Key Takeaways
- The Financial Services Authority and Registrar of Companies oversee company records, so knowing each body's role helps you target the right search.
- Public searchability in Seychelles has clear limits, and some entity details remain confidential rather than openly accessible.
- Official extracts and search reports set out the verified information you can rely on for due diligence and compliance.
- Foreign owners and advisers can search online, in person, or through a registered agent, with fees and turnaround times varying by route.
Company Search in Seychelles: What You Can and Cannot Find
A company search in Seychelles works through two separate registries, and the route you take depends on the type of entity you are checking. Domestic businesses appear in a free public portal operated by the Government of Seychelles, while International Business Companies (IBCs) are administered by the Financial Services Authority, which does not publish IBC records on an open online register.
This split matters because the IBC is the vehicle most foreign owners and advisers want to verify, yet it is the one least visible to public searchers. What you can retrieve from a Seychelles company search is largely confined to name, number, status, and registered charges; director and ownership details are kept private and released only to competent authorities.
This article explains where to search, what each route returns, the cost and timing of official extracts, and the legal limits on what a search will disclose. It is most relevant to investors, corporate service providers, and compliance officers conducting due diligence on a counterparty from outside the country.
The Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Registrar of Companies
Seychelles runs a dual registry, and knowing which body holds the record you need saves time. Domestic companies sit with the Registrar of Companies, reachable through the government portal, while IBCs, foundations, limited partnerships, and trusts fall under the FSA, an autonomous regulator established by the Financial Services Authority Act 2013 and based in Victoria.
The Companies Division of the Registrar General handles Special License Companies (CSL), Protected Cell Companies (PCC), and domestic firms, operating separately from the FSA. The FSA itself has registered more than 200,000 IBCs and is a member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
Two further bodies hold information that never appears in a public search. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) keeps private beneficial ownership records, and the Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) enforces the Economic Substance Rules.
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Types of Entities You May Be Searching For
The registry spans several entity forms, and the one you encounter shapes where you look and what you can obtain.
- International Business Companies (IBCs), the most common vehicle for international clients, governed by the IBC Act 2016
- Domestic limited companies, sole proprietorships, partnerships, and non-profit associations
- Foreign company branches
- Special License Companies (CSL) and Protected Cell Companies (PCC), the latter formed under either the IBC Act 2016 or the Companies Ordinance 1972
- Licensed financial firms: securities dealers, fund managers, and insurance companies
A newer category arrived with the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act in 2024, which licenses brokers, wallet service providers, virtual asset exchanges, and investment providers. Primary legislation across these forms includes the Companies Act, the International Business Companies Act 2016, the Limited Partnerships Act, and the Trusts Act.
How to Conduct a Company Search: Online and In-Person Routes
For a domestic entity, the search is direct and free. The public business search at registry.gov.sc accepts a company name or registration number, requires no account, and is open to any user worldwide.
IBC data is harder to reach. The FSA operates no public online portal for retrieving IBC records, so only domestic businesses appear in the open Commercial Register.
To check an IBC, you submit a formal search request to the FSA by email, providing the company name or number, after which the authority advises on procedure and the fee payable. Certified documents generally require a licensed registered agent, because the registry does not always accept direct foreign orders.
Turnaround through an agent runs 24 to 48 hours for the FSA offshore registry and up to five business days for the local Registrar. All portals, FSA communications, and the IBC Act 2016 operate in English.
A free instant search at registry.gov.sc covers only domestic companies. To verify an IBC you must request a search from the FSA or work through a licensed registered agent.
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Information You Can Retrieve from a Search
The free public portal returns a narrow set of fields: registered name, registration number, and basic entity status. Partial name matching is supported, so an exact spelling is not always required.
A full Registry Search Report goes further, confirming the company name, type, registration number, registered address, incorporation date, and status (active, inactive, or struck off). The report issued under the IBC Act 2016 also states the number of outstanding charges, the number of satisfied and discharged charges, and the date and description of any mortgage or charge registered.
What you will not find is ownership. IBCs are not required to file their Register of Directors or Register of Shareholders with the registry; those records stay at the registered office and are closed to public inspection.
The FSA maintains a separate public register of its licensees, covering securities dealers, fund managers, and other regulated activities, which is distinct from the IBC company register.
Official Company Extracts and Search Reports: What They Contain
The Certificate of Official Search is the formal document confirming a company's status and history. It records whether the name remains on the Register of International Commercial Companies, whether fees under the IBC Act 2016 have been paid, and any mortgage, hypothecation, or charge registered or waived.
Where charges exist, the extract reproduces the register of charges: the IBC name, role, address, registration date, charge type, the other party, the amount secured, and a description of the assets. An authorised officer signs the certificate, the official seal of the Registrar is applied, and a statement confirms the accuracy of the information and the date of search.
If a company is not in good standing and a Certificate of Good Standing is requested, the FSA issues a Certificate of Official Search in its place. Registry copies of the Memorandum of Association are also obtainable, showing the name, general objects and powers, authorised share capital, share currency, and the rights and qualifications of shares.
For use abroad, the certificate can be apostilled. In Seychelles, the Apostille is issued by the Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court.
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Fees, Turnaround Times and Engaging a Registered Agent
Costs depend on whether you need a quick status check or a sealed certificate.
| Item | Cost | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Name and status search (registry.gov.sc) | Free | Instant |
| Certificate of Official Search | EUR 99 (~USD 107) | 1–3 business days |
| Certificate of Good Standing | EUR 99 | 1–3 business days |
| Certificate of Good Standing with Hague Apostille | EUR 158 | 1–3 business days |
The FSA publishes no standard price list for ad-hoc searches; official certificates are processed through the licensed registered agent network, usually with PDF delivery by email and physical courier via DHL Express at extra cost.
Every IBC must appoint a licensed registered agent, whose authority is set by the International Corporate Services Providers Act. The agent files incorporation papers, safekeeps corporate records, verifies the identity of participants, and acts as the channel to the registry; without one, an IBC cannot exist.
Annual government licence fees fall due on the incorporation anniversary and are paid through the agent. Late payment attracts a surcharge, and non-payment within 180 days can lead to compulsory dissolution.
Limits of Public Searchability in Seychelles
Ownership transparency in Seychelles runs to regulators, not to the public. There is no public register of directors, shareholders, or beneficial owners for IBCs; that information sits with the registered agent and is released only to competent authorities on lawful request.
Beneficial ownership obligations are layered. The IBC Act 2016 requires each IBC to maintain a register of beneficial owners with its agent or at the FSA, and the Beneficial Ownership Act 2020 adds a centralised register held by the FIU. Neither is open to public inspection, though both are available to the FSA and, under exchange agreements, to foreign regulators and law enforcement.
The FSA must hold companies' Memoranda and Articles of Association, but other records stay at the registered office, with only the address of those records notified to the Registrar. Bulk automated scraping of the public registry interface is prohibited.
Using Search Results for Due Diligence and Compliance
A Certificate of Official Search is the document most often relied on for due diligence, legal proceedings, transactions, and compliance files. It confirms existence, standing, and registered charges, but it will not surface ownership; for that, you must approach the entity, its agent, or make a formal regulatory or law enforcement request.
The country's standing has improved on the international stage. The UBO framework under the IBC Act 2016 aligns with FATF Recommendation 24, reforms led to removal from the EU blacklist in February 2024, and the Council of the European Union removed the jurisdiction from its Annex II grey list on 17 February 2026, citing a "Largely Compliant" rating on the Exchange of Information on Request standard.
Seychelles is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, and it participates in automatic exchange under CRS and a Model 1 FATCA agreement with the United States. With removal from both EU Annex I and Annex II, the jurisdiction no longer triggers automatic enhanced due diligence for EU financial institutions based on list status alone.
Regulatory list positions can change. Document the EU and FATF status of a counterparty at the date of each check, since the result you rely on today may not hold later.
Practical Tips for Foreign Owners and Advisers Searching from Abroad
A free name or status search needs no account, local ID, or registration; any user anywhere can run it instantly by name or registration number. A Certificate of Official Search likewise requires no Seychelles account or identity document when processed through a search service.
For IBCs, a foreign adviser can email a search request to the FSA with the company name or number, and the authority confirms process and fee. Where certified documents are needed, a licensed registered agent is generally required, since the registry does not always accept direct foreign orders.
- An apostilled extract can be couriered to a foreign address at extra cost where an original is needed
- IBC government fees are paid through the agent, not directly to the FSA in most cases
- Do not expect director or shareholder details from a standard search; those records are not filed with the registry
The FSA issues periodic circulars on beneficial ownership review obligations, such as Circular No. 6 of 2024 and Circular No. 11 of 2025, published on its beneficial ownership page. Advisers should monitor these for changing disclosure requirements.
Conclusion
A Seychelles company search confirms that an entity exists, what type it is, whether its fees are paid, and what charges sit against it, but it stops short of revealing who owns or directs it. For domestic firms the public portal answers most questions instantly and at no cost, while IBC verification runs through the FSA or a licensed registered agent and yields a sealed Certificate of Official Search. Ownership data exists in private registers held by the agent and the FIU and reaches only regulators and law enforcement. Plan your due diligence around what a search can and cannot return, and obtain ownership confirmation directly from the entity or its agent.
How Expanship Can Help Your Business in Seychelles
Expanship assists with company searches and official extracts in Seychelles, ordering Certificates of Official Search and Good Standing through licensed registered agents, and arranging apostilles for documents used abroad. The same network supports the wider needs of a foreign-owned entity, from formation through to ongoing maintenance.
- Incorporation of IBCs, CSLs, and domestic companies
- Registered agent and registered office services
- Tax registration and filing
- Ongoing compliance and annual licence fee management
- Accounting and bookkeeping
- Banking introductions
To discuss a search request or a new structure, contact Expanship Seychelles.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The free public portal at registry.gov.sc covers only domestic businesses, and the FSA provides no open online portal for IBC records. To verify an IBC, you submit a search request to the FSA by email or work through a licensed registered agent.
A Certificate of Official Search costs EUR 99 (around USD 107) and is typically delivered within one to three business days, usually as a PDF by email. A Certificate of Good Standing carries the same fee, rising to EUR 158 when issued with a Hague Apostille for international use.
No. IBCs are not required to file their Register of Directors or Register of Shareholders with the registry, and there is no public register of owners or beneficial owners. That information is held by the registered agent and disclosed only to competent authorities on lawful request.
Generally yes. The registry does not always accept direct foreign orders for certified documents, so engaging a licensed Seychelles registered agent is the usual route. The agent files paperwork, safekeeps records, and acts as the channel to the registry.
The Council of the European Union removed Seychelles from its Annex II grey list on 17 February 2026, and the jurisdiction is not on the FATF list of countries under increased monitoring. As a result, EU financial institutions no longer apply automatic enhanced due diligence based on list status alone, though you should record the position at the date of each check.
Yes. The Certificate of Official Search can be apostilled for foreign use, with the Apostille issued by the Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court in Seychelles. An apostilled original can be couriered to a foreign address at additional cost.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the content, laws and regulations are subject to change, and the application of laws can vary widely based on specific facts and circumstances.
Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel tailored to their individual situation. Expanship and its authors disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the content of this article.
For specific advice regarding your business setup, compliance requirements, or any legal matters, please consult with qualified legal and tax professionals in the relevant jurisdiction.
