At a glance
Legal system: Mixed system with strong English common law influence
Main company type: International Business Company (IBC), under the International Business Companies Act 2016
Currency: Seychelles rupee; share capital can be in other currencies
Tax: 0% on foreign-source income; Seychelles-source income is taxed under domestic rules
Directors / shareholders: One of each is sufficient; they can be the same person; individuals or companies; no residency requirement
Share capital: No minimum paid-up capital
Registered agent: Required; provides the registered office and keeps the beneficial ownership record
Why companies choose Seychelles
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Low cost. Set-up and annual fees are among the lowest of the jurisdictions we advise on.
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Simple structure. One director and one shareholder are enough, with no minimum capital and no need to visit.
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Tax-neutral treatment of overseas business. Income earned outside Seychelles is not taxed there. Your own tax position where you live is separate, and we’ll cover it in your consultation.
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Flexible ownership. Directors and shareholders can be individuals or companies from any country.
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Light public footprint. Shareholder details aren’t on the public record.
Who it suits
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International consultants and service businesses
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Online and e-commerce businesses operating outside Seychelles
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Holding companies for investments or shares
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International trading companies
Who it may not suit: businesses that want to operate in Seychelles, and businesses in prohibited activities (such as securities business, gambling or mutual fund business in Seychelles, without the right licence). Seychelles companies with no real operations can also be hard to bank, so we look at banking early.
What a Seychelles company must do each year
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Registered agent and registered office: both must be maintained in Seychelles, with an annual licence fee and agent fee.
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Accounting records: you must keep records that reflect the company’s financial position, with your registered agent, for about seven years. Records may be held abroad if their location is declared to the agent.
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Records and financial summary: digital records to be provided to the agent twice a year, in January and July, and a financial summary to be lodged within six months of the year-end.
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Register of directors: kept at the registered office and filed with the Registrar. Changes must be notified.
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Beneficial ownership: the company keeps a record of its beneficial owners, held by the registered agent.
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Due diligence: the agent and any bank will verify your identity, address and source of funds.
How it works
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Consultation. We confirm that Seychelles fits your goals, residency and business model, and look at banking early.
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Recommendation. You receive a written summary of costs, timelines and obligations.
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Introduction to a licensed Seychelles agent. We coordinate due diligence and documents. The agent files the incorporation with the registry.
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Banking and ongoing support. We help with banking introductions, annual renewals and filings.
Costs
Advisory and coordination
Who it’s paid to: Alloffshore
Amount: €100
Incorporation, government fees and first-year registered agent and office
Who it’s paid to: Partner agent
Amount: €395
Annual renewal (agent, office, government licence fee)
Who it’s paid to: Partner agent
Amount: €395
What you’ll need to provide
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A passport copy for each director, shareholder and beneficial owner
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Proof of address dated within the last 3 months (utility bill or bank statement)
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A short description of the business and expected activity
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Source of funds information
Banking with a Seychelles company
A Seychelles company with no clear operations is harder to bank than most. Banks look for a genuine business rationale, and some won’t consider the jurisdiction. We help you choose banks and payment providers that fit your business and location, prepare the application, and understand what each will ask for. We can’t guarantee approval.