What you need to know

As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic that brought tourism and travel to a standstill, Seychelles is focused on resuming operations within the ‘new normal’ context.

Seychelles has so far, recorded a very low number of cases and there has been no community transmission, deaths nor any infection amongst health care workers. With travellers’ wellbeing and that of the local population at heart, Seychelles has put in place protocols to ensure safe travel and stay for its visitors. While visitors enjoy their stay, it is essential that they remain conscious of these safety measures to keep Seychelles safe.

As of 1st August 2020, Seychelles International Airport is open for scheduled commercial flights and only passengers from Permitted Countries will be allowed. Permitted countries have been divided into 2 categories.

Permitted countries considered low and medium risk have been listed as Category 1.

In an effort to provide more confidence to tourism partners in key source market countries, the authorities in Seychelles have decided to provide Special Status to a group of 7 countries. These are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and the United Arab Emirates. Under normal circumstances whenever the number of cases go beyond a particular threshold, visitors from these countries would not have been allowed to travel to the islands. As of 1st October 2020, whenever this happens to any of these 7 countries, they will move from permitted countries Category 1 to permitted countries Category 2. This will allow visitors from these countries to travel to the islands but with a separate set of measures which have been outlined in this advisory.

Consideration for entry in Seychelles may also be given to visitors who are not on the permitted list of countries but they must be arriving by private jets.  However, they will be limited to staying at certified island resorts only.  All pre-travel applications for authorisation of entry in the country by visitors from countries not on the permitted list and are arriving by private jets must be submitted to the Public Health Authority on the following email address: pha@health.gov.sc  for approval.

Visitors are requested to adhere to all stated procedures in this advisory and ensure that all requirements are met prior to arrival, failing which, may result in restriction of entry.

A separate advisory for returning Seychellois residents and GOP holders is available on the website of the Department of Health at http://www.health.gov.sc/

The content of this advisory may be revised periodically based on the guidance of the Public Health Authority.