Personal accounts: Seychelles
An honest assessment before work starts, the quote is fixed in writing.
A personal account in Seychelles is needed by people living and working on the islands with a work permit or residence permit, owners of property and Seychelles companies, and people who want to keep part of their savings in dollars or euro in a small stable jurisdiction. Banks are supervised by the Central Bank of Seychelles; the currency is the Seychelles rupee, but there have been no exchange controls since 2008, and dollar, euro and pound accounts are common.
Who can open a personal account
| Your status | Chances | What else the bank will ask |
|---|---|---|
| Resident with a work permit or residence permit | high | permit, address, income certificate |
| Owner of property in Seychelles | medium to high | title documents and the government sanction for the purchase |
| Owner of a Seychelles company with no business on the islands | low to medium | company documents, purpose of the personal account |
| Non-resident with no link to Seychelles | low | large balance, references, detailed source of funds |
We will calculate online the cost of opening a personal account and maintaining it for a year.
Documents required
- Passport and proof of address no older than three months.
- A reference letter from your bank.
- Proof of income and source of funds: income certificate, statements, documents on the sale of a business or assets.
- For residents, a work permit or residence permit.
- Tax residence: Seychelles banks report foreigners' accounts to the tax authorities of their countries.
Banks usually want to meet the client at a branch. For non-residents the minimum balance and document requirements are higher.
Protection of funds and currency
| Question | How it works |
|---|---|
| Deposit insurance | there is no state scheme, as the International Monetary Fund noted in 2024 |
| Exchange controls | abolished in 2008 |
| Account currencies | rupees, dollars, euro, pounds |
| Rate | about 14.42 rupees per dollar on 4 October 2026, the rupee floats |
Since there is no deposit insurance, it is sensible to spread large sums across banks in Seychelles and keep part of your savings in a country with a state deposit guarantee.
The account and living in Seychelles
Most often a personal account is tied to the right to live on the islands. A worker gets a work permit through the employer. An investor can obtain permanent residence by investing at least $1,000,000 in a business in Seychelles. Buying property does not give residence by itself, but a local bank account is needed to pay for the deal and the upkeep of the home.
If you have a Seychelles company
Many people are linked to Seychelles only through a company. In that case banks on the islands are reluctant to open a personal account, and it is more convenient for the owner to keep a personal account where they live. We prepare the company account and the personal account together, with one explanation of the structure and source of funds, so the answers to banks are consistent.
How the opening works
- Assessment of your status and choice of a bank for your currencies, amount and service level.
- Document pack, reference letter, explanation of the source of funds.
- Branch meeting, signing the agreement.
- Card, online banking and the first transfer.
For residents with documents the account is opened within a few days. For non-residents the review takes two to six weeks.
Who gets refused
The bank will refuse if the client has no link to Seychelles and no clear purpose for the account, if the source of money cannot be proven with documents, or if the client or their money is linked to sanctions. We check whether the bank works with Russian citizens before preparing documents.
What we do
Murblz specialists assess the chances before applying, choose a bank in Seychelles or another country, prepare documents and the explanation of the source of funds, arrange the branch visit and handle correspondence until the account is open. If you are buying property or moving, we link the account to the deal and residence documents. We fix the estimate in writing; the decision to open an account always rests with the bank.
What we do
- Personal account - opening assistance
See also
Company formation · Business account · Investment property · All country programs
FAQ
Can a non-resident open a personal account in Seychelles?
What does a resident need to open an account?
Are there transfer restrictions?
Are deposits insured in Seychelles?
Does Seychelles exchange tax information?
Do I need to fly to Seychelles to open an account?
How much does it cost to open an account with your help?
Need a personal account in the Seychelles?
We assess which Seychelles bank will accept your profile, prepare the source-of-funds documents and follow the review to a decision. Every country is in the searchable catalogue.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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