No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
\n\nIf you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
\n\nThe Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
\n\nSign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
\n\nFollow FCDO:
\n\nThis information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Seychelles’ current rules for the most common types of travel.
\n\nThe authorities in Seychelles set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Seychelles High Commission in the UK.
\n\nIf you’re visiting Seychelles, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay.
\n\nCheck with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
\n\nYou will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
\n\nWhen returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.
\n\nYou do not need a visa to visit Seychelles, but you must get a travel authorisation before you travel.
\n\nWhen you arrive, you’ll get a visitor’s permit for 3 months. You can apply for 3-month extensions, up to a maximum period of 12 months in total, if you meet visitor permit extension requirements. You can apply online to extend before your current visitor’s permit expires or in-person at the Immigration and Civil Status Office in Victoria.
\n\nThe visitor’s permit is free for the first 3 months, but there is a fee for each 3-month extension.
\n\nYou must apply and pay for a travel authorisation online to enter Seychelles. You can apply up to 30 days before you arrive. In an emergency, you can pay an extra fee for an express application.
\n\nWhen you apply, you will need to show you meet Seychelles entry requirements. These include having:
\n\nWhen you arrive, you may need to show proof you have travel insurance and are covered for any potential health costs.
\n\nYou must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
\n\nFor full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Seychelles guide.
\n\nThere are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Seychelles. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
\n\nIf you are taking cash with a value of 50,000 Seychellois rupees or more into Seychelles, declare this when you apply for your travel authorisation.
\n\n","slug":"entry-requirements","title":"Entry requirements"},{"body":"There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
\n\nUK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
\n\nAlthough there is no recent history of terrorism in Seychelles, attacks cannot be ruled out.
\n\nThere is a risk of break-ins, robberies, burglaries and opportunistic thefts. Crime is generally non-violent, but people can have their bags snatched, cars and boats broken into or be robbed while walking at night.
\n\nCriminals may target parked cars, residential accommodation including guest houses, hotels, beaches, and marked and unmarked walking trails.
\n\nTo reduce the risk to yourself and your belongings:
\n\nBe particularly alert in:
\n\nCall the Seychelles police on +248 428 8000 to report any incident.
\n\nTopless sunbathing is uncommon. Nudism is not accepted and is likely to cause offence.
\n\nSeychelles has strict laws on drug use and smuggling. Penalties are severe and may include fines and prison sentences, up to life imprisonment. This can be applied both for supplying and simple possession of any drugs, including when transiting through the airport. Bail is highly unlikely and prosecutions can take a year or more to come to court.
\n\nSeychelles International Airport has excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items, including cannabis. This can be used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers.
\n\nPack all luggage yourself and never carry anything through customs for anyone else.
\n\nSame-sex sexual activity is legal in Seychelles, but attitudes vary. Same-sex marriage is not recognised.
\n\nRead more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
\n\nBeaches can be safe for swimming at some times of the year and dangerous at others. In general, the west coast is unsafe during the north-west monsoon (around December to March), and the east coast is unsafe during the south-east winds season (around May to September). Beaches at the southern tip are not suitable for swimming at any time.
\n\nBeaches do not always have safety information. You should not assume they’re safe. The popular Beau Vallon beach, and some other beaches, may have dangerous rip currents when the sea is rough.
\n\nThere are not many lifeguards, though some are stationed on popular beaches. Ask for local advice about the conditions before you visit the beaches and follow any warning signs.
\n\nSee water safety on holiday from the Royal Life Saving Society.
\n\nIt is generally safe to hike in Seychelles. Visitors have sometimes got lost on nature walks or hiking on trails. You can plan a route and access online guides and safety tips from the Seychelles Tourism Department.
\n\nIf you are planning to drive in Seychelles, see information on driving abroad.
\n
\nYou can see the legal requirements you need to be aware of in the Road Transport Act.
You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Seychelles for 3 months. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence or get a 1968 international driving permit (IDP) as well.
\n\nHire car companies often have stricter requirements for their customers, such as a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age and holding an IDP.
\n\nMahé is mountainous, and roads are narrow and winding, often with sheer drops and hairpin bends. Not all such roads are equipped with safety barriers. Deep, uncovered storm drains flank many roads.
\n\nDrink-driving is a problem, so other road users may behave erratically.
\n\nSudden heavy downpours can reduce visibility and road surface conditions quickly. Potholes can appear suddenly after heavy rains. Drivers sometimes veer sharply across lanes to avoid them.
\n\nBuses are cheap but infrequent on some routes. A timetable is available from the bus station in Victoria or from the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation. Most public buses do not operate after 8pm.
\n\nTaxis are generally of a good standard. Taxi meters are increasingly common but if a taxi is not equipped with one, agree a fare before starting your journey.
\n\nPiracy in the region has decreased but there is still some risk, especially off the coast of Somalia. You can check the latest situation with United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations and Maritime Security Centre (Horn of Africa).
\n\nIf you’re travelling by sea, read about the regional risks at sea.
\n\nMost of the inner island resorts are accessible by ferry. Pay attention to safety briefings when taking any boat trips. Make sure life jackets are provided, especially on smaller excursion boats.
\n\n","slug":"safety-and-security","title":"Safety and security"},{"body":"Before you travel check that:
\n\nThis is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
\n\nCall 999 and ask for an ambulance.
\n\nContact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.
\n\nAt least 8 weeks before your trip:
\n\nSee what health risks you’ll face in Seychelles.
\n\nThe legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
\n\nRead best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.
\n\nAs a tourist, you must pay for medical treatment.
\n\nResidents in Seychelles from overseas need to pay for some treatment, including medication and prescriptions.
\n\nThe main hospital is at Mont Fleuri in Victoria on Mahé, and there are local health centres in most residential areas. Victoria Hospital has an accident and emergency department, and facilities such as scans. There are many private clinics in Seychelles, mostly offering GP services.
\n\nFCDO has a list of medical providers in Seychelles where some staff will speak English.
\n\nRead FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.
\n\n","slug":"health","title":"Health"},{"body":"The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.
\n\nTelephone: 999 (ambulance, fire, police)
\n\nContact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.
\n\nFor refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.
\n\nFind out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:
\n\nFCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:
\n\nSee how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency.
\n\nYou can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.
\n\nTelephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)
\n\n\n\nSign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
\n\nFollow FCDO:
\n\nThe Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating in Seychelles on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.
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