Country Profile:

Seychelles is an archipelagic nation of 115 islands located off the eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The majority of the country’s 99,202 inhabitants live on three most-populated islands of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue. 

Capital: Victoria

Population: 100,060(as of 2022, 200th)

Ethic Groups: mostly Seychellois Creoles

Area: 457 km² (181th)

Offical Language: English, French and Seychellois Creole

Currency: Seychellois rupee

GDP per Captial: $41,828 (49th)

How To Immigrate To Seychelles:

Back in 2021, the Seychelles updated its immigration strategies. At this stage, the country opens two prominent residency avenues for international residents. First, the Seychelles offers long-standing foreign investors an opportunity for permanent residency, potentially leading to direct citizenship. Secondly, for digital nomads, the country launched a visa initiative named the ‘Workcation Retreat Program’.

Investment Immigration:

In April 2020, the Seychelles government unveiled the “Reserved Economic Activities Policy,” creating opportunities for foreign investors to gain permanent residency and even Seychelles passports.Under this policy, an investment of at least 1 million US dollars is a prerequisite for immigration.

For permanent residency in Seychelles, aspirants should:

1. Legally reside in Seychelles for a cumulative period of over 5 years, have economic ties with Seychelles for over 5 years, and during this period, have never left the country for more than one year at a time.

2. Have never been imprisoned in Seychelles for more than one year.

While meeting the above conditions, if a foreigner has legally resided in Seychelles for 11 years and scores more than 80 points in a locally conducted Seychellois Creole, English, or French exam, they can directly apply for citizenship of the country.

The processing fee for the residency by investment program is 1,000 Seychellois rupees, and the application fee is 150,000 Seychellois rupees. The processing period is 3 months.

The processing fee for the investment passport scheme is also 1,000 Seychellois rupees, with an application fee of 350,000 Seychellois rupees. The processing period is 6 months.

Digital Nomad Visa:

Since April 2021, Seychelles introduced the “Workcation Retreat Program“, a digital nomad visa scheme. As of now, there’s no specific income criteria, and the entire application can be done online.

The required documents are approximately as follows: a passport with a validity of more than 6 months; proof of remote self-employment or employer’s work; proof of income; general health insurance and COVID-19 insurance; round-trip air tickets to the local area; and proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

The entire visa process can be done online, and the application procedure can be roughly divided into the following steps:

1. Online submission: After preparing all the necessary documents, you can submit the application online (link provided on the website). Even if your country has visa-free entry to Seychelles, you still need to apply for a visa called VWP (Visitor Workcation Permit) 60 days before your trip to Seychelles.

2. Medical examination: After the VWP application is approved, the applicant completes a medical examination and submits the medical report online (HTA: Health Travel Authorization) to enter Seychelles.

3. Visa approval: After uploading the VWP and HTA documents, submit a visa fee of 45 USD. The applicant will then receive a THA document and wait for the visa result.

The processing time for the Seychelles digital nomad visa generally only takes a few weeks. The visa is valid for 1 year and can be renewed for at least 6 months upon expiration.

Long-term Residency Permit:

The Seychelles long-term residency card grants foreigners the legal right to reside in Seychelles for an extended period. Those who wish to apply for this type of visa must meet at least the following basic conditions:

1. They should not be illegal immigrants and must possess adequate financial means to support their life in Seychelles: Applicants must have a bank deposit endorsement of at least 2 million local rupees (approximately 1,500 US dollars). The immigration department is allowed to use these funds, if necessary, to provide medical care, assistance, or other essential aid to the primary and secondary applicants.

2. The applicant must have relatives in Seychelles or have made continuous contributions to the local economy, culture, or social life.

3. Holders of the residency permit are not eligible for free medical and other social and security benefits in Seychelles.

4. Those holding the long-term residence visa must reside in Seychelles for at least 5 days each year to maintain the visa.”

Taxation:

In Seychelles, digital nomads don’t have to pay taxes.

The country uses a tiered income tax system for individuals. Those earning a monthly income of up to 8,555.5 Seychellois rupees aren’t taxed. Incomes between 8,555.5 and 10,000 rupees are taxed at 15%, those between 10,000 and 83,000 rupees face a 20% tax rate, and any income over 83,000 rupees is taxed at 30%.

Passport Power:

Seychelles recognizes dual citizenship. Its passport ranks 27th globally, allowing its holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 149 countries and regions around the world, including Europe, Russia, China, South Korea, and New Zealand.

As of April 2019, Brunei, Grenada, Mauritius and Seychelles are the only countries whose citizens may travel without a visa to China, Russia, Schengen Area and the United Kingdom.

Useful Links:

Seychelles Electronic Border System：https://seychelles.govtas.com/

Immigration and Civil Status Seychelles：http://www.ics.gov.sc/permits/residence-permit