Activity decides everything
Selecting Your Business Activities in Seychelles
Your activity decides your vehicle, your licence and whether you are permitted to do it at all.
GCC business setup specialists
Three separate filters
First, whether the activity is reserved for Seychellois. Second, whether it is regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Third, whether it can be done through an International Business Company or needs a domestic company with a trade licence. Most problems come from skipping the first two.
- Reserved and regulated activity checks before you commit
- Vehicle matched to the activity, not the other way round
- Licence category identified up front
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
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What the activity decides
Why the description matters
It sets the vehicle, the licence and the limits.
| It affects | How |
|---|---|
| Permissibility | Some activities are reserved for Seychellois. |
| Regulation | Financial activity is licensed by the regulator. |
| Vehicle | Local trading needs a domestic company. |
| Trade licence | Category and fee follow the activity. |
| Banking | Banks assess activity and counterparties closely. |
| Tax | Source of income follows what you actually do. |
The reserved activity list, licence categories and regulated activity definitions change. Yours is checked before application. An International Business Company must at all times have a registered agent licensed by the Financial Services Authority. That is a statutory requirement in Seychelles. We co-ordinate your engagement with a licensed Seychelles registered agent and manage the process end to end; the regulated filings are made by them.
How it works
From what you do to a workable setup
Checked in the right order.
01
Describe it precisely
What you will do, for whom and where, in enough detail to test against the lists.
02
Run the checks
Reserved activity, regulated activity and whether local trading is involved, all before anything is filed.
03
Set it up
Vehicle chosen, licence category identified and the application prepared consistently with your banking story.
- Exactly what the business will do
- Where customers are located
- Whether any activity occurs in Seychelles
- Whether premises are needed
- Whether tourism, transport or retail is involved
- Whether you deal in or advise on investments
- Whether you hold client money or assets
- Whether you administer other entities
- Expected turnover and volumes
- Whether foreign staff are needed
- Any regulatory history elsewhere
- Counterparty countries
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Reserved activity check
- Regulated activity assessment
- Vehicle recommendation
- Licence category identification
- Application preparation support
- Consistency across licence, agent and bank
- Guidance where an activity causes difficulty
- Amendments where the business changes
Not included, quoted separately
- Government and licence fees, paid at cost
- Financial services licensing, quoted separately
- Market research and projections
- Authority decisions
- Bank onboarding decisions
- Premises and equipment compliance
- Professional qualification recognition
- Regulated filings, made by the licensed registered agent
Verify independently
Official Seychelles authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Financial Services AuthorityRegistrar of CompaniesSeychelles Revenue CommissionSeychelles Licensing AuthorityMinistry of InvestmentRegistration Division
Questions
Choosing Seychelles business activities — FAQs
Which activities are reserved for Seychellois?
Certain small-scale tourism, transport and retail activities among others. The list is set by policy and changes, so we check yours specifically.
Which activities need a Financial Services Authority licence?
Securities dealing and advice, fund administration, trusteeship and insurance among others. Licensing is substantial.
Can an IBC do my activity?
It depends on whether the activity is carried on inside Seychelles. Local trading generally needs a domestic company and a trade licence.
Can I list a broad activity to keep options open?
Broad descriptions cause problems with licensing and banking. It is better to be precise and vary it later if needed.
Does the activity affect my tax position?
Yes. The source of income follows what you actually do and where, which is what the territorial basis turns on.
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