Seychelles digital nomad visa (2026)

Who can apply

• Employed by a company, self-employed, freelancer or business owner working remotely
• Proof of income or funds sufficient for the stay
• Valid medical and travel insurance
• Passport valid for 6 months

Income requirement

You need to show at least No fixed amount; funds sufficient for the stay. Applicants must show bank statements proving income or funds sufficient for the whole stay; no minimum figure is published.

Documents you need

• Passport valid for 6 months
• Employment letter or proof of business ownership describing the work
• Bank statements showing sufficient funds
• Medical and travel insurance policies
• Onward ticket or flight itinerary
• Proof of confirmed accommodation in Seychelles

How to apply, step by step

1. Apply on seychelles.govtas.com and select the Workcation purpose
2. Upload the required documents and pay the fee
3. Wait for review by the Workcation team
4. After approval, complete the regular travel authorisation for entry

Where and how to apply

You apply online through the Seychelles Electronic Border System, either on seychelles.govtas.com or in the Seychelles e-Border app. You pick 'Workcation' as the purpose of travel, which turns the form into an application for a Workcation Visitor Permit. A dedicated team then reviews it to check eligibility, and the portal warns travellers not to pick this purpose unless they really want the permit. Once approved, the traveller finishes the entry authorisation using a separate 'Workcation (Approved)' purpose. Applications cannot be made at the airport kiosks. There is no consulate step or appointment, and the immigration officer stamps the passport on arrival after checking the documents. The 2021 official Workcation Guide says visitors already in Seychelles who want to join should contact the immigration department, which assesses them and refers the case to the investment and tourism authorities. The programme's own website (workcation.seychelles.travel) returned an error in November 2026, but the e-Border portal still accepts applications. General immigration enquiries go to Immigration and Civil Status at Independence House, Victoria (+248 4 293636).

Timeline

1. Prepare documents Before applying
   Have a passport valid for six months, an employment letter or proof of business ownership stating your occupation, bank statements, medical and travel insurance, an onward ticket or itinerary, and provisional accommodation confirmation.
2. Submit the Workcation application At least 60 days before arrival
   The official programme page (archived June 2023) asked applicants to apply at least 60 days ahead on the e-Border system.
3. Eligibility review No published processing time
   A dedicated Workcation team checks the file. No official service standard is published.
4. Complete the entry authorisation After approval
   Finish the travel authorisation with the 'Workcation (Approved)' purpose. The archived programme page described a one-time €45 fee for the application.
5. Arrival and immigration check On landing
   Show the documents you uploaded. The officer stamps your passport, and the stay can last up to one year.
6. Customs clearance for work equipment On arrival
   The 2021 guide says participants can bring in work equipment and personal effects free of duty for up to a year, if they complete a temporary importation form.

Proving your income

No minimum amount is published. The portal asks for bank statements showing income or funds that are enough for the length of the stay. The 2021 official guide speaks of proof of 'income or wealth', which suggests savings can qualify as well as a salary. The reviewers look at whether your money matches your planned stay, so a longer requested stay calls for stronger statements. Employees also provide a letter of employment, and business owners or freelancers provide proof that they own the business. Either document must describe the nature of the work. No rule on statement currency, number of months or translation was found. Providing statements in English or French and covering several recent months is a practical choice rather than an official rule.

Bringing your family

The 2021 official Workcation Guide says the permit can be extended to family members. It also says spouses, children and parents may join the participant as ordinary visitors if they meet the same entry conditions and provide marriage or birth certificates. Close friends can take part too, but each must file a separate application. No extra funds per dependant are published, and secondary sources disagree on whether the €45 fee covers family members. Accompanying relatives are visitors and cannot work in Seychelles. Immigration and Civil Status states that non-Seychellois need a Gainful Occupation Permit (GOP) for any paid or unpaid work. The guide advises parents to contact schools early, since the programme does not arrange schooling.

Health insurance

Applicants must provide valid medical and travel insurance policies when they apply. The portal sets no minimum cover or required benefits. Because the policy is checked before approval and you may stay up to a year, it should run from your arrival date for the whole stay you request. The 2021 guide also asked for COVID-19 cover and a PCR test. Those were pandemic-era conditions and are not on the current portal list. The guide notes that participants can use either government or private clinics and must show their travel and Workcation documents when they do.

Cost and processing time

The fee is €45 one-time application fee (from the archived official programme page, 2023). Processing takes not stated officially. Budget extra for translations, certified copies and health insurance.

After you arrive

• Keep the Workcation approval and every document you uploaded, because the immigration officer can ask to see them at entry.
• File the temporary importation form with customs for laptops and other work equipment. The 2021 guide recommends using a clearing agent.
• Do not take local employment or serve local clients. Employees may not enter local partnerships or jobs, and self-employed participants may not serve the local community or tourists. Doing business locally requires the Seychelles Investment Board process and a Gainful Occupation Permit.
• Leave before your permit expires. For ordinary visitors, Immigration and Civil Status extends stays three months at a time, up to 12 months, for SCR 5,000 per period, but no extension rules specific to Workcation were found.
• Mobile providers sell SIM cards at the international airport (2021 guide). The guide's list of accredited accommodation came from the pandemic period, and the current portal asks only for provisional proof of confirmed accommodation.

Tax

The 2021 official Workcation Guide lists 'no personal income tax' as a benefit for employees of foreign companies and 'no business tax' for business owners. It also lists exemption from duty on imported work equipment. The Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) does not mention the Workcation programme on its income tax page. That page describes income tax as a tax on employees' emoluments, normally withheld by the employer, at rates that differ for citizens and non-citizens (non-citizens pay 15% to 30% by monthly bracket). It sets no day-count test for residence. No current SRC ruling on foreign-paid remote workers was found, so the tax exemption rests on the programme guide alone. Anyone staying close to a year should ask the SRC advisory centre for confirmation.

Does it lead to permanent residence?

The Workcation permit is a type of visitor permit and does not lead to residence. No official source says that time on it counts towards any residence status. A Seychelles Residence Permit is granted to people with a family or domestic connection to Seychelles, or who have made or will make a special economic, social or cultural contribution. The permit lasts five years and costs SCR 150,000 for the main applicant, SCR 75,000 for a spouse applying at the same time and SCR 25,000 per child, plus a SCR 1,000 processing fee. It also requires a bank guarantee of at least SCR 20,000 and does not allow work. The Immigration and Civil Status page on permanent residence lists conditions such as no absence of more than a year without the Minister's consent, but it states no minimum number of years. Working legally always requires a Gainful Occupation Permit.

Why applications get refused

• No employment letter or proof of business ownership that clearly states the nature of the occupation.
• Bank statements that do not show enough income or funds for the length of stay requested.
• Missing or invalid medical and travel insurance.
• A passport with less than six months' validity.
• Plans that suggest local work or serving local clients, which require a Gainful Occupation Permit instead.
• Applying too close to the travel date, given the official advice to apply at least 60 days ahead, or choosing the Workcation purpose by mistake on an ordinary travel authorisation.

Cost of living in Victoria (Mahé)

1-bedroom rent

About SCR 12,000–15,000 a month in the city centre and SCR 10,000–12,000 outside the centre (Numbeo, updated 8 Nov 2026, 10 contributors)

Coworking desk

No reliable published coworking rates found

Numbeo lists broadband of 60 Mbps or more at about SCR 1,595–2,100 a month, but its Victoria data rests on a small sample (120 entries in 12 months), so treat it as indicative only.

Good to know

• The archived official page advised applying at least 60 days before arrival
• The dedicated programme site workcation.seychelles.travel currently refuses access

Visiting first? Entry rules for popular passports

197 passports can enter the Seychelles visa-free for a short stay, a common way to try the country before applying. Check Seychelles visa requirements for your passport.

Official source

Seychelles Electronic Border System (Workcation)

Not yet confirmed on an official source: fee, renewal, processing time, tax. Check these with the consulate before you apply.