This article will answer all your questions about Seychelles Visa, entry rules, and required documents. There will be plenty of life hacks and advice that might even save your dream vacation. On one hand, a visa for Seychelles is not required. On the other hand, all tourists need to obtain visitor’s permit, and there are plenty of nuances and pitfalls.

Seychelles Visa and Duration of Stay

Important Note:

Seychelles is officially a visa-free country! This means that for tourists from all countries worldwide, a visa is not required to visit Seychelles for tourism purposes. Immigration stamps are issued for 30-90 days upon arrival.

The only exception is for holders of Kosovan passports. Kosovo is the only country not recognized by Seychelles, and entry is restricted for Kosovo residents. There are no more exceptions for 2024!

seychelles visa
The Seychelles visa looks like this, or rather, it appears as a stamp in the passport.

Passport stamps in Seychelles are shaped like the Coco de Mer nut, the primary symbol of the archipelago. An interesting article about this nut and other symbols can reveal many fascinating facts.

Here are some other general points about the Seychelles visa:

  • I want to emphasize that the visa-free stay is for 30-90 days, depending on your country of citizenship. For example, for citizens of EU countries, it’s up to 90 days. Afterward, an extension is required. This can be done locally at the immigration office in the capital city by paying a fee (5000 rupees) and assembling a document package. However, this article is for tourists, not expatriates, so I’ll skip the details.
  • Regarding passport expiration, there’s a lenient approach. Even if your passport expires the day after leaving the country, it’s acceptable.

Next, every tourist must obtain an electronic visitor’s permit to enter Seychelles.

Visitor’s Permit to Enter Seychelles

The visitor’s permit to enter Seychelles, also known as Travel Authorization, is processed online BEFORE your trip on the Seychelles government website. The document arrives via email in the form of a QR code.

Important Note:

Without this document, you will not be allowed to board your flight!
Permit to Enter Seychelles
You must acquire this document within 24 hours after payment. Sometimes, there’s also a QR code with your photo. Don’t be alarmed.

Some key points to know about the visitor’s permit to enter Seychelles:

  • Fill it out on the website: https://seychelles.govtas.com/en
  • You can complete it up to 30 days before your departure.
  • Important: The permit for Seychelles will be sent to your email within 12-24 hours after submission and payment.

Crucial:

If you’ve purchased tickets or a last-minute trip to Seychelles departing today or tomorrow, you might face a situation where you don’t receive this permit before departure. You could try contacting support; sometimes it works. However, avoid risking the purchase of such tickets. Your vacation might be jeopardized because without the permit, you might not be allowed on the plane. Read more in the article: How to get to Seychelles, optimal routes, and prices.
  • The permit for Seychelles costs around 15-20 euros for the duration of your stay. After filling out all the fields and necessary information in the form, you’ll be directed to the payment page. Payment needs to be made immediately.

Read the article about direct flights to Seychelles, finding cheaper prices via the provided link.

Entry Rules and Required Documents

And again, some essential information:

Without an entry permit for Seychelles, you won’t even be allowed on the plane. Moreover, you won’t be able to obtain the permit if you don’t have any of required documents.
seychelles visa
The Border System website where you’ll process the Seychelles entry permit:

Below is what you need to prepare before starting to fill out the entry form and permit for entry to Seychelles. The form can be individual or group-based for a family. So, you’ll need:

  • Valid Passport
  • Selfie of each passenger (in good quality).
  • Contact Information
  • Airline booking confirmation – you must upload a copy of your airline booking confirmation which clearly shows your arrival and departure dates. Although you can stay in Seychelles for up to three months, Mahe Airport will note your departure date in your passport, within a maximum of 30 days after entry.
  • Accommodation booking confirmation – you must upload your booking confirmation(s) for each location of your stay in Seychelles. This must include the name of the hotel/guesthouse, boat charter name.
    • Importantly, the hotel/villa must be officially authorized. While filling out the form, you’ll select it from the drop-down list. Typically, all hotels found on booking services are authorized. Handwriting the hotel’s name in the application is not acceptable; the system requests confirmation from the hotel, confirming your stay. However, the accommodation might not necessarily be paid for.
  • Credit or debit card

Advice:

Don’t delay filling out this application until the last day. If possible, complete it two weeks in advance. This way, if there are any issues, for example, if your hotel isn’t listed as authorized, you’ll have time to rebook. I recommend reading the article: Types of accommodation in Seychelles, where to find authorized lodging, tourist tax – it contains a lot of valuable information.

Documents to Present (or Have with You) at Passport Control in Seychelles

Assuming you’ve obtained the permit for Seychelles, boarded the plane, and arrived in Mahe. It’s a visa-free country, everything should be simple, right? Here’s what else you need to know or have with you:

Useful to know:

Today, Seychelles Airport already operates a facial recognition system for all arrivals. Every tourist passes through a scanner. The system scans your face in real-time, finds it in the database (you sent a selfie for the permit). If there are no issues, a green light lights up, and you can proceed to passport control. If there’s an issue with the permit (unpaid, altered in Photoshop to board the flight), or other questions, a red light lights up, and you’ll be escorted for further inquiry.
Seychelles visa and registration
All passengers pass through this scanner. There’s a camera and a tablet beyond it. The system scans your face, finds you in the database, and a green light lights up on the tablet if everything’s good. The queue moves fast, literally 3 seconds per person.

Here’s a list of documents/items you need at passport control (mandatory):

  • Passport
  • Visitor’s permit for Seychelles. Printing it is not mandatory; having the QR code on your phone is enough. The customs officer will see it in the system when you present your passport. They’ll already know your vacation dates, return date, and the hotel you’ll be staying at.
  • Return tickets. Having a paid reservation on your phone is enough. Usually not asked for.
  • Medical insurance. Mandatory for each person. If they check financial means, they’ll check insurance too. Everything about insurance in Seychelles, the types available, where to get it, how much it costs.
  • Financial means (cash, or showing the balance on your phone, but cash is better) calculated at 150 USD per day per adult family member. Even if your accommodation or tour package is paid for, you still need these funds for the entire duration of your vacation.

From personal experience:

Usually, they ask to verify financial means for those staying longer – over 14 days. Often also for solo travelers and those without baggage. If it’s a regular 10-day trip or a tour package, they probably won’t ask for anything.

I was asked to show financial means once, but I had enough according to the sum. However, my friends were asked too, and they didn’t have enough. They called relatives, urgently asking them to transfer money to their account to show the customs. Just keep this in mind. Violations can lead to deportation (being sent home).

Mahe Airport’s control is strict but according to the rules. If you want to get through without insurance and money, I’d worry in your place. But if everything is in order, there’s no need to worry at all.

Prohibited Items to Import into Seychelles: Currency Limit, Alcohol, and Food

And the final point. You’ve passed through passport control, received your luggage. Now, to exit to the city, you need to go through customs control to check for contraband. Only after this will your vacation truly begin.

But again, there’s no need to worry. There are two lanes, green and red. In the green lane, baggage is randomly checked, scanned, and questions might be asked.

apply visa seychelles
Before reaching the customs control area in the arrival zone, you’ll encounter Duty-Free. Prices here are good, not higher than in stores on the island; you can buy local alcohol.

I suggest reading the article about the airport in Seychelles, specifically the section about Duty-Free. You’ll enter Duty-Free upon arrival, and there are good prices for local alcohol. There’s detailed information about this in the article on the International Airport in Seychelles.

So, here are the import limits for one adult:

  • 200 cigarettes
  • 2 liters of strong alcohol exceeding 16 degrees + 2 liters of alcoholic beverages up to 16 degrees OR 4 liters of beverages up to 16 degrees.
  • Perfume up to 200 ml
  • Cash up to 50,000 rupees (approximately 3,500 euros) per person. For a child, up to 30,000 rupees. If you carry more cash, go through the red channel and declare it. The procedure is simple, quick (around 1 minute); you’ll be logged in a journal indicating the amount of money you’re carrying. No taxes, fees, or commissions are imposed.

However, if you exceed the alcohol or cigarette limits, you’ll have to pay import duties, which can be high. A friend of mine carried 4 packs of cigarettes; they were found in the green channel, and she paid around 200 euros as duty for the excess 3 packs.

seychelles permit
Here are the official data regarding the import limits for cigarettes and alcohol into Seychelles.

Can I take my drone to Seychelles?

I’m often asked if drones are allowed in Seychelles? – Yes, they are allowed.

What else is prohibited from import into Seychelles:

I believe everyone understands that weapons, drugs, art items – all of these are prohibited. Additionally, almost all food items, especially meat and fish, are banned. If found, they will be disposed of. Although some tourists bring meat and caviar, especially before Christmas and New Year’s. Detailed information about Christmas and New Year’s in Seychelles.

In conclusion: what a good start – no one needs a visa for Seychelles; you arrive and relax. However, in the end, there are quite a few requirements. Actually, I want to emphasize again that tourists are treated exceptionally well here; no one will give you a hard time at passport control. If you’re staying for a longer period, around 20-30 days in Seychelles, make sure everything is in order: money, insurance, entry permit. But if you violate the regulations by carrying prohibited items or missing documents, then who’s at fault? I’ve told you everything you need to know. Forewarned is forearmed.


IMPORTANT: essential links to organize your dream trip to the Seychelles:

  • FLIGHTS: Aviasales – direct flights and best deals.
  • CAR RENTAL: Mahe and Praslin, no deposit required – DiscoverCars.
  • TOURS and EXCURSIONS:
    • GetYourGuide – 75+ activities on land and water in the Seychelles.
    • Viator – 150 + activities in Seychelles.
  • TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA.
  • HOTELS, VILLAS, APARTMENTS:
    • Hotellook compares prices among a dozen other services and platforms and offers to choose the best one.
    • Booking – the most popular service for booking accommodation.
    • Agoda – the main competitor of Booking.
  • PACKAGES: from budget to luxury – Expedia.
  • AIRPORT TRANSFER: Intui.
  • INTERNET: eSIM of local telecom operator – Airalo.