate, travellers aged 60 and over are exempt, and a transit of under 12 hours through an airport in an endemic region does not trigger the rule. The vaccination becomes valid 10 days after it is given. TravelHealthPro notes that, under WHO rules in force since 11 July 2016, a certificate is valid for life. SEBS points to the WHO list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Customs allowances

Adults aged 18 and over have duty-free allowances for perfume, alcohol, tobacco and SCR 15,000 of other goods. The Seychelles Revenue Commission passenger guide (checked 16 September 2026) lists:

• 200 ml of perfume or eau de toilette
• 2 litres of drinks at or below 16% alcohol, such as beer and wine
• 2 litres of drinks above 16% alcohol, such as whisky, rum and gin
• 250 g of tobacco products or 200 cigarettes
• SCR 15,000 of other goods, including one tablet, phone or laptop

Passengers under 18 may bring SCR 8,000 of other goods, including one tablet, phone or laptop, and 200 ml of perfume, according to the Revenue Commission. Both limits come from Statutory Instrument 94 of 2024, in force since 1 December 2024. The airport's customs page still shows SCR 3,000 for under-18s in its table, citing 2022 regulations. Allowances are for personal use only, and goods above them are taxed on arrival.

Prohibited and restricted goods

Illicit drugs are banned outright, and restricted goods, such as fresh flowers, need an import permit. The Revenue Commission says goods above the allowance, or in the restricted or prohibited categories, must be declared in the red channel; not declaring them is a serious offence, and if in doubt you should use the red channel.

• Drugs: UK travel advice says penalties can reach life imprisonment and apply to simple possession, including in transit.
• Animals and animal products: the airport's bio-security page says importing them without a permit is illegal under the Animal Imports & Disease Act 1981 and the Plant Protection Act 1996.
• Cash: the SEBS application asks whether you are carrying cash or monetary instruments worth more than SCR 50,000 or the foreign equivalent. UK travel advice says to declare SCR 50,000 or more when you apply.

Taking a coco de mer home

Buy a coco de mer nut only from a licensed dealer and keep its numbered approved label as proof of legal purchase. The Coco-de-Mer (Management) Decree, published on the environment ministry's website, makes it an offence to buy a mature nut from anyone other than a licensed dealer, or one without an approved label, and requires a permit to move mature nuts from one place in Seychelles to another. The Coco-de-Mer (Management) (Amendment) Act 2015 set the penalty for that offence at a fine of SCR 25,000 to SCR 500,000, two years' imprisonment, or both. The decree does not describe an export procedure, so ask the dealer which documents you need to take the nut out of the country and keep the label and receipt with it.

Flying a drone

Register any drone weighing 200 g or more with the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) before flying it, and get SCAA authorisation to fly in controlled airspace or restricted areas. SCAA (checked 16 September 2026) says:

• Registration is through the SCAA Drones Database, with photos of your passport page, the drone and its serial number. It is free for the time being.
• Flight authorisation requests must be submitted at least 72 hours ahead and need a Seychelles mobile number.
• The maximum flight height is 250 feet.
• The drone office is on drones@scaa.sc and +248 4391715, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00.

Bringing a pet

A pet needs an import permit. The airport's bio-security page says importing animals without a permit is illegal, and directs enquiries to the Plant and Animal Health Services of the Seychelles Agricultural Agency on +248 4303366. Contact them well before you travel.

Arriving by yacht or cruise ship

Everyone arriving by boat or cruise ship needs a Travel Authorisation, according to SEBS. The Immigration and Civil Status visiting yacht page (checked 16 September 2026) says an immigration officer boards on arrival, inspects the vessel and the list of people on board and issues visitor's permits. The master is responsible for crew and passengers, must tell the Immigration office in Victoria in writing when crew join or leave, and should contact the Port Authority about procedures before visiting other islands. To depart, the master takes everyone's passports to the Immigration office between 06:00 and 18:00; after final clearance the yacht may not stop at another Seychelles island except in an emergency.