The Seychelles are the perfect paradise for those seeking relaxation, sun and tropical beauty. The Seychelles are known by many tourists as one of the most exotic places in the world and its reputation of quality and the good life have attracted many expats. If you are looking for an exotic island far away from the US, you should definitely look into the Seychelles.
Climate
The Seychelles are made up of 115 islands off the east coast of Africa. The largest island is called Mahe and other large islands include La Digue and Praslin. The Seychelles are known to be hot and humid year round with average temperatures in the mid 80’s. The temperatures usually remain steady rarely dropping even into the 70’s. While it is hot and humid, there is usually a consistent breeze to cool things off. Storms on the islands are rare, due to the fact that the Seychelles are outside the hurricane belt, but there can be frequent tropical rains that fall during the year, especially during the months of January and February. For those that don’t like the rain, many times rains will fall on one side of the island, so tourists and residents can easily travel to the other side to avoid the wet weather.
For those that love the beach and marine life, the Seychelles does not disappoint. There are many places to go to enjoy marine life and plenty of beaches located throughout the islands to enjoy water sports and sun bathing.
Government
The Republic of Seychelles is a very stable and democratic country consisting of 115 islands. The capital is Victoria and there are approximately 80,000 residents that live on the islands with the top three islands being, Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.
For those Americans looking to visit or live on the Seychelles, you can easily gain entry for up to 30 days with just a passport (no visa required). Once on the island, you can apply to extend your stay to a year. When leaving the Seychelles, there is a $40 departure tax that must be paid in US currency.
You can find more information about the Seychelles by visiting seychelles.travel: the official destination website for the seychelles islands.
Tax System
One of the benefits of living on the Seychelles is that there is no income tax; however there are other taxes on the island including rental income tax on residential property. On the Seychelles, if you have a company that is classified as a non resident and does not create income from the island, you do not have to pay taxes. For companies that are either residents or non residents which derive income from the island, these entities are required to pay certain taxes. It should be noted that there are no capital gains taxes. More information can be found in the Global Property Guide: Seychelles: Taxes and Costs.
Medical Care
Medical care on the Seychelles is adequate at best due to the limited amount of facilities. It should be noted that most isolated islands do not have any medical facilities on them. For those that become seriously ill or injured, medical evacuation is usually necessary. If you are looking to stay on the island for a short time, you should consider purchasing travelers insurance that includes both medical care and medical evacuation.
Many travelers and expats come to the Seychelles for scuba diving, it should be noted that the islands do not include a hyperbaric chamber to treat decompression sickness.
Real Estate
Unfortunately for foreigners looking to buy or invest in real estate, there are many restrictions. You may be able to purchase land or a home, but you must live in it. There is a transfer restriction that prohibits you from renting or leasing out the property (this restriction is only for non- Seychellois). Another restriction is that in the process of buying property, you may be forced to use the official exchange rate which in many ways is artificially high.
As for renting or leasing property on the islands, it is fairly straightforward and prices can be reasonable. Prices depend upon the type of property and location of the property; you can contact the few agencies on the island for more information.
Shopping
Shopping on the Seychelles is a matter of hit and miss. For those used to the material life, you will be disappointed, however for those looking for natural beauty and a non commercial feel, Seychelles easily impresses. You can easily find basic necessities, but most items need to be shipped in. For the most part, you won’t find lots of brands and many goods in the states that we take for granted are non existent on the islands.
Since tourism is the leading industry on the islands, there are plenty of things for visitors and expats to do including water sports, sun bathing, plenty of places to hike and explore and many restaurants and night life.
Cost of Living
For those looking to live in Seychelles, the cost of living tends to be moderate due to the high currency rate imposed by the government. Since the currency rate is usually overvalued, many tourists don’t usually find the Seychelles as offering lots of value to its visitors. However, bargains can be found and housing for the long term is affordable. The per capita income is about $7K per year for residents, while this makes this island the leading nation in Africa on a per capita basis; it is still very low for most European and North American countries.
Extradition from Seychelles
The
Extradition treaty between Seychelles and the US was signed on December 22, 1931
This treaty was entered into force on June 24, 1935
Map of Seychelles
