23 March 2021
There's a ban on overseas travel from Australia. You can’t leave Australia unless you have an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs, or are travelling to a destination that is exempt from the ban.
Our global travel advice remains at 'Do not travel' due to the health risks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disruptions to global travel. Some destinations were already set at Do Not Travel prior to COVID-19 due to the extreme risk to your safety.
If you’re overseas and wish to return to Australia, be prepared for delays and read our advice on trying to get home.
When you arrive in Australia you must quarantine for 14 days at designated facilities in your port of arrival, unless you have an exemption or are travelling on a quarantine-free flight from a green zone destination. At this time, vaccination against COVID-19 does not change this quarantine requirement. You may be required to pay for the costs of your quarantine. View State and Territory Government COVID-19 information for information about quarantine and domestic borders.
If you're staying overseas, make plans to stay for an extended period. Follow the advice of local authorities and minimise your risk of exposure to COVID-19. Stay in touch with family and friends so they know you're safe.
Our network of embassies and consular posts around the world will provide you with up-to-date local advice and support throughout this difficult period. Be aware consular services may be limited due to local measures.
For the latest information, read and subscribe to our news and travel advice. Also see our COVID-19 information pages.
Call 999.
Call 999 or go directly to a hospital.
Call 999 or visit the nearest police station.
Do not travel to Seychelles.
Do not travel overseas due to the health risks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disruptions to global travel.
Full travel advice: Safety
Full travel advice: Health
Full travel advice: Local laws
Full travel advice: Travel
Full travel advice: Local contacts
You're at risk of theft, both targeted and opportunistic.
Most thefts happen in tourist hubs, such as Beau Vallon beach and the capital, Victoria. Robberies and other attacks also occur at Cote D'Or beach on Praslin Island.
Thieves sometimes use knives.
Thieves also target parked cars.
Violent crime is less common but happens, including on beaches and walking trails.
To protect yourself from crime:
To avoid being a victim of crime, try to avoid:
Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.
To protect yourself during periods of unrest:
More information:
There are often strong currents in the Seychelles. Drownings occur at popular tourist beaches.
Safety information is often not provided at beaches.
The popular beach of Beau Vallon is prone to rip currents when the sea is rough.
To protect yourself at the beach:
Local tour companies don't always follow safety and maintenance standards. This includes for adventure activities, such as:
If you plan to do an adventure activity:
If proper safety equipment isn't available, use another provider.
The Seychelles can experience tsunamis and severe weather, including:
To protect yourself if a natural disaster occurs:
If you're travelling during the wet season or after a natural disaster, contact your tour operator. Ask if tourist services have been affected in the areas you want to visit.
The Seychelles isn't normally affected by cyclones. However, the wet season from December to February can bring:
Call Seychelles Meteorological Services (+248) 4384 358 for weather updates.
For updates, monitor the weather through the media or via:
The Seychelles is prone to tsunamis.
To receive tsunami alerts, register with the Global Disaster Alert and Co-ordination System.
Follow the advice of local or regional authorities.
Move immediately to high ground if you:
Don't wait for official warnings. Once on high ground, monitor local media.
Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave. A ban on overseas travel from Australia remains in place. You can’t leave Australia unless you get an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs.
You must have valid travel insurance with full medical coverage (including for COVID-19 related medical care and quarantine) for the duration of your stay in the Seychelles.
Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.
If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.
If you're not insured, you may have to pay many 1000s of dollars up-front for medical care.
Confirm:
Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition. Consider whether you may be in a vulnerable category for COVID-19.
See your doctor or travel clinic to:
Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
More information:
Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.
If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in the Seychelles:
Take enough legal medication for your trip.
Carry a copy of your prescription and a letter from your doctor stating:
More information:
COVID-19 remains a risk in the Seychelles. Measures are in place to limit the spread of COVID-19 (see 'Travel').
Monitor your health closely and follow the advice of local authorities. Authorities have established a 24/7 hotline: you can call 141 for information on COVID-19. You can also find updated information at Seychelles Department of Health.
For information on the COVID-19 vaccination program in the Seychelles, refer to the Facebook page or website of the Ministry of Health in the Seychelles. You should consult your local health professional for advice on vaccine options, including assistance that may be available locally. The Australian Government cannot provide advice on the safety, quality and efficacy of vaccines that have been approved for use outside of Australia's regulatory process.
More information:
Insect-borne diseases
Outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya occur often in the Seychelles.
To protect yourself from disease:
Get medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, a rash or a severe headache.
More information:
Medical facilities in the Seychelles are limited, especially on the more remote islands. Doctors are often not available.
The island of Mahé has several clinics and a state-run hospital. The Mahé hospital can deal with accidents and emergencies.
The main hospital, including accident and emergency services, is in Victoria. Call (+248) 438 8000.
If you become very ill or badly injured, you'll need to be evacuated to a place with better facilities. This could be Mauritius, South Africa or India. Medical evacuation can be very expensive and may be difficult with reduced flights and travel restrictions imposed in response to COVID-19.
A list of pharmacies with telephone numbers is available here.
You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling, especially for an extended stay.
Face masks are mandatory when physical distancing measures (one metre) can’t be maintained; this includes indoor and outdoor venues and on all public transport. Penalties for non-compliance may include fines or imprisonment of up to three months.
If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Drug taking and smuggling are serious offences. Punishments can be severe.
More information:
Same-sex relationships are legal in the Seychelles.
More information:
Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.
More information:
Seychelles recognises dual nationality.
More information:
The people of the Seychelles can be conservative. They don't tolerate topless sunbathing on public beaches. Nudism is not acceptable.
Avoid public displays of affection.
You don't need a visa to enter the Seychelles as a tourist. You'll receive a visitor's permit on arrival. The visitor’s permit may be granted for a period of visit of up to three months upon arrival. It can be extended for successive periods not exceeding three months at a time to a maximum period of 12 months. For further information, contact the Seychelles Immigration & Civil Status Office [Tel: +248 42 93 600, email: info@immigration.gov.sc].
Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the nearest embassy for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.
Seychelles airport is open to commercial passenger flights. Commercial flight options are limited, may change at short notice, and can be affected by transit and onward travel restrictions in other countries.
If you want to depart the Seychelles, stay in touch with local airlines or your travel agent for flight options. If you want to return to Australia, you can register with the Australian High Commission.
Seychelles authorities have strongly advised Seychellois citizens and resident permit holders in the Seychelles not to travel overseas until further notice. Any person who disregards this advice and wishes to re-enter Seychelles will be subject to the new travel conditions.
Arriving by air
Before arriving in the Seychelles, you must apply for an online Health Travel Authorisation and provide flight and accommodation details. You must also provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 (PCR) test result taken in the 72 hours before you travel; this includes for infants and children under 17 years. You must submit these through the online portal.
If you're a visitor or Gainful Occupation Permit Holder and you have been in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan or South Africa in the preceding 14 days, you won't be allowed to enter the Seychelles.
Permission to enter the Seychelles for holders of Gainful Occupation Permits and their dependents will be cleared by the Seychelles Employment and Immigration authorities.
Arriving by sea
You can apply to arrive by sea using the application form available on the website of the Department of Health. You must submit your application to the Department of Health: pha@health.gov.sc.
You'll be permitted to disembark provided you have spent at least 14 days at sea from your last port of call and free from COVID-19 symptoms during this period. If you have spent less than 14 days at sea from your last port of call, you must either show evidence of a full COVID-19 vaccination or undergo a COVID-19 (PCR) test on arrival and produce a negative result.
Cruise ships from any country will not be permitted to berth in the Seychelles until further notice. All unnecessary inter-island travel is discouraged.
Quarantine measures
If you've been vaccinated for COVID-19 and you're a Seychellois citizen, a Permanent Resident or Gainful Occupation Permit holder, you won't be required to quarantine on arrival in the Seychelles.
However, if you are a Seychellois citizen or a Permanent Resident, and you're coming from Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan or South Africa, you'll be required to quarantine for 10 days in a certified tourism establishment or approved quarantine facility, with a COVID-19 (PCR) test on day 7.
If you're not vaccinated against COVID-19, then the following applies:
If you're a visitor to the Seychelles, regardless of your vaccination status, you won't be required to quarantine on arrival, but you must stay at licenced accommodation establishments or liveaboards.
You must report any illness during your stay in the Seychelles to your hotel management as well as the local public health authorities. If you test positive, or are assessed as being a close contact, you'll undergo isolation or quarantine for 14 days.
Before travelling, you should check Seychelles Department of Tourism’s Travel Advisory for Visitors for updates.
The Seychelles have implemented a nationwide curfew from 11pm to 4am, with strict restrictions on movements and gatherings. Measures include:
If you're a visitor to the Seychelles, you're required to use approved businesses, transport providers and tourism service providers, you are not permitted to use public buses, and you must avoid public gatherings and crowded places.
Social distancing and hygiene measures are mandatory. Face masks are mandatory in both indoor and outdoor venues where social distancing measures can’t be maintained (one metre). Penalties for non-compliance may include fines or imprisonment of up to three months.
Full details on new measures implemented in the Seychelles are available on the website of the Ministry of Health, the Foreign Affairs Department, the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Board.
If you're staying in Seychelles:
Authorities have established a 24/7 hotline: call 141 for information on COVID-19.
More information:
You need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter the Seychelles if you're coming from a country with yellow fever.
More information:
Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.
Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.
You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.
The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.
Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.
Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.
If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:
The currency of the Seychelles is the Seychellois Rupee (SCR).
Most tourist services, including hotels, accept euros.
You can change money at:
Hotels and resorts will usually change euros or US dollars for guests.
You may not find ATMs beyond the major tourist areas of Mahé, Praslin or La Digue. There are ATMs at the international airport.
ATMs only dispense SCR.
Most hotels, resorts and tourist services accept credit cards.
Contact your bank to make sure your cards will work in Seychelles.
Non-essential travel between islands should be avoided.
You can drive in the Seychelles with either:
Get your IDP before leaving Australia.
The minimum driving age is 18 years old.
Driving in the Seychelles is only practical on the islands of Mahé and Praslin.
Roads on both islands are mountainous, narrow and winding.
Roads are often bordered by sheer drops and have sharp bends. Safety barriers are rare.
Drink-driving is a problem in the Seychelles. Some road users behave erratically.
You are 3 times more likely to be killed in a motor vehicle accident in the Seychelles than in Australia.
To protect yourself while driving:
Check your insurance cover before setting out.
More information:
Check with your travel insurer whether your policy covers you when using a motorbike or similar vehicle. Your policy may not cover you for accidents that happen on these vehicles.
Always wear a helmet.
Use registered taxis and limousines, preferably arranged through your hotel.
Taxis aren't metered.
Research what taxi fares to expect on trips. Agree the fare with the driver before you leave.
Public transport is operational in the Seychelles; however, visitors are not permitted to use public buses.
Buses on Mahé operate from early morning to early evening. Services are limited on some routes.
More information:
Boat travel may be dangerous.
Boats can be overloaded. They can lack necessary lifesaving gear.
Always wear a life jacket, even if others don't.
Piracy is a threat in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Attacks have occurred as far as 1000 nautical miles (1852km) from the coast of Somalia.
There have also been attacks in the Seychelles' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Sailing boats are particularly exposed.
Read the piracy reports from the International Maritime Bureau.
Avoid travelling by yacht or leisure craft more than 12 nautical miles (22km) from the shore. This includes activities within Seychelles' EEZ beyond 12 nautical miles (22km) of the inner granitic islands.
DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.
Check Seychelles' air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.
More information:
Depending on what you need, contact your:
Call 999.
Call 151 or go directly to a hospital.
Call 999, 133 (Police Hotline) or visit the nearest police station.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
Your travel insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
Contact your provider with any complaints about tourist services or products.
Check the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia doesn't have an embassy or consulate in Seychelles. Contact the Australian High Commission in Mauritius for consular assistance. Please note that the Australian High Commission in Mauritius is temporarily closed to the public. Staff can be contacted via email.
Australian High Commission, Port Louis
2nd Floor, Rogers House
5 President John Kennedy Street
Port Louis, Mauritius
Phone: +230 202 0160
General Enquiries Email: ahc.portlouis@dfat.gov.au
Consular Enquiries Email: consular.portlouis@dfat.gov.au
Website: mauritius.embassy.gov.au
Facebook: Australia in Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros
Twitter: @AusHC_MU
The website will provide details about opening hours, any temporary closures and services offered.
In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:
Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.