Family in Seychelles

Seychelles has a national framework for family records, support and protection. Access is mainly organised through Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, and no separate municipal family rules were identified. Immigration & Civil Status registers births, marriages and deaths and issues certificates. A copy of a birth, adoption, marriage or death certificate generally costs SCR 50 when the applicant has the required connection to the event or family record. Requests can be made in person or through CertExpress. A civil marriage normally requires both parties to be at least 18 and present. The marriage banns period is 11 days; a licence for an earlier marriage costs SCR 500. Seychellois applicants generally provide a birth certificate and NIN. Foreign participants may need apostilled or authenticated documents, a certificate of celibacy, a police character certificate and a valid stay permit. Civil Status issues the marriage certificate, and an Apostille from the relevant authority plus Ministry of Foreign Affairs processing may be needed for use abroad. A birth should be registered within 30 days at the relevant regional office. The mother may declare the birth alone, or both parents may do so, using the maternity certificate and a NIN or passport. A male partner declaring parentage must be at least 18. When a child is born outside a matrimonial relationship, the child generally receives the mother’s maiden name; changing that name requires a court order. The Child Health Care & Parenting Education Programme is available through health clinics in six regions. It covers psychological, social, educational and spiritual needs related to pregnancy, birth and raising children. The programme has operated since 2013 and has provided post-delivery support since 2015. Social Services and the National Council for Children also provide counselling, parenting education and child-rights training. Children’s Helpline 116 offers a way to report concerns about a child’s safety or welfare. Adoption involves a Social Services home study, medical and police checks, assessment of parenting capacity, lifestyle, support network, housing, household, finances and employment. The assessment may also consider the child’s views and the natural parents’ understanding of the arrangement. Suitable applicants can be placed on the register of prospective adoptive parents, but an adoption order is made by the Supreme Court. International cases can include cross-border relatives and mixed couples. No reliable general fee or completion time is published. Social Services also identifies and assesses foster parents and arranges placements, with reports and advice available through the Court, Adoption & Fostering Section. Social Services supports families affected by dysfunction, child-welfare concerns or risk of harm through counselling, family support, risk registers, protection plans and reports for courts or tribunals. The Family Tribunal can address access, custody and care of minor children, maintenance for children or parents, paternity, guardianship, family violence and requests to prevent a child’s removal from Seychelles. Applications may be registered through the Magistrates Court, a Registration Officer or the Tribunal Secretariat. Birth certificates, NINs, marriage certificates and, where relevant, medical or police records may be needed. Mediation or settlement can be used for custody, access and maintenance matters, but not for family-violence proceedings. Proceedings under the Children Act are generally free, and appeals proceed to the Supreme Court and then the Court of Appeal as permitted by law. Since 9 January 2023, the Family Tribunal rather than the Agency for Social Protection handles maintenance payment and collection. Relevant service points include the Mahé Magistrates Court, Praslin Court at the Pension Fund Complex and La Digue District Administration. Payments can be made by bank transfer to Central Bank account 1412, and non-compliance can lead to sanctions. The Tribunal’s formal orders are legally binding. Divorce applications are governed by the Civil Code of Seychelles Act 2020. A petition may rely on irretrievable breakdown shown by adultery with intolerable cohabitation, harmful behaviour, desertion for at least two years, separation for at least one year with consent, or separation for at least five years. A petition normally cannot be filed during the first year of marriage unless exceptional hardship applies, and an attempt at reconciliation is required. The court first issues a conditional order and later an absolute order. A legal adviser files the petition, and the court sends the divorce certificate to Civil Status. Court fees and completion times vary and are not reliably published as one general figure. The Domestic Violence Act 2020 protects people in marriages, de facto or en ménage relationships, households with shared or expected children, and foster, blood or adoptive families. It covers emotional, verbal, psychological, physical, sexual and economic abuse, as well as intimidation, harassment, surveillance and coercive conduct. Police can explain complaint procedures, protection orders, shelter and medical or legal services. The Family Tribunal or a court can issue an interim order where there is a serious risk. A hearing should take place within a maximum of 14 working days, and an order can last up to 24 months. Protection can cover the applicant, a child and a dependent. Proceedings are generally free unless brought in bad faith. Breaching an order can lead to a fine of up to SCR 30,000 or imprisonment for up to two years for a first offence, and up to SCR 50,000 or five years for a subsequent offence. Families caring for older people or other dependent relatives can seek advice from Social Services. The Seychelles Home Care Agency, established under the 2022 Act, regulates home-based care for older people, people with disabilities and other vulnerable people. State-funded home care depends on an assessment by a health professional and the applicable eligibility rules. Carers are subject to registration, accreditation and monitoring. The health system provides multidisciplinary primary and community care, long-term care, dementia support, rehabilitation and elder-abuse prevention. From 1 January 2026, residents in government elderly homes at Anse Royale and Grand Anse Praslin no longer pay the SCR 1,000 monthly contribution for rent, utilities and social activities; a communal catering contribution remains. Individual admission and other costs depend on the case. After a death, the death should be declared within 24 hours. Two informants and a medical certificate are normally required; if no medical certificate is available, the Police may be involved. Identification documents for the deceased and informants are needed. Civil Status issues the burial permit and death certificate, and burial or cremation cannot take place before registration and issuance of the permit. Social Services can then assist with funeral parlour and cemetery formalities.