UK children require a separate Seychelles Travel Authorisation, not a traditional visa, priced at a flat €10 per child with no discount for under-12s. Solo parents must carry a signed parental consent letter plus the child’s birth certificate. Applications open online up to 30 days before arrival, following guidance from the Seychelles Department of Immigration and the Seychelles E-Border platform.
Do UK Children Need a Visa for the Seychelles?
UK children receive a free Visitor’s Permit on arrival, valid for up to 3 months and extendable to 12 months total. A Seychelles visa for children, in practical terms, means the online Travel Authorisation every minor must hold before departure, regardless of age. Immigration officers issue the permit at the airport, but the Travel Authorisation must already be approved before boarding.
No age exemption exists. Infants and newborns need the same approved Seychelles Travel Authorisation for children as adult travellers, linked individually to their own passport.
Passport and Individual ETA Requirements for Babies and Children
- Each child’s passport must remain valid for the duration of the stay plus one blank page.
- Temporary or emergency child passports are accepted for Travel Authorisation applications.
- Every minor, including babies, requires an individual passport; shared or family passports are not accepted.
- A baby cannot travel on a parent’s approved ETA; a separate application is mandatory for each child.
Practical tip: photographing a newborn for the online application is often the hardest step. Lay the baby on a plain white sheet, or use a car seat covered in white fabric, keeping hands, toys and shadows out of frame, since the E-Border system rejects cluttered backgrounds.
Seychelles Travel Authorisation Fees for Children Under 12 in 2026
The standard Seychelles Travel Authorisation for children under 12 costs a flat €10 per person, matching the adult rate, with no age-based exemption for infants or under-12s. An Express processing option exists for last-minute departures and applies equally to minors, adding a supplementary fee on top of the €10 base charge per traveller.
Families submitting a joint application pay one combined total at checkout rather than separate transactions per child. The Seychelles E-Border system accepts major cards (Visa, Mastercard) and digital wallets such as Apple Pay, so a Seychelles visa for children group payment is processed in a single step.
| Family size | Standard total (€ / approx. £) | Express total (€ / approx. £)* |
|---|---|---|
| 3 travellers (2 adults + 1 child) | €30 / £26 | €60+ / £52+ |
| 4 travellers (2 adults + 2 children) | €40 / £34 | €80+ / £69+ |
| 5 travellers (2 adults + 3 children) | €50 / £43 | €100+ / £86+ |
*Express surcharge varies; figures show the €10 base fee doubled as an illustrative estimate. If an application is refused, the €10 fee is typically non-refundable, so verify passport and document accuracy before paying for any minor in the group.
Parental Consent and Documents Required for Minors
Seychelles immigration requires a signed parental consent letter and the child’s birth certificate whenever a minor travels with only one parent or guardian. A minor’s Seychelles Travel Authorisation for children will not be approved without this paperwork, and the same rule applies to every Seychelles visa for children application regardless of age.
- Signed consent letter from the non-accompanying parent
- Child’s birth certificate, with a certified translation if not issued in English or French
- Copies of both parents’ passports
- Guardianship proof (legal order or affidavit) for non-parent adults travelling with the child
Parents often arrive at check-in with incomplete paperwork because this consent protocol is easy to overlook. A simple, adaptable format covers the essentials:
“I, [Non-accompanying Parent], passport [No.], consent to my child, [Child Name, Passport No.], travelling to the Seychelles from [Departure Date] to [Return Date] with [Accompanying Parent]. Contact: [Phone/Email].”
Note: although the Travel Authorisation is digital, UK airlines and transit hubs such as Doha or Dubai often request printed copies of the birth certificate and consent letter before boarding; do not rely solely on files stored on a phone.
Special Scenarios: Divorced, Deceased or Sole-Custody Parents
| Scenario | Required Document |
|---|---|
| Divorced parents | Court-issued custody decree |
| Deceased parent | Death certificate |
| Sole custody | Court order (removes need for absent parent’s consent) |
| Adopted child | Adoption certificate plus birth certificate |
How to Apply: Family Group Application, Timing and Common Misconceptions
The Seychelles E-Border system allows one Group Application linking all family members, submitted up to 30 days before arrival with a single payment. This covers every Seychelles Travel Authorisation for children within the family group, so a Seychelles visa for children never needs a separate account per child.
- Create a parent or guardian account on the Seychelles E-Border platform.
- Start a Group Application and add each travelling family member.
- Complete each child’s form separately: passport data, photo or selfie.
- Upload supporting documents, including the birth certificate and any consent letter.
- Pay the total fee for all travellers in one transaction before submitting.
The Seychelles E-Border app (iOS and Android) supports the same group workflow, with push notifications on each child’s status. Apply no earlier than 30 days before arrival; claims of a one to two month window found elsewhere are outdated, and no physical passport ever needs posting, since the process is fully digital.
A Yellow Fever certificate is required only for children aged 1 and over arriving via a layover in an endemic country; direct flights from the UK carry no such requirement.
Search results referencing a “Parent of a Student child visa” relate to a separate UK Home Office study-visa fee and have no bearing on a Seychelles family holiday.
FAQ: Seychelles Visa for Children and Family Travel Authorisation
Do children need a visa to visit the Seychelles from the UK?
No. UK children get a free Visitor’s Permit on arrival for up to three months, but every child, including infants, needs an approved Seychelles Travel Authorisation online before departure.
How much does the Seychelles Travel Authorisation cost for a child under 12 in 2026?
A flat €10 per person, identical to the adult fee, with no exemption for under-12s. An optional Express fee for faster processing applies equally to minors.
Do I need a parental consent letter if travelling alone with my child?
Yes. Seychelles immigration requires a signed consent letter from the non-accompanying parent, the child’s birth certificate (certified translation if not in English or French), and copies of both parents’ passports.
What documents does my child need to enter the Seychelles?
An approved Travel Authorisation, a valid individual passport, the birth certificate, a parental consent letter if travelling with one parent, return flight confirmation and proof of accommodation; travel insurance is recommended.
How far in advance should I apply for my child’s Travel Authorisation?
Applications open up to 30 days before arrival; claims of a one to two month window elsewhere are outdated. Applying seven to fourteen days before departure is recommended.
Do children need a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate to enter the Seychelles?
Only children aged 1 and over arriving from a Yellow Fever endemic area need one. The UK is not endemic, so direct flights from the UK require no certificate.
Can I submit one application for the whole family on the Seychelles E-Border system?
Yes. The Group Application links all family members, letting parents complete each child’s form individually and pay the combined €10-per-traveller fee in one transaction.
