Seychelles.
How Seychelles sells citizenship and residence for investors: 1 citizenship programme, open today; and 2 residence programmes, 2 of them open today. Every number and rule below links to the document it comes from.
- 2
- residence programmes
- 0
- numbers
- 20
- prices and rules
- 1
- event
- 1
- citizenship programme
- 0
- numbers
- 13
- prices and rules
- 6
- events
12 documents and articles behind this page, listed at the bottom.
Residence
Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later. Seychelles: 2 residence programmes, 2 of them open today; 0 numbers, 20 prices and rules. Every country's residence programmes
All the numbers, sources and downloads for Seychelles in the data portal →
- Status
- Open
- Lowest price
- No single price · Only the permit fee (SCR 150,000) is recorded; no official minimum property price found.
Can lead to citizenship: investors need 11 years of residence in total.
- Status
- Lowest price for one person
- Last change
Eden Island residence permit
Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later.
Official name: Seychelles Residence Permit - Eden Island Scheme
Only the permit fee (SCR 150,000) is recorded; no official minimum property price found.
Notes from the research
A residence permit category for buyers of property in the Eden Island development, listed in the Immigration Department's fee schedule (SCR 150,000 for 5 years including spouse and children). No official minimum price, legal basis or start date was found: the Immigration Regulations' fee schedule (S.I. 12 of 1981, as amended) and any agreement or regulation creating the scheme were not obtained (SeyLII refuses automated access; the government's 2007-2008 residence-permit page lists only the general discretionary permit). Industry sources cite USD 500,000 for property-linked residence permits generally, which was not confirmed officially. The ordinary residence permit is discretionary (family connection or 'special contribution' to Seychelles) and does not allow work.
Prices and rules
What is measured
No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.
Permanent residence for investors
Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later.
Path to citizenship. Can lead to citizenship: investors need 11 years of residence in total. (from the research notes below)
Official name: Seychelles Permanent Residence Permit for investors
USD 1 million (or rupee equivalent) in a Seychelles business plus one year's residence. Permit fee SCR 150,000 excluded.
Notes from the research
Permanent residence for a non-Seychellois who has invested the equivalent of at least USD 1 million in a Seychelles business and has lived there legally for 1 year, or has 5 years' business association with Seychelles. Holders can work without a Gainful Occupation Permit and pay 50% of the sanction fee for buying property. Introduced by 2013 amendments to the Citizenship Act and Immigration Decree (texts not obtained; 'launched' is the month of the Department's guide). Permit fee SCR 150,000. Citizenship for investors needs 11 years' aggregate residence (see syc-investor-citizenship). No counts found.
Prices and rules
What is measured
No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.
Citizenship
Sells citizenship, and with it a passport. Seychelles: 1 citizenship programme, open today; 0 numbers, 13 prices and rules. Every country's citizenship programmes
All the numbers, sources and downloads for Seychelles in the data portal →
- Status
- Lowest price for one person
- Last change
Citizenship for investors
Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.
Official name: Seychelles citizenship under special circumstances for investors (Citizenship Act s. 5(2), 5A-5C)
USD 1 million in a Seychelles business, but also 11 years' aggregate residence, an exam and sponsors: not a quick citizenship route.
Notes from the research
Not a citizenship-by-investment programme: requires an investment of at least USD 1 million in a Seychelles business plus 11 years' aggregate residence, a citizenship exam (80% in a national language), sponsors and public notices. Introduced by s. 5C of the Citizenship Act, inserted by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 11 of 2013 with effect from 2 December 2013 (gazette and consolidated text stored). Legal basis: the 1994 Act's general 'special circumstances' clause (s. 5(2), in force 1 January 1996), although s. 5C doesn't refer to it. Fee SCR 350,000 (2020 list). No counts found. Whether a later amendment removed the investor route has not been checked.
Prices and rules
What is measured
No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.
What we know is missing
- Eden Island residence permit: we found no published numbers at all, only rules and events.
- Citizenship for investors: we found no published numbers at all, only rules and events.
- Permanent residence for investors: we found no published numbers at all, only rules and events.
- 3 not yet read; what remains is listed in the coverage file.
A gap means no figure is in our data: either it was never published or we haven't found or read it yet. Charts leave gaps open rather than drawing across them.
What happened, and when
The 12 documents behind this page
- 2026 · GovernmentResidence Permit (web page) · Immigration and Civil Status Department, Seychelles
- 2022-11 · GovernmentCabinet Business - Wednesday 16th November 2022 · State House Seychelles (Office of the President)
- 2020-05 · GovernmentOther fees (Permanent Resident, Residence Permit incl. Eden Island Scheme, Citizenship) · Immigration and Civil Status Department, Seychelles
- 2018-10 · International organisationResidence/Citizenship by investment schemes (list of potentially high-risk CBI/RBI schemes) · OECD
- 2014-02 · GovernmentApplication for Registration as a Citizen of Seychelles under Special Circumstances (Form IMM2), notes · Immigration and Civil Status Department, Seychelles
- 2014-01 · Law or regulationLaws of Seychelles, Chapter 30, Citizenship Act, consolidated to 6 January 2014 · Laws of Seychelles consolidation (copy hosted by Citizenship Rights in Africa Initiative)
- 2013-12 · Law or regulationCitizenship (Amendment) Act, 2013 (Act 11 of 2013), Supplement to Official Gazette, 2 December 2013, pp. 477-486 · Republic of Seychelles, Official Gazette
- 2013-12 · GovernmentApplication for Permanent Residence Permit (Form IMM-15), notes and instructions · Immigration and Civil Status Department, Seychelles
- 2013-11 · GovernmentA Quick Guide to the new Seychelles Immigration Rules (November 2013) · Department of Immigration and Civil Status, Government of Seychelles
- 2013-10 · GovernmentCabinet Resolution on Immigration · State House Seychelles (Office of the President)
- 2003-05 · GovernmentFinCEN Advisory Issue 2W: Withdrawal (Transactions Involving the Seychelles) · US Department of the Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
- 1996-03 · GovernmentFinCEN Advisory Vol. 1, Issue 2: Enhanced Scrutiny for Transactions Involving the Seychelles · US Department of the Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
Who buys passports and golden visas, what they cost, and what happens when governments change the rules. Written from this data, in the newsletter.