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Seychelles Digital Nomad Visa | A Complete Guide
What is digital nomad visa?
“Digital nomads” represent a lifestyle trend that has gained prominence in the 21st century. With the advancement of information technology, an increasing number of professionals—such as IT workers, media personnel, language teachers, and freelancers—have broken free from traditional office settings. They now have the ability to work remotely from any location worldwide with internet access. This concept of remote work gained significant traction, especially before and during the pandemic.
Once liberated from office constraints, some remote workers choose to embrace a unique lifestyle: they carry their bags and travel to various destinations while continuing to work remotely. These individuals, known as “digital nomads,” experience a blend of exploring new cultures and working from different corners of the world.
To attract digital nomads and promote tourism and emerging industries, governments in at least 65 countries and regions worldwide have introduced specialized digital nomad visas. These visas typically have the following characteristics:
1. Applicants must be remote workers with stable monthly income and cannot be employed locally.
2. Digital nomad visas are essentially extended travel visas, often valid for one year and allowing residence for up to two to four years in the destination country without the option for permanent immigration.
However, in some Latin American and Southern European countries—such as Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, and Ecuador—digital nomads can eventually obtain local permanent residency or even naturalization after accumulating a certain length of stay.
For more information on digital nomad visa programs, explore the details in our “Global Digital Nomad Visas | An Incomplete Handbook” on this websites.
Seychelles Digital Nomad Visa:
Starting April 2021, the Seychelles government launched the Workcation Retreat Program, a digital nomad visa designed for remote workers. This program is unique because it doesn’t have explicit income requirements, making it accessible to a wide range of remote professionals.
Application Process:
Just like many other recently established digital nomad visa programs, you can complete the entire application for Seychelles’ digital nomad visa online. The application process generally consists of four steps:
1. Apply for a VWP (Visitor Workcation Permit): Even if your country has a visa-waiver agreement with Seychelles, you’ll still need to apply for a VWP online at least 60 days before your intended visit to Seychelles.
2. Submit Your Digital Nomad Visa Application: Once you’ve gathered all the necessary documents, you can register for an account online, complete the application form, and submit your visa application.
Required documents for this program typically include:
Applicant Identification: This includes your passport, which must be valid for at least six months, and a passport-sized photograph.
Proof of Remote Work: You’ll need to provide documentation confirming your remote employment with an employer or a self-employment contract.
Proof of Income: You must demonstrate sufficient remote work income.
Proof of Health Insurance: You are required to purchase local health insurance valid in Seychelles, which must include COVID-19 coverage.
Round-Trip Air Ticket to Seychelles: This serves as proof that you do not intend to overstay illegally.
Medical Examination: After your VWP application is approved and when submitting your digital nomad visa application, you’ll need to undergo a medical examination at a Seychelles government-approved medical facility. You’ll then submit the medical report online (this is part of the HTA: Health Travel Authorization). After this, you can enter Seychelles.
3. Await Visa Issuance: Once you’ve uploaded your VWP and HTA documents, you just need to pay a $45 visa fee. You’ll then receive a THA document and await the final visa decision.
The processing time for the Seychelles digital nomad visa generally ranges between two to four weeks.
Taxation:
Holders of the digital nomad visa in Seychelles are exempt from all local taxes, meaning you won’t need to pay any taxes during your stay.
Dependents:
For the Seychelles digital nomad visa, the primary applicant’s spouse and any financially dependent children can also obtain the visa as dependents.
Visa Validity:
The Seychelles digital nomad visa is valid for one year and can be renewed for an additional six months upon expiry. It’s important to note that this is not an immigration visa; holders cannot use it to apply for Seychelles permanent residency or citizenship.
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