Published: April 9, 2025
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Seychelles Travel Advisory and Seychelles Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Seychelles:
Suite 23, 2nd floor, Oliaji Trade Centre, Victoria.
Tel: +248-422-5256; Emergency Tel: +248-251-5256.
U.S. Embassy Mauritius:
4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis.
Tel: +230-202-4400; Emergency Tel: +248-251-5256.
OSAC Country Chapter(s)
There is an active OSAC chapter based at U.S. Embassy to Mauritius. Contact OSAC’s Africa team with any questions.
Seychelles Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise normal precautions in Seychelles.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Victoria as being a LOW-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Seychelles.
Most visits to Seychelles remain trouble-free. According to official police figures, there continues to be a decrease in violent crime.
The Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics publishes quarterly report outlining criminal statistics and viewable online. Recent reporting shows several criminal trends:
- The country averages less than ten homicides per year.
- Property crime fell off during the COVID-19 pandemic, but is resetting back into pre-pandemic levels. In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, burglary numbers halved from just over 1,000 per year pre-pandemic to approximately 500. In 2024, there were 592 reported incidents of burglary.
- Sexual offenses have declined gradually over the past several years since 2018. In 2024, there were 80 reported incidents of sexual offenses.
- Fraud offenses have similarly dropped approximately 15% since 2018.
Muggings and petty crime such as purse snatching and pickpocketing are reportedly on the rise and can be a problem especially in and around tourist facilities and ATMs. Theft from vehicles and on beaches or walking trails occurs in areas foreigners frequent. Exercise additional caution near ATMs and in the back streets of Beau Vallon and Victoria. Theft from vehicles also occurs in areas foreigners frequent. Criminals target trekking tours, walking trails, and beaches due to the volume of tourists. Use common sense and remain aware of your surroundings.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Seychelles.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Victoria as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Seychelles.
Seychelles has not experienced any terrorist incidents. There are no known terrorist organizations operating in the country.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Victoria as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Seychelles. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
In the 2020 joint presidential and legislative elections, the opposition party candidate won 54.9% of the vote, marking the first opposition victory in the country in 44 years. The transition of power was nonviolent. International election observers from the East Africa Standby Force determined the elections to have been free, credible, and transparent, despite some reports of vote buying and voter intimidation.
The next general elections are scheduled to be held in 2025.
Protests & Demonstrations
While demonstrations and protests occur, they are not common and usually relate to elections. Most protests, scheduled and spontaneous alike, end peacefully. Examples of protests include a peaceful demonstration held near the Cascade District Administration and organized by United Seychelles, the main opposition party, in January 2024 to express dissatisfaction with the government’s response to the explosion at the CCCL explosives store which caused significant damage to the Providence Industrial area in December.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
There is no indication of anti-U.S. or anti-western sentiment in Seychelles. The tourism industry is the main source of revenue for the country, which is a popular destination for U.S. and other Western tourists. There are also important U.S./Western businesses in Seychelles that employ Seychellois nationals and contribute to the Seychelles economy.
Law Enforcement
The emergency line in Seychelles is 999. Arrested, detained, or harassed U.S. citizens should contact the American Citizen Services (ACS) section at the U.S. Embassy in Mauritius at +230-202-4400 / 32 during business hours, or the U.S. Embassy Duty Officer phone +230-5253-3641 after hours.
For administrative calls to local fire and police posts, dial:
- Mahé
- Fire: +248-432-3242
- Police: +248-428-8000
- Praslin
- Fire: Hotline: (+248) 4232141, Direct: +248-423-2149 or (+248) 4232154
- Police: +248-428-8123 or +248 4288120 or +248 4303515
The Seychelles Police Force, which includes unarmed police and an armed paramilitary Police Special Support Wing, Drug Enforcement, and the Marine Police Unit, have primary responsibility for internal security and report to the internal affairs minister. The Seychelles People’s Defense Forces, composed of the infantry, the special forces, the coast guard, and the air force, are responsible for external security and assist police with internal security as needed. These military services report to the president, who acts as defense minister. Civilian authorities maintain effective control over the security forces. Members of the security forces have reportedly committed some abuses.
Police Response
The U.S. Embassy is located in Victoria very close to the Seychelles Police Headquarters, which houses the Victoria Police Station. The police response time in any emergency should be within a maximum of 10 minutes. Report all incidents of crime to the local police authorities. Remain calm and polite when interacting with the police to avoid misunderstandings.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Seychelles, review the local laws and circumstances on the Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Seychelles.
Seychelles has an independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) since 2016, established under the Anti-Corruption Act, which gives it authority to investigate, detect, and prevent corrupt practices. The commission also received technical aid and support from the EU and the U.S. government. It also works closely with ICAC Mauritius, which has seconded several of its staff to ACC in recent years, along with providing training sessions. As of 2021, ACC recorded 210 cases, with 23 additional cases added in 2021. The most common types of corruption allegations registered are abuse of position/power, conflict of Interest, and gratification. Not all of these cases have elements of corruption.
Cybersecurity
Seychelles does not have an officially approved national cybersecurity roadmap or internationally recognized Computer Incident Response Team. The government has created several legal measures in recent years (e.g., Computer Misuse Act, the Electronic Transactions Act, and the Data Protection Act) in an effort to address cybersecurity issues. The country signed agreements with India and Cyprus in 2018 to bolster cybersecurity but has not implemented wider security measures on public systems.
Import/Export Restrictions
Prohibited items and those items requiring permits for importation include pharmaceuticals, tobacco, alcohol, radio equipment, and any fruits or vegetables.
While satellite phones are generally legal in Seychelles, they require an import permit from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications prior to arrival.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
