Light on capital, careful on scope
Consultancy & Professional Services Setup in Seychelles
Consultancy is easy to establish here. The questions are where your clients are and whether the advice is regulated.
GCC business setup specialists
Two decisions, both easy to get wrong
If your clients are abroad, an International Business Company usually fits; if they are in Seychelles, you need a domestic company and a trade licence. And if the advice touches investments, the Financial Services Authority regulates it. Getting either wrong means doing it twice.
- Vehicle matched to where your clients actually are
- Scope tested against regulated activity before you start
- Permit position for a foreign consultant assessed
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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Choose the shape
Structures for a consultancy
Client location usually decides it.
| Option | What it suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| International Business Company | Clients outside Seychelles | Territorial basis; limited local activity |
| Domestic company | Clients in Seychelles | Trade licence and business tax |
| Self-employed permit | Individuals on their own account | Activity must not be reserved |
| Branch of an overseas firm | An existing practice extending here | Parent liability |
| Special Licence Company | Where treaty access matters | More compliance and cost |
| FSA licensed firm | Investment advice | Capital and fit and proper assessment |
Whether advice is regulated is assessed on what you actually do, and the boundary moves. Your scope 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
Setting up the practice
Scope and clients first, then structure.
01
Define the scope
Precisely what advice you give and to whom, tested against the regulated activity boundary.
02
Choose the structure
Vehicle matched to where clients are, with trade licensing identified where the work is domestic.
03
Establish and operate
Company incorporated, permits applied for where you will work here, and accounting and VAT set up.
- Exactly what services you provide
- Where your clients are located
- Whether you advise on investments at all
- Whether you handle client money
- Professional qualifications held
- Any regulatory authorisation elsewhere
- Whether you need a permit to work here
- Whether you will have premises
- Expected fee income
- Whether you will employ staff
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Whether the activity could be reserved
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Scope assessment against regulated activity
- Vehicle recommendation
- Incorporation
- Trade licence support where work is domestic
- Permit co-ordination where you will work here
- VAT assessment and registration where required
- Accounting and bookkeeping set up
- Guidance where the scope needs adjusting
Not included, quoted separately
- Government and licence fees, paid at cost
- Financial services licensing, quoted separately
- Professional indemnity premiums
- Professional body memberships
- Office rent and fit-out
- Marketing and business development
- Client contract drafting by a lawyer
- Regulated filings, made by the licensed registered agent
Verify independently
Official Seychelles authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Financial Services AuthoritySeychelles Licensing AuthoritySeychelles Revenue CommissionDepartment of EmploymentImmigration and Civil Status DivisionSeychelles Pension Fund
Questions
Seychelles consultancy setup — FAQs
Do I need a licence to consult in Seychelles?
A trade licence for domestic consultancy. If you advise on investments or handle client assets, Financial Services Authority licensing applies.
Which vehicle suits a consultancy?
An IBC where clients are abroad; a domestic company with a trade licence where clients are in Seychelles.
Can I work here as a foreign consultant?
You would need the appropriate permit, and the activity must not be reserved. We assess both before you commit.
Where is the regulated boundary?
Narrower than most consultants assume, and assessed on what you actually do. We test your scope before you start.
Do I need to register for VAT?
Where you make taxable supplies in Seychelles and cross the threshold. Cross-border services need assessing separately.
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