A Seychelles Certificate of Incorporation is the founding document of every Seychelles company. Foreign banks, payment processors, registrars and counterparties almost always ask for a legalised copy before they accept the company as a counterparty. CommercialRegister LTD, based in Victoria, handles the full Apostille for Certificate of Incorporation Seychelles procedure remotely, without requiring you to travel or send anything on paper.
The Hague Apostille Convention has applied to the Seychelles since 1979, and an Apostille issued here is accepted in 120+ countries worldwide. We order a freshly issued certificate from the Financial Services Authority, have the Supreme Court of Seychelles add the Apostille, and send you the result by email and, if you wish, by DHL Express. Standard turnaround is 2 to 6 business days.
When you need it
Most requests we receive come from company directors and corporate service providers who need to prove the legal existence of a Seychelles entity to a foreign institution. The Certificate of Incorporation is the single document those institutions ask for first.
- Opening a foreign bank account. Banks in the EU, UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong require an apostilled Certificate of Incorporation as part of their KYC file before they will issue an account number.
- Registering a branch or representative office abroad. Trade registries require legalised proof that the parent company exists and is in good standing in Seychelles.
- Onboarding with payment processors. Stripe, Wise Business, EMIs and merchant acquirers ask for a legalised incorporation document before approving high-volume accounts.
- Cross-border contracts and tenders. Counterparties signing supply, IP licensing or distribution agreements often require an apostilled copy attached to the executed contract.
- Court proceedings and arbitration. Foreign courts and arbitration panels need legalised proof of corporate capacity before accepting filings from a Seychelles claimant.
Clients typically reach us from Germany, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, South Africa, Singapore, Cyprus and Brazil. The procedure is the same regardless of destination, provided the receiving country is a Hague Convention member.
How it works
We order a fresh original from the Financial Services Authority. You send nothing but the company name and number.
- You give us the company name and IBC numberNothing else to send. We check the number before you pay.
- The FSA issues a new original1–3 business days
- The Supreme Court adds the Apostille1–3 business days
- You receive itAs a PDF by email, and the original by DHL Express if you choose it.
Why a fresh certificate and not your old one
Many clients still hold the certificate they received at formation, sometimes stapled into a corporate kit or laminated. The Supreme Court will not apostille a laminated or damaged paper, and many receiving banks want a recent issue anyway. A new original from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) avoids both problems and costs no more.
IBC or domestic company
The FSA is the registry for International Business Companies. A name ending in (Proprietary) Limited or Pty belongs to a domestic Seychelles company, which is registered with the Registration Division instead. Tell us which one you have; if you are not sure, send the name and we check before you pay.
What we need from you
- Exact company name, including Ltd, Limited, Corp or Inc
- IBC number (1 to 6 digits, without letters)
- Country where the document will be used
Prices
| Service | Price | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| FSA certificate with Apostille | 159 € | Good Standing, Incorporation, Official Search |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 149 € | Countries outside the Hague Convention, some medical documents |
| Embassy attestation in Victoria | 149 € | Only if the destination country asks for it; embassy fees may be added |
| DHL Express, worldwide | 99 € | Once per order, however many documents |
| PDF by email | included | Every order |
Countries outside the Hague Convention
For any destination that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, the Apostille issued by the Supreme Court of Seychelles is the final step. No embassy involvement is required, and one price covers the new certificate and the Apostille.
For non-Hague destinations, primarily the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Vietnam, Egypt and a handful of African states, the document follows a longer route: notarisation, MFA attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Seychelles (+149 EUR), then attestation by the destination country’s embassy (cost varies). Details of this route are on our embassy attestation page.
If you are not sure which route applies, tell us the destination country and the receiving institution when you submit the request. We confirm the correct path before any work begins.
Questions
Do I need the original Certificate of Incorporation, or is a scan enough?
Neither. We order a newly issued Certificate of Incorporation from the FSA with the company name and IBC number, and the Supreme Court apostilles that new original. Whatever you hold stays with you.
Can the process be handled remotely from abroad?
Yes. The entire procedure runs by email and DHL. No client has to visit Seychelles for an apostille on a Certificate of Incorporation.
What is the typical turnaround?
Two to six business days: one to three at the FSA, then one to three at the Supreme Court. DHL delivery to your country adds two to five working days on top.
My company was incorporated twenty years ago. Can the original Certificate still be apostilled?
Yes. The FSA issues a new certificate for any company on its register, however old. What matters to the receiving institution is often a recent Certificate of Good Standing alongside it, confirming the company is still active today.
Does the bank need the Certificate of Incorporation translated?
It depends on the destination. Seychelles issues Certificates in English, which most international banks accept directly. For Germany, France, Spain, Brazil and a few other markets, a certified translation into the local language is usually required.
Is there a time limit on how long the apostilled Certificate stays valid?
The Apostille itself does not expire. However, banks and registries often require the legalised document to be no older than three to six months at the time of submission, so timing matters more than legal validity.
Can you also obtain the Certificate of Incorporation from the Registrar if I have lost mine?
Yes, that is our standard route: we always order a freshly issued certificate from the FSA and apostille it in the same workflow. The FSA fee is included in the price.
Does the certificate show the directors and shareholders?
No. The Certificate of Incorporation states the company name, the IBC number and the date of incorporation. Directors and shareholders of a Seychelles IBC are not public and do not appear on any FSA certificate.
Can you order it for a company that has been struck off?
The FSA can confirm a struck-off or dissolved status, but the result is then not a certificate of good standing. Ask us first; we tell you what the FSA will issue for that company.
How many originals can I order?
As many as you need. Each original receives its own Apostille and is priced per document.