SWIFT/BIC codes in Seychelles

Seychelles: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Seychelles our database holds 15 SWIFT/BIC codes. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers and for payments in a foreign currency.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and open its page for the full list of codes and the details a transfer needs. Further down we explain how a code from Seychelles is put together, how to send money to Seychelles at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Incoming international payments in Seychelles

A sender in another country needs a few details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Look up your bank in the list above – your bank statement is the final word. You can include the name and city of your bank, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Sending money to Seychelles for less

An international bank payment to Seychelles often costs rather more than the fee suggests. On top of the fee, intermediary banks can take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee. Check the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

For many currency pairs, a transfer service is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. Before you send money to Seychelles, take a minute to compare what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Which bank in Seychelles has the most codes?

Of the 15 banks we list for Seychelles, Al Salam Bank Seychelles Limited is listed with the most SWIFT codes. The head office uses BMUSSCSCXXX – the code most transfers need.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes – a high count is not a measure of size. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code BMUSSCSCXXX works for transfers to this bank.

What the letters in a Seychelles BIC mean

SWIFT/BIC codes follow the same format worldwide: eight characters. It starts with four letters for the bank, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

For banks in Seychelles, characters five and six show the ISO country code of Seychelles – that is the quickest way to spot one. A code with a different country code come from another country.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Choose a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

Tracking a payment to Seychelles

There is no single answer for payments to Seychelles: some land the same day or the next while others need several business days. Transfers sent late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday often start a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank for a trace; only the sending side can start an official trace. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

How reliable is this list?

The best place to find the right code is paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or extra fees.

This list is based on publicly available sources. Banks merge, change names and retire codes. Treat our data as a reference. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Scammers regularly send fake invoices with new bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine: criminals use real codes too.

Paying a bank in Seychelles from abroad

Seychelles is outside the SEPA area. International transfers to Seychelles usually go over the SWIFT network.

Not every country uses the IBAN. The receiving bank often has instructions for payments from abroad, and it is worth following them to the letter. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.