Seychelles Licensing for Visitors
Seychelles Licensing for Visitors
This information is correct as at November 2023.
I recently visited The Seychelles with three amateur radio pals to do the CQ World Wide Contest. Two of us have previously held S7 licenses - S79K (a short-call held by Martin GW4XUM) and S79IRN (previously held by myself and used in 2003). However it is no longer possible for a visitor to obtain a S79 callsign. Visitors are issued with a S79/home-call license; our previous call-signs were refused.
Some tips:
The Seychelles Amateur Radio Association (SARA) were most helpful and welcoming. We met several members at their club station before the contest and joined the Association ourselves. They meet at the premises of Core Technologies, located between Victoria and the airport.
Instructions for the license application are posted on the SARA web-site <here>.
On receipt of the license you will receive an 'Authorisation to Import and Operate Radio Communications Equipment' from the Department of Information Communications Technology. This letter lists the equipment you intend to import to The Seychelles.
It is then necessary to complete a 'Temporary Admission of Goods' form for the Revenue Department, it can be found <here>. This is submitted to the Seychelles Revenue and returned with approval (signature and rubber stamp). They are only interested in the higher value equipment.
On arrival at the airport go through the 'Something to Declare' channel and present the 'Temporary Admission of Goods' form. They may take a look at some of the equipment but ultimately they will certify your importation form and return it to you with a stamp and signature. On leaving The Seychelles, go back to the customs office at International Arrivals and they will check the form and your equipment to make sure you are taking all the equipment with you. You only need to declare high value equipment - the process was friendly and relaxed.
Membership of SARA can bring benefits, the obvious one being friendship with local hams but also there is a club station (FTdx10) and a club contest call-sign, S77HQ.