Seychelles customs rules & duty-free allowances

Last reviewed October 1, 2026·Official source

Seychelles is an island biosecurity state: the biggest customs risk is not duty but the fresh food and plant matter in your bag. A single apple, a ham sandwich or an unopened packet of seeds can trigger an on-the-spot fine at Seychelles International Airport, so eat or bin all fresh produce before you land. The second trap is the red/green channel — if you are over any allowance or carrying restricted goods such as a drone or extra laptop, you must declare it. Officers use X-ray machines and sniffer dogs, and a false declaration is treated far more harshly than the duty itself.

Duty-free allowances

Alcohol
1.0 L
1 litre of spirits or wine (any alcohol over 0.5% ABV). There is no separate beer allowance — the 1L covers all alcohol types combined. Must be 18 or over. Anything above 1L is liable to duty at the time of import.
Tobacco
200 cigarettes
or 50 cigars / 250 g
Cash to declare
$10,000
SCR 150,000 (about USD 10,000) or the foreign-currency equivalent. Declare on the Seychelles Customs Declaration form handed out on the aircraft or available in the arrivals hall, and hand it to an officer before leaving the baggage hall.
Goods duty-free
$800
Personal effects and gifts up to SCR 10,000 (about USD 800) per adult traveller are duty-free. Above that, duty is assessed on the excess at the applicable rate for the goods category — typically 15–25% for most consumer items, higher for vehicles and alcohol.

Prohibited — banned from import

  • Narcotics and psychotropic substances, including cannabis and CBD products in any form
  • Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, dairy, eggs and honey
  • Seeds, bulbs, cuttings, live plants and soil
  • Firearms, ammunition and imitation firearms without prior written authorisation
  • Pornographic material and any material deemed offensive to Seychellois culture
  • Counterfeit goods and pirated media

Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration

  • Prescription medicines — declare and carry the prescription; controlled drugs need prior approval from the Ministry of Health
  • Drones — require a permit from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority before import
  • Satellite phones and two-way radios — require a licence from the Seychelles Communications Authority
  • Pets and live animals — require an import permit and veterinary health certificate issued in advance
  • Plants and plant products — require a phytosanitary certificate from the Seychelles Agricultural Agency

Arriving: red vs green channel

There is a single customs declaration form covering both health and customs, usually distributed on the plane — fill it in before landing. After immigration and baggage reclaim you pass through a red/green channel: green if you have nothing to declare and are within all allowances, red if you are over any limit or carrying restricted goods. Officers routinely X-ray and hand-search bags, so if in doubt use the red channel — the penalty for a false declaration is far higher than the duty itself.

Bringing medication

Bring personal medication in its original labelled packaging with a copy of the prescription or a doctor's letter. Up to 3 months' supply for personal use is generally accepted. Seychelles has very strict drug laws: narcotics, cannabis (including CBD products), amphetamines, and several prescription opioids and benzodiazepines are controlled or outright prohibited — check with the Seychelles Ministry of Health before you fly if you take anything stronger than a standard antibiotic or antihypertensive.

Food, plants & animal products

Seychelles is an island biosecurity state and bans almost all fresh food and plant matter. No fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, eggs, honey, seeds, bulbs, cuttings, soil or untreated wood. Commercially packaged, shelf-stable food (biscuits, chocolate, sealed coffee) is normally fine. Anything animal- or plant-derived must be declared; undeclared food is confiscated and can attract an on-the-spot fine.

Rules worth knowing

One laptop, one camera — no duplicates

Seychelles customs treats personal effects as one of each item. Arriving with two laptops, two cameras or three phones can be read as goods for resale and duty-assessed on the spot. If you genuinely need duplicates for work, carry a letter from your employer.

Green channel means zero to declare

The green channel is only for travellers with nothing over the allowance and no restricted goods. If you are 1 cigarette or SCR 1 over, use the red channel. A false declaration is a criminal offence and can result in seizure plus a fine of several times the duty owed.

Food fines are real and immediate

Biosecurity officers at Seychelles International Airport issue on-the-spot fines for undeclared food and plant matter — commonly SCR 1,000–5,000 (about USD 75–375). Eat your in-flight apple before landing; do not put it in your bag.

Departing with shells, corals or coco de mer

Taking coral, shells, or the protected coco de mer nut out of Seychelles requires an export permit from the Ministry of Environment. Buying a coco de mer without the official tag and permit is illegal and it will be confiscated at departure.

Frequently asked questions

Not without prior permission. Drones are a restricted import and you need a permit from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority before you arrive. Arriving with one undeclared will see it held at the airport, and flying it without a permit anywhere in Seychelles — including on private islands — can lead to confiscation and a fine.
Possibly. Seychelles controls several opioids and benzodiazepines that are routinely prescribed in Europe and North America. Carry no more than 3 months' supply, keep it in the original pharmacy packaging, and bring your prescription or a doctor's letter. If your medication is on the controlled list, get written approval from the Seychelles Ministry of Health before you travel — arriving without it can lead to arrest, not just confiscation.
Yes, there is a small arrivals duty-free shop after immigration, but the allowances still apply — the 1L alcohol and 200-cigarette limits are per adult traveller regardless of where you bought the goods. Buying in the arrivals shop does not give you a bigger allowance.
No. All meat, dairy and animal products are banned from import into Seychelles, even vacuum-sealed and commercially packaged. They will be confiscated at the biosecurity checkpoint and you may be fined. Shelf-stable, plant-based packaged snacks are generally fine.
Up to SCR 150,000, or the foreign-currency equivalent of about USD 10,000. Above that you must declare it on the customs form. There is no limit on how much you can bring in — you just have to declare it, and be ready to explain the source if asked.
One laptop and one phone per person are treated as personal effects and do not need to be declared. If you are carrying two or more laptops, or a bag full of electronics, declare them on the red channel — customs may treat the extras as imported goods and assess duty.
Your goods are seized and you face a fine that can be several times the duty owed, plus possible prosecution. Seychelles customs runs random bag searches and uses sniffer dogs at the airport, so the odds of being caught are not low. If you are unsure whether something is over the limit, always use the red channel — declaring voluntarily is treated far more leniently than being caught.

Official source

Seychelles Revenue Commission — Customs Division

For guidance only. Customs allowances and prohibited-item lists change without notice — always confirm with Seychelles Revenue Commission — Customs Division before travelling.