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Immigration to Seychelles for United Kingdom citizenship

Language Creole, English

Car traffic Left-hand

Phone code +248

Currency Seychelles rupee

Recognition of dual citizenship yes

Covid There are no COVID restrictions

Health Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required

Insurance policy Insurance policy is required

Residence permit

Acquisition of citizenship in Seychelles

A residence permit is issued to individuals that are:

Non-illegal immigrants;
Has a family tie with Seychelles;
Had made or will make a significant contribution to the economic, social or cultural life of the Seychelles.

What are the requirements for the residence permit?

The owner of a residence permit has to reside on the territory of Seychelles not less than five days every twelve months throughout the entire period of validity of the permit.

The owner of a residence permit has to provide a bank guarantee to the head officer of the Immigration Service for an amount not less than 20 000 SCR, and allow the officer to take the money needed for the coverage of the expenses related to medical care, detention in the Seychelles, or removal of the permit owner and his dependents.

The permit owner is not entitled to free medical care in Seychelles or to any social benefits.

How much does it cost to issue a residence permit?

The application processing fee is 5 American dollars and the residence permit fee is 50 000 rupees (main application) and 25 000 rupees for the spouse if the application is submitted simultaneously.

The confirmation fee for each minor who has a residence permit is 1000 rupees.

For more information and relevant documentation on immigration matters, please contact: [email protected]

Permanent residence permit

General conditions for obtaining a permit:

The applicant is not an illegal immigrant;
The period of absence on the island without the consent of the Minister does not exceed 1 year;
They were not sentenced to imprisonment for more than 1 year.

Who can get a permanent residence permit in Seychelles?

Owners of a permanent residence permit are divided into several categories, which include:

Married people
Students
Priority employees
Investors.

Residence permit through marriage

A person who is married to a Seychelles spouse and has made the country their legal residence place for at least five years is eligible to become an owner of a permanent residence permit.

A person who was once married to a Seychellois man/woman and has lived in the country for five years is also eligible for a permit.

Students

A foreign student who has legally resided in the country for at least five years while attending school and has a gainful employment permit is eligible to become a permanent residence permit holder.

You must also have a university degree to have a permanent residence permit in this category.

Priority employees

Prioritized employees who have made the country their legal residence place for at least five years are eligible to become an owner of a permanent residence permit.

During the immigration process, priority employees have to present significant abilities in the areas like:

Science;
Business;
Law;
Sport.

They also have to have a higher education and make a great contribution to the development of the country for successful immigration and perseverance of their status of an owner of the permanent residence permit.

Permanent residence permit for investors

Another way to obtain a permanent residence permit are investments.

Investors have to apply for a residence permit if they comply with the following criteria:

They have invested 1 million American dollars or more into Seychellois business;
They have the means to support themselves throughout one year in Seychelles after obtaining a permit;
They have at least five years of business association or affiliate relationship as a result of direct investment;
They have resided in Seychelles for at least 5 years on a Dependent Permit or Gainful Occupation Permit (GOP);
They have not been absent from the Seychelles for a continuous period of one year or more without the consent of the Minister for Internal Affairs;
They have not been sentenced to imprisonment for more than 1 year under the laws of the Seychelles;
They are not an illegal immigrant.

How long does it take to issue a residence permit for investment?

The application processing time may take 3 months.

How much does it cost to issue a residence permit for investment?

The application fee is 150 000 rupees.

What gives a permanent residence permit to its owner?

A permanent residence permit allows its owner to:

Work without a GOP (gainful occupation permit);
Be exempt from any other residence or work permit;
It is possible to buy land and residential real estate with the permission of the government, paying only 50% of the penalty fee.

Citizenship of Seychelles can be obtained by birth or later in life by naturalization or registration. Naturalization usually applies to spouses or children whose parents’ application is being considered, whereas registration is required for people whose parents were born in Seychelles or people with special skills or circumstance, including investors, students and skilled workers.

Citizenship by birth

A child born to a citizen of the Seychelles is entitled to become a citizen by birth. Their parents must complete the necessary birth registration documents, obtain a birth certificate and pay a registration fee to officially register the child as a Seychellois citizen.

A child born abroad or without a Seychelles birth certificate can still apply for citizenship by origin as an adult. This person must prove that at least one parent or grandparent was born in Seychelles.

Citizenship by naturalization

Naturalization allows a foreign citizen to obtain Seychelles citizenship. The procedure is different in each individual case.

What is naturalization?

Naturalization is the final step in the process of integration into the Seychellois way of life. This gives you the right to vote and run for office.

As Seychelles recognizes dual citizenship, applicants for a Seychelles passport do not risk losing their original citizenship, provided the country of origin also allows dual citizenship.

Who can obtain citizenship by naturalization?

You can apply for citizenship through naturalization if you meet the following criteria:

You have been married to a Seychellois citizen for at least 10 years;
You have been a legal resident of Seychelles for 5 years or more immediately before submitting this application;
You must score at least 80% in 1 of the 3 national languages in the citizenship qualifying exam;
You have not been sentenced to imprisonment for 1 year or more for an offense punishable under any law of Seychelles;
You have not been absent from the Seychelles for one year or more without the written permission of the Minister.

In addition to eligible foreigners, other individuals who may be naturalized include:

Children legally adopted by Seychellois parents automatically acquire Seychellois citizenship upon completion of the legal adoption;
Minor children may be included in their parent's naturalization application;
The legal wife of a citizen of Seychelles after ten years of marriage and five years of residence.

Citizenship by registration

Individuals who do not normally qualify for naturalization may be registered under special circumstances if they pass the citizenship test with 80 percent accuracy and have no criminal convictions.

They must have been legal residents for at least fifteen years or permanent residents for ten years and have been physically present in the country for at least thirteen years, without a continuous absence of one year.

Who can get citizenship by registration?

The following can obtain citizenship by registration:

Children born abroad to at least one parent who is a citizen of Seychelles, after completing the administrative registration process and residing in Seychelles for at least two years;
Individuals who have lived and received secondary education in Seychelles, who have returned to work in Seychelles after graduating from university abroad or who have been permanently resident in the country for five years;
Individuals who have exceptional abilities in the field of art, business, economics, education, law, science or sports;
Individuals who hold a degree that enables them to make a significant contribution to the development of Seychelles;
Persons who have made a significant contribution to the development of the nation;
Persons who were married to a citizen of the Seychelles and had children or did not have children, but the spouse died;
Individuals who have invested at least 1 000 000 American dollars in a business in Seychelles have the ability to be self-sufficient and have lived in the country for at least eleven years.

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