Seychelles is an archipelago with 115 islands. Seychelles is a captivating country with an abundance of beautiful beaches along the Indian Ocean coastline. A trip to this incredible island paradise might be all you need for a vacation. Many often wonder how they can get a visa to Seychelles from Nigeria. This article covers everything you need to know about visa applications to Seychelles. Read on below to ensure you are adequately prepared for the application process.
The first most impressive thing about traveling to the island country of Seychelles from Nigeria is that Nigeria has a visa abolition agreement with the Island. This means that there is a visa-free entry into Seychelles for the first 30 days for a Nigerian passport holder. This is the same for citizens of Seychelles who are allowed to enter Nigeria visa-free for 90 days.
Traveling to Seychelles can be as simple as booking a flight ticket and jetting off to the incredible island paradise. All you need to do as a Nigerian passport holder is to tender your international passport on arrival at Seychelles.
Seychelles Visa from Nigeria: How to Acquire Yours
Visitor’s permit
Nigerian passport holders are not required to have a visa when they are staying for up to 30 days in Seychelles. You do not need to worry about any stress of visa application or processes because of Seychelle’s visa-free policy. All a Nigerian passport holder needs in order to travel to Seychelle is a visitor’s permit which will be issued on arrival in Seychelles.
Types of Visa
Visitor’s Permit (valid for a stay up to 30 days)
The visitor’s permit is meant for people who wish to explore Seychelles for purposes such as pleasure, business or to visit family or friends
Work Permit (valid for stays longer than 12 months)
The work permit is meant for people who wish to stay longer than 12 months in Seychelles.
Seychelles is a visa-free country which means that there are no visa requirements for any persons wishing to travel from Nigeria.
Although a visa is not required to enter Seychelles, there are other requirements for visitors to the Island. This includes possession of a valid passport or other travel documents demanded by the government of Seychelles in order to gain entry. Other requirements are evidence of sufficient funds for the duration of visitor’s stay in Seychelles.
The international passport must be valid for the period of the intended stay and even until arrival back in Nigeria.
When a visitor arrives Seychelles, he or she is issued a visitor’s permit on arrival. This is only for travelers visiting Seychelle for the purposes of the holiday, business, visiting friends, or family. These visitors must also meet the following criteria:
- Visitor must not be a prohibited immigrant
- Visitor must not be a holder of a resident permit which allows the holder to reside in Seychelles;
- Visitor must have a valid return ticket to the home country or flight ticket for onward travel
- Visitor must be able to confirm accommodation during the stay in Seychelles
- Visitor must confirm he or she has sufficient funds for the duration of the intended stay in Seychelles (minimum of US$150 or equivalent per day).
Work permit
Work Permit also known as GOP (Gainful Occupation Permit) allows the holder to be gainfully employed in Seychelles. A work permit is also obtainable for a self-employed person.
The application for the work permit should be submitted at least ten weeks before the employee is due to resume work. Also, the applicant must not enter the country for the purpose of taking up employment prior to acquiring the work permit.
How to Get a Residence Permit?
Whoever will be issued a Residence Permit must meet the following requirements:
- Applicant must not be a prohibited immigrant;
- Applicant must have a family or relative he or she can stay with at Seychelles
- Applicant must have made or will make special contribution to the growth of Seychelles’ economic, cultural or social life.
The holder of the Residence Permit must:
- The holder of the residence permit must reside in Seychelles for at least five days during every twelve months of its validity
- if the holder of the residence permit stays in Seychelles for more than one month in a year, he/she must keep a deposit with a bank in Seychelles or provide a bank guarantee. The holder must also give the Director-General of Immigration permission to draw on the deposit
Cost of Visa
A Seychelles visa is issued at no cost for the first month of stay (30 days) on Seychelles.
However, if you want to extend your stay on the island (in successive periods up to three months at a time), a fee of ₦134,155 (Sr. 5,000) must be paid. A visitor’s permit renewal for extension must be done at least one week before it expires.
Visa Requirements
Below are the requirements for obtaining a visa for Seychelles
- A valid passport which must stay valid from arrival date in Seychelles to the departure date
- Your passport must have at least two blank pages
- A copy of a valid return ticket back to home country or onward ticket to another country.
- Proof of confirmed accommodation or contact details during your stay in Seychelles
- Proof of sufficient money for the duration of your stay in Seychelles
- Applicant must not have any criminal record
- Invitation letter, if one is staying with friends or relatives
Things to check before traveling to Seychelles
- Check the current validity of your passport
- Ensure your passport has blank Visa pages.
Prohibited items when traveling to Seychelles include:
- pharmaceuticals
- tobacco
- alcohol
- radio equipment
- any fruits or vegetables
Where to Apply for a Seychelles visa
All visitor’s permits or visas to Seychelles are issued to tourists on arrival at the country’s point of entry. At the point of entry, you must present the required documents along with the visa application form. If this is approved, the visitor will be issued a Seychelles visa (visitor’s permit) by the Seychelles Department of Immigration.
This is a step by step guide on how to obtain a visa to Seychelle. Now you can book your flight and enjoy your stay on this incredible island.