Better safe than sorry – Seychelles now requires advance Visa from West African visitors
Posted August 17, 2014 by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. ThomeThe Seychelles have with immediate effect introduced Visa requirements for visitors from West Africa and have listed a number of countries, not only those affected by the current Ebola outbreak but also countries bordering them. Visitors, citizens and persons living there alike, from the following countries are affected and need to place a Visa application with the nearest Seychelles diplomatic office: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Congo, DR Congo, Gambia, Mauritania and Senegal. The decision was taken after intergovernmental consultations bringing together the Ministries of Health, Home Affairs & Transport and Tourism & Culture.
Seychelles citizens wanting to travel to these countries equally now require formal permission from the office of the Commissioner for Public Health although government sources stressed that this was not a travel ban but simply a precautionary measure to make sure Seychellois’ are not heading into the Ebola danger zone. Expatriates working in the Seychelles were also advised to refrain from travelling to West Africa or else risk being denied re-entry until the outbreak has been officially declared over by the WHO.
Visitors arriving from Ebola affected countries should be aware that they will be placed under a 21 day precautionary quarantine for close observation to establish if any symptoms of the disease will develop. The Seychelles health authorities have made provisions for such cases.
It was also stressed to this correspondent that any visitors arriving from Yellow Fever zoned countries MUST carry a current Yellow Fever Inoculation Certificate from recognized medical facilities or clinics which must be presented at the health desk in the arrival hall of the international airport BEFORE proceeding to immigration.
Better safe than sorry comes to mind as the Seychelles truly is Another World. http://wolfganghthome.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/better-safe-than-sorry-seychelles-now-requires-advance-visa-from-west-african-visitors/
