One of the main challenges you need to tackle when expanding your fintech or digital platform to Seychelles is protecting your platform from digital fraud.

Seychelles has become a growing financial hub, but with that growth comes increasing exposure to financial crime. According to the Central Bank, Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) have seen a significant rise in recent years. Fraud, identity theft, and money laundering continue to pose real threats to digital platforms, especially those onboarding new users remotely.

KYC, or Know Your Customer, is how you verify users, stay compliant, and protect your business.  KYC in Seychelles is more than a legal requirement. It’s your first line of defense, helping you avoid costly compliance issues and scale into the market smoothly.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through:

• What the KYC process looks like in Seychelles
• How to stay compliant with AML and eKYC regulations
• KYC challenges in Seychelles
• Tools and tips to simplify user onboarding and verification

KYC Requirements and AML Compliance in Seychelles

KYC processes in Seychelles are governed by the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, 2020 (AML/CFT Act), supported by the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Regulations. 

The AML/CFT Act serves as the cornerstone of Seychelles’ efforts to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. It mandates that all regulated entities establish robust, risk-based customer due diligence procedures to identify and mitigate illicit financial activities.

Who Must Comply With Seychelles’ AML Laws?

The KYC and AML obligations apply broadly across sectors, including but not limited to:

• Banks and financial institutions
• Insurance companies and brokers
• Money transfer and remittance service providers
• Financial service providers such as fintech firms
• Dealers in precious metals and stones
  Accountants, lawyers, real estate agents, and other designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs)

What Happens If You Don’t Comply?

Failure to comply with Seychelles’ KYC and AML requirements may result in significant penalties, including:

• Fines up to SCR 10,000,000 (about $740,000) for companies and SCR 5,000,000 (about $370,000) for individuals, plus possible license suspension or revocation by regulators.
• Imprisonment up to 15 years for money laundering or up to 5 years for false information or breaches, along with additional fines under the law.
• Loss of reputation, customer trust, and business opportunities that harm growth and partnerships.

                        Non-compliance can slow down your growth and expose your business to regulatory risks. With tools like Dojah, you can simplify compliance checks and verify your customers in Seychelles faster.

Requirements for KYC in Seychelles and Accepted Documents

KYC obligations in Seychelles vary depending on the type of customer and service provided. To stay compliant, here are the key documents you should collect:

Proof of Identity

 Customers must provide a valid, government-issued ID. Accepted options include:

• Seychelles National Identity Card (for citizens)
• Valid passport (for citizens and foreign nationals)
• Seychelles Driver’s License
• Valid residence permit or foreign national ID

Proof of Address

To verify a customer’s residential address, request recent documents such as:

• Utility bills (e.g., electricity, water, internet)
• Bank or credit card statements
• Tenancy agreement or property ownership document
• Official letter from employer or local authority confirming address

Company Verification Documents (for legal entities)

 When you’re onboarding a business or legal entity, request:

• Certificate of Incorporation or business registration extract
• Tax Identification Number
• Proof of company address (e.g., lease, utility bill)
• List of directors and authorized signatories
• Details of beneficial owners and source of funds

Additional Documentation for Foreign Nationals

For non-resident or foreign customers, also request:

• Valid passport and visa or entry stamp
• Residence permit (if applicable)

 Reviews and Record Retention

All documents must be reviewed for accuracy and authenticity. Customer information such as occupation, address, and risk level should be updated regularly. Regulated entities must retain KYC records for at least seven years after the end of the customer relationship, as required by Seychelles’ AML regulations. Many institutions also use biometric tools or e-KYC platforms to support compliance.

How KYC Works in Seychelles: A Step‑by‑Step Guide

These are the key steps to stay compliant and onboard customers securely if you operate a fintech or digital business in Seychelles:

Step 1: Identity Collection

Begin by collecting your customer’s Seychelles National Identity Card, passport (for citizens or foreign nationals), or Seychelles driver’s license. Record details such as full name, date of birth, ID number, and address.

Step 2: Biometric or Remote Checks

Confirm identity using biometric tools such as facial recognition selfies or liveness detection and OCR scanning. This helps you ensure the person matches the ID document and prevents fraud. Digital platforms in Seychelles often rely on e‑KYC tools to meet FIU standards.

Step 3: Profile Confirmation

Automatically fill in your customer’s profile using the information pulled from their ID. If something doesn’t match, like their name or address, let them know right away. Ask them to review and correct the details before they move forward with onboarding.

Step 4: Risk Screening and Due Diligence

Screen your customers against local and international watchlists, including FIU alerts, PEP registers, and sanctions lists. For customers flagged as high risk, conduct enhanced due diligence by collecting additional information such as source of funds, occupation, and intended transaction purpose.

Step 5: Approval and Monitoring Setup

Once the customer’s identity and risk level are verified, approve onboarding. Otherwise, flag for review or reject the case. Set up ongoing monitoring based on the assigned risk level to flag suspicious activity.

Step 6: Special Cases

For your low-risk users or small-value services like e-wallets or basic money transfer features, you can apply  simplified KYC requirements. If you’re onboarding foreigners, use passport and immigration details. You can also use lighter verification flows for basic transactions, following FIU guidance.

             Want to make your KYC process easier? Use Dojah for seamless verification and faster onboarding.  Learn more about how to get started. 

Digital / eKYC Trends in Seychelles

Seychelles launched its national digital identity platform, SeyID, in November 2022 as part of its digital transformation strategy. SeyID allows citizens and residents to verify their identity securely via mobile and web apps using biometrics, one-time passwords, or digital signatures.

This initiative aligns with the country’s Government Digital Economy Agenda, marking a clear shift from slower, manual processes to faster, automated identity verification. With internet penetration at 87.4% as of early 2025, this approach makes identity verification more accessible and convenient.

This means digital identity verification powered by biometrics and automation is becoming the new standard in Seychelles because it’s faster, more secure, and easier to scale than manual checks.

As Seychelles continues to expand its digital ID and eKYC infrastructure, now is the time to adopt tools that help you onboard users securely and stay ahead of emerging AML compliance trends.

Common Challenges of KYC in Seychelles

If you're expanding your fintech or digital business  into Seychelles, here are the some of the KYC challenges you’ll likely deal with:

1. Limited Cross-border verification 

SeyID mostly supports citizens and residents. But if you’re onboarding tourists or non-residents, which is common in a tourism-heavy country like Seychelles, verification may not be straightforward. There isn’t much clarity on how well SeyID connects with other regional or international verification systems.

2.   Fragmented eKYC across institutions

While SeyID offers a single digital identity for accessing government services, its use remains largely confined to public platforms. Many financial institutions and private sector platforms are yet to fully adopt or integrate it. This can slow down seamless identity verification for you and your team, especially if you're building across different platforms.

3.    Internet quality varies by location

 Internet access in Seychelles stands at around 87.4% officially. But in practice, users outside urban areas may face poor connectivity. If your onboarding flow relies on biometrics or is mobile-first, consider having backup options that work well in low-bandwidth areas.

4.    Compliance pressure as you scale

As Seychelles’ KYC policies evolve, keeping up can place extra strain on growing teams. You may need to train staff, adjust onboarding flows, or adopt new tools as requirements change. For lean teams, these demands can stretch already limited resources and slow down your ability to scale confidently.

Simplify KYC in Seychelles and Save Time with Dojah

KYC in Seychelles can be a real challenge without the right tools or a clear setup. You might deal with manual checks, repeated ID requests, or slow approvals that frustrate users and hold back your growth. And with Seychelles’ KYC rules constantly evolving, staying compliant can demand more time and resources than expected.

That’s where Dojah steps in. Dojah helps you stay compliant without losing speed, users, or sleep.

With Dojah, you can:

• Verify Seychelles IDs instantly, using facial recognition and liveness checks connected directly to the government database.
• Make onboarding faster with  AI-powered document checks and automated AML screening.
• Get started quickly with easy-to-use APIs and low-code tools, so your developers don’t get stuck setting everything up.

Our KYC solutions are fast, localized, easy to integrate, and trusted by top African businesses.

👉  See how Dojah helped Cleva power safe international payments across Africa.

Dojah offered us a seamless verification service via phone number data extraction that made our customer onboarding and verification process effortless. We’ve seen a clear boost in productivity since partnering with them.
 — Joseph Okoroafor, Head of Marketing & Communications, WellaHealth

👉 Book a demo to get started today.

Frequently Asked Questions About KYC in Seychelles

What is the KYC process in Seychelles?
You'll need to collect and verify a customer's valid ID (passport or national ID), confirm their address, and screen them against AML watchlists.

Can I run KYC checks online in Seychelles?
Yes, you can carry out eKYC checks with digital tools that support facial recognition, document verification, and biometric checks.

How long does KYC onboarding take?
With digital tools, onboarding can be done in under a minute. Manual steps or incomplete documents can cause delays.

What are the main KYC challenges for fintechs in Seychelles?
Challenges include limited access to digital ID databases, manual verification steps, and evolving compliance requirements.

Do I need a local license to onboard users in Seychelles?
Yes. Financial institutions and virtual asset service providers (VASPs) must be licensed by the FSA or Central Bank and comply with KYC/AML laws.

How can I verify a Seychellois ID online?
There’s no public ID verification portal yet. Most KYC providers rely on document uploads, facial biometrics, and cross-checks with internal or third-party databases.

Is there a central KYC system in Seychelles?
Not currently. Most identity checks are performed individually by institutions using third-party tools or internal processes.

How can Dojah help with KYC in Seychelles?
Dojah helps you verify users with ID validation, biometric checks, and AML screening tools. With one API, you can speed up onboarding while staying compliant with local rules.