# Seychelles: taxes, residence and cost of living Source: https://domicile.wiki/places/seychelles/ (domicile.wiki, researched 2026-10-15). Data licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Research, not tax or legal advice. ## At a glance For an EU-citizen family of five living off a EUR 30M portfolio (the guide's default reader). - Wealth tax: none - Children inherit: tax-free - EU member: no - Currency: SCR - Capital: Victoria ## Tax on investments, inheritance and wealth Seychelles levies personal income tax on employment emoluments and business tax on business income; there is no capital gains tax, and foreign-source dividends and investment income of a private individual are not taxed (territorial system). No wealth, inheritance or gift tax; foreigners owning residential property pay an annual immovable property tax of 0.25% of market value. Residence for foreigners needs a permit. Low-to-medium confidence: no Big-4 summary was available. - **Seychelles residence**: Territorial: no CGT; foreign dividends untaxed; no wealth or inheritance tax. ## Inheritance law and trusts Children are reserved heirs under the Civil Code (art. 913): reportedly one half with one child, two thirds with two, three quarters with three or more. The Constitutional Court upheld this in 2013. Seychelles has a Trusts Act 2021 and Foundations Act 2009 that offer anti-forced-heirship protection. ## Daily life (0-100, higher is better) - Safety and personal security: 47 - Political and institutional stability: 66 - Corruption and government integrity: 71 - Legal system and property rights: 62 - Healthcare quality and access: 68 - Education quality: 54 - Human development and quality of life: 70 - Infrastructure and connectivity: 88 - Business opportunities and economy: 63 ## Research notes ### Seychelles — family-office tax dossier Last reviewed: 2026-10-15 Tax year: 2026 Reviewer: research agent (Claude), unreviewed by a tax adviser #### Summary Seychelles levies personal income tax on employment emoluments and business tax on business income; there is no capital gains tax, and foreign-source dividends and investment income of a private individual are not taxed (territorial system). No wealth, inheritance or gift tax; foreigners owning residential property pay an annual immovable property tax of 0.25% of market value. Residence for foreigners needs a permit. Low-to-medium confidence: no Big-4 summary was available. #### Residence and eligibility Generally resident if present 183+ days in a year (not verified against the statute). - **Residence permit / Gainful Occupation Permit** (EU, US, OTHER): Foreigners need a residence permit (e.g. for retirees, investors or dependants) or a Gainful Occupation Permit; foreign purchase of property requires government sanction. Terms not verified. #### Capital gains Capital gains are not subject to tax in Seychelles (Lloyds Bank Trade). Business tax applies only to Seychelles-sourced business income (territorial since 2019, Business Tax Act 2009 as amended). - **Rate basis:** No CGT; all rates 0. - **Professional trader:** Gains of a business (trading) could fall under business tax; private investors not affected. - **Confidence:** medium (unverified), verified 2026-10-15. - **JSON numbers:** headline 0.0; listed domestic 0.0, listed foreign 0.0, private business 0.0, local real estate 0.0, foreign real estate 0.0. #### Dividends Individuals' income tax is levied on employment emoluments (SRC). Foreign dividends of a private individual are not taxed. Seychelles-company dividends: 15% WHT to non-residents; 0% between resident entities. - **Rate basis:** Foreign dividends 0 (outside both the employment-income tax and Seychelles-source business tax). Domestic rate unknown (null). - **Outbound WHT:** 15% WHT on dividends, interest and royalties paid to non-residents; 0% between resident entities (Lloyds). - **Treaty network:** Treaty network size not verified; no treaty with the United States. - **Confidence:** low (unverified), verified 2026-10-15. - **JSON numbers:** headline 0.0, domestic None, foreign gross 0.0, credit method `not_applicable`. #### Inheritance and gifts to children No inheritance, estate or gift tax was found. - **Gift tax:** None found. - **Foreign assets:** No tax found on any asset. - **Domicile rules:** Not relevant. - **Confidence:** medium (unverified), verified 2026-10-15. - **JSON numbers:** basis `none`, children `fully_exempt`, exemption 0, brackets none, other transfer cost 0.0. #### Wealth tax No net wealth tax. - **Property taxes:** Foreigners who own residential immovable property pay an annual immovable property tax of 0.25% of market value (Lloyds). Stamp duty 5% on purchases by residents; special rules for non-residents. Not a wealth tax. - **Confidence:** medium (unverified), verified 2026-10-15. - **JSON:** type `none`. #### Special regimes None modelled. No special tax regime for newly arriving wealthy residents was found. #### Company taxation (kept separate from personal tax) Business tax 25% on the first SCR 1M of taxable income and 33% above (Uniwide, 2019 figures; not verified for 2026). Companies with economic substance can be exempt on foreign passive income. #### Cost of living notes No cost-of-living items were sourced in this pass. **US citizens:** US citizens remain US-taxed; no US-Seychelles tax treaty. #### Open questions - The Business Tax Act text was not read; gains that form part of a business (trading) could be business income. - Whether a resident individual receiving dividends from a Seychelles company suffers 15% WHT was not verified. - Stamp duty on transfers of immovable property on death or by gift not verified. #### Sources - [Seychelles: Business environment - taxes](https://www.lloydsbanktrade.com/en/market-potential/seychelles/taxes) - [Seychelles-sourced income: official guidance (updated Aug 2025)](https://www.uniwide.com/seychelles-sourced-income-official-guidance/) - [Seychelles Revenue Commission: Domestic taxation (Income and Non-Monetary Benefits Tax)](https://www.src.gov.sc/) #### Change log - 2026-10-15: initial research. ## Residence and succession sources - [Trusts Act, 2021 (Act 34 of 2021)](https://seylii.org/akn/sc/act/2021/34) — SeyLII - [Durup & Ors v Brassel & Anor [2013] SCCC 6](https://old.seylii.org/sc/judgment/constitutional-court/2013/6-1) — SeyLII - [Inheritance tax and inheritance law in Seychelles](https://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Africa/Seychelles/Inheritance) — Global Property Guide - [Seychelles inheritance and estate tax](https://www.expanship.com/sc/blog/seychelles-inheritance-and-estate-tax) — Expanship - [HCCH status table: Convention of 1 July 1985 on the Law Applicable to Trusts and on their Recognition](https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=59) — Hague Conference on Private International Law