Immigration law in Seychelles

The Department of Immigration and Civil Status, commonly called ICS, administers immigration matters through the Chief Immigration Officer or Director of Immigration. Its main services are provided at Independence House in Victoria, Mahé, with additional customer service available on Praslin. The same national rules apply across Seychelles. Travelers generally need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before departure. On arrival, a Visitor’s Permit normally requires that the traveler is not a prohibited immigrant, does not already hold a residence-entitling permit, has a return or onward ticket, confirmed accommodation and sufficient funds. The official guideline is at least USD 150 per day. The initial permit can last up to three months and is free for that initial period. Extensions may last up to three months at a time, for a total stay of up to twelve months, and generally cost SCR 5,000 for each three-month period or part of one. Applications and extensions can be handled through the online permit service or ICS. A non-Seychellois person who takes paid or unpaid work, whether full-time or part-time, generally needs a Gainful Occupation Permit, known as a GOP. The employer normally applies after obtaining employment approval from the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs; a self-employed applicant applies personally. The application should generally be submitted at least one week before work begins, and a person cannot enter Seychelles to start work before the GOP is granted. Processing costs SCR 1,000 and the permit costs SCR 500 per month or part of a month. A GOP is usually tied to the employer and position, so changing employers is not freely available. Termination of the contract can also affect the person’s lawful status. International Trade Zone employment uses a separate permit process through the Financial Services Authority, and entry as a visitor to look for such work is not permitted. A Student’s Permit is available to a non-Seychellois person who is not a visitor and has been accepted by an approved educational institution. Typical evidence includes the acceptance letter, proof of financial means, passport identification page, two photographs, accommodation evidence where requested, and a full birth certificate with translation. Processing costs SCR 1,000 and the permit costs SCR 1,500 per year or part of a year. A Student’s Permit does not itself grant a right to work. A Dependant’s Permit is available to a spouse or minor child of a Seychelles citizen. The application may require proof of citizenship, a passport, a marriage or birth certificate, a medical certificate, evidence of support and a security bond. The permit does not grant a right to work and cannot normally be held at the same time as a Residence Permit or GOP. It may lapse if the holder does not enter Seychelles within twelve months, stays away for more than twelve months, breaches a condition, receives an immigration conviction or is deported. A Residence Permit is discretionary. It may be considered for a family or domestic connection or for a special contribution to Seychelles’ economic, social or cultural life. The applicant must not be a prohibited immigrant, cannot use the permit for gainful occupation, and generally needs financial evidence, a stay of at least five days in each twelve-month period and a bank guarantee of at least SCR 20,000. The published fees are SCR 1,000 for processing, SCR 150,000 for the main applicant for five years, SCR 75,000 for a spouse applying at the same time and SCR 25,000 for a child endorsement. Residence Permit holders do not receive free medical services or Social Security benefits through that permit. Business or employment normally requires a GOP instead. Permanent residence can remove the need for a further residence or work permit and allows work without a GOP. General conditions include not being a prohibited immigrant, limiting absence to no more than one year without ministerial consent and having no conviction resulting in imprisonment for more than one year. A permanent resident may acquire land or residential property with government sanction and payment of a 50% sanction fee. Legislation contains pathways connected with a spouse, priority work, investment and non-Seychellois students, but current ICS information publishes mainly the general conditions, so the applicable criteria and fees should be confirmed before applying. Seychelles citizenship may arise through birth, descent, registration, naturalisation or special circumstances. The responsible decision-maker depends on the category and may include the Citizenship Officer, Citizenship Eligibility Committee and President. The general long-residence requirement is either at least fifteen years of aggregate legal residence or at least ten years as a permanent resident, together with at least thirteen years of physical presence. A qualifying examination has 25 questions drawn from a pool of 100, with a pass mark of 80%, and may be taken in English, French or Kreol. Relevant conditions also include no imprisonment conviction of at least one year and no absence exceeding one year without written ministerial permission. Under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2023, the marriage category generally requires at least fifteen years of marriage to a Seychelles citizen and two years of aggregate legal residence. An older ICS FAQ states ten years of marriage and five years of legal residence; the 2023 Act takes priority. Dual citizenship is constitutionally possible. Seychelles has ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1967 Protocol and the 1969 OAU Convention, but no national asylum legislation or formal state refugee-status procedure has been established in the available evidence. UNHCR registration and refugee-status determination under the UNHCR mandate can provide a functional alternative, but it is not equivalent to a national asylum system and documented gaps concern procedure, appeal and protection against return. A person facing removal should obtain prompt specialist assistance. Immigration officers have broad administrative discretion over entry and permits. A Notice to leave may state reasons and a deadline, while the Enforcement Section investigates unlawful status and non-compliance. Unlawful entry or presence can constitute a criminal offence. No standard merits appeal procedure is identified in current ICS materials, but the courts can review jurisdictional error, error of law or action beyond legal powers through judicial review. The authority’s preferred decision is not automatically reopened merely because the applicant disagrees with the exercise of discretion. Applications should therefore use the correct permit, include complete evidence and confirm current fees and conditions with ICS before submission.