Important Travel Information
Important Travel Advice For Seychelles
Passport, Visa, and Medical Advice
Passport & Visa
Latest Travel Updates
For up-to-date travel information from the UK government, please check:
UK Government Advice: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/seychelles
Normally, irrespective of the nationality of the visitor and his or her family members (with some exceptions* - see below), there are NO VISA requirements to enter Seychelles. However, the following documents must be shown in order to obtain immigration clearance at the Seychelles International Airport:
A passport valid on the date of entry to and exit from Seychelles
Return or onward ticket
Proof of accommodation including contact details
Sufficient funds for the duration of the stay
Presentation of all of the above documents will grant you a Visitor’s Permit that will be issued upon arrival by the Seychelles Department of Immigration. The Visitor’s Permit is initially valid for the period of visit of up to one month.
Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Seychelles and have sufficient blank pages for the Seychelles entry/exit stamps (at least 2).
* If you are a passport holder from certain African countries, please contact your local Seychelles High Commission or Embassy for up-to-date visa requirements, as nationals from certain countries are required to obtain temporary visas before travelling to Seychelles.
Please note that if you are applying to the Embassy for your visa, some visas can take a long time to be processed so please do take this into consideration, as it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa in place before you travel.
IMPORTANT: The Seychelles Government have implemented a new Environmental Sustainability Levy. This Environmental Sustainability Levy has been introduced to generate funds which will be invested back into preserving and enhancing the natural environment of Seychelles by investing in green, renewable energy, and environmental conservation. Under the newly introduced levy, all travellers arriving in Seychelles from the 01 August 2023 will be required to contribute based on a per person/per night basis. The payment is made in-destination, in Seychelles Rupees, and payable directly to the respective hotel upon check in or check out. The levy will be charged based on the size of the hotel as follows (children under 12, airline company staff, and Seychellois citizens are exempt from the levy):
Small Hotels (1 to24 rooms) - SCR 25 per person per night
Medium-sized hotels (25 to 50 rooms) - SCR 75 per person per night
Large hotels (51+ rooms, island resorts*, yachts) - SCR 100 per person per night
* Island resorts relate to establishments based on any island other than Mahe, Praslin, La Digue or Cerf Island.
PLEASE NOTE: Countries can change their entry requirements at any time. Travel Butlers try to ensure that the information displayed here is correct, but the onus remains with the traveller to verify the information with the relevant High Commission or Embassy and ensure that they can comply with the applicable entry requirements.
Medical
You are advised to contact your doctor or clinic around 4-8 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations and to get their professional medical advice regarding travel to Seychelles.
To help avoid heatstroke, drink plenty of bottled water/fluids and keep out of the midday sun.
Tap water meets W.H.O. (World Health Organization) specifications and is safe to drink nationwide. Because tap water is chlorinated, however, visitors are advised to drink bottled water but there is no imperative to avoid soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and ice. If you are in any way concerned about drinking water, bottled water is widely available in shops, restaurants and hotel bars.
There is NO risk of contracting malaria in Seychelles as the anopheles mosquito does not exist in Seychelles. However, some cases of dengue fever transmitted by mosquitoes have been reported. Try to avoid mosquito bites wherever possible - wear loose long-sleeved clothing and trousers and use a repellent on clothing and exposed skin.
There is no risk of yellow fever in Seychelles, so a yellow fever vaccination is NOT required for travellers whose sole destination is Seychelles. However, in accordance with International Health Regulations, Seychelles requires all travellers over one year of age arriving from a yellow fever risk country, or having been in transit longer than 12 hours at the airport of such a country, to have a yellow fever certificate. These countries include Kenya and Uganda but it is up to the traveller to check the full list here https://nathnacyfzone.org.uk/factsheet/60/yellow-fever-maps
Time Zone
Seychelles is 4 hours ahead of GMT, 3 hours ahead of British summer time and 2 hours ahead of European summer time. Visitors may enjoy almost 12 hours of daylight throughout the year with sunrise occurring just after 0600 and the sun setting around 1830.
Languages
There are 3 official languages in Seychelles: Creole (a lilting, French-based patois), English and French. Many Seychellois also speak fluent Italian or German.
We would ask that all travellers are respectful of the local culture as follows:
Topless sunbathing is uncommon and not tolerated on some beaches. Nudism is not acceptable.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Seychelles. However, local attitudes do and can vary, so whilst everyone is of course entitled to their own sexual preferences and gender identity, we would advise all clients of the LGBT+ community to refrain from public displays of affection (including kissing and holding hands) and to be as discrete as possible about their relationship.
Please resist the urge to collect seashells along the beaches as many are used as habitation by hermit crabs. Collecting shells is prohibited in nature reserves, marine parks and reserves in Seychelles. The unique and unusual tropical flora is beautiful and for it to remain so, it is important that you admire it, but leave it for others to enjoy.
Be considerate towards the fauna and sensitive to its sometimes fragile nature. Please walk carefully on the reefs and do not feed sea birds, mammals, turtles or tortoises or disturb them or their nesting grounds.
Currency
The local currency is the Seychelles Rupee (SCR) which is divided into 100 cents. Coins come in 5, 10, 25 cents and 1 and 5 Rupee denominations. Notes come in 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 Rupee denominations.
MasterCard/Access and Visa cards are widely accepted while Diners Club and American Express cards are honoured to a somewhat lesser extent. Such cards may be used for car hire, hotel and restaurant services, for all of which the visitor will be charged in foreign currency.
ATM facilities exist at major banks on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue and at the airport on Mahe and Praslin.
Most restaurants, hotels, taxis etc. already include a 5% to 10% service charge, so tipping is not obligatory in Seychelles.
Electricity in Seychelles
Throughout Seychelles the voltage is 220-240 volts AC 50 Hz. Seychelles uses the British standard square 3-pin, 13 amp sharp electric plug. Visitors from countries other than the United Kingdom are advised to bring their own adaptors.
Water in Seychelles
Tap water meets W.H.O. (World Health Organization) specifications and is safe to drink nationwide. Because tap water is chlorinated, however, visitors are advised to drink bottled water but there is no imperative to avoid soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and ice. If you are in any way concerned about drinking water, bottled water is widely available in shops, restaurants and hotel bars.
Using The Phone in Seychelles
The international dialling code for Seychelles is 248.
Seychelles enjoys modern, efficient communication services. At present, there are 2 GSM networks - Cable & Wireless and Airtel.
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