EXEMPTION?

To get more info about the new exemption for european citizens, please click here.

WELCOME

Here we have prepared for you, who is planning your stay in Cape Verde, all necessary information concerning your entrance into the country. The given information are trustworthy and are updated on a regular basis.

QUESTION

"Visa or no visa?"

ANSWER

Yes. For the entrance to the Cape Verde Islands a visa is necessary.
But there are two exceptions.
Not three: two.

EXCEPTION 1

You do not need a visa, if you are from one of the
following countries:

Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinéa-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo (CEDEAO), South Africa, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Cuba, Angola, São Tomé and Principe.

EXCEPTION 2

If one of your parents or your husband/wife is Capeverdean citizen, you
can enter without a visa.

You have to show a passport and an official document (birth certificate, wedding certificate) proving the relationship with a capeverdean citizen.

EXCEPTION 3 (YES, 3)

You were born in Cape Verde and have another nationality now, then you do not need a visa:

You have to show a passport and your birth certificate.
BE AWARE
In any case your passport has to be valid until the departure from the Cape Verde Islands.
DO WE CONTINUE?
If you do not fit into any of the two three exceptions mentioned above, check out here how to get the tourist visa.

YOUR VISA

There are two ways of getting it: the , the and the . Ok, three ways.

For an arrival by sailing boat please check in our FAQ section.

For all other visa types please check our FAQ section.

AIRPORT

You can get your tourist visa upon arrival on one of the four international airports of the Cape Verde Islands: Sal (SID), Santiago/Praia (RAI), Boa Vista (BVC) and São Vicente/Mindelo (VXE).
24H/7

The border police will be at the airport at no matter which day or what time your plane lands - also on national holidays.

THE PRICE

The tourist visa that are delivered at the airport cost 25 EUR per person.

MODALITIES

You will have to pass border control before getting into the baggage claim area: please line up in the queue and show your passport (you do not need an extra photograph).

VALIDITY

Please mention your length of stay. The visa is valid for 30 days. If you decide to stay longer please check our FAQ section.

DISADVANTAGES

You should know, that there are three two disadvantages if you decide to buy your visa upon arrival the airport.

First disadvantage: The waiting time can be extremely long - if there are 180 passengers on the same plane who all opt for getting the visa upon arrival. It can even be that several international flights arrive pretty much at the same time...it is better to have your visa in your pocket upon arrival already to avoid long waiting time.

Second disadvantage: it already happened that airlines refused to check in passengers without a valid visa upon departure. The ground staff ignored the fact that Cape Verde accepts the purchase of the visa upon arrival. This is a long time ago and does not happen anymore. But if you do not like to take risks, get your visa beforehand.

EMBASSY

If you do not like the solution at the airport, you can opt for getting your visa through the capeverdean embassy or consulate in your country. It is an opportunity to get a first contact with the archipelago. Please be aware of possible duration for the process and do not wait until the last moment.
MODALITIES

You will have to enter an embassy and fill out your visa application form there. Some embassies also propose an application by mail.

ADRESSES

Please check the list of embassies and consulates in the englishspeaking countries.

PRICE

The visa costs 45 EUR and is valid for a length of stay of 1 month. The entry into the country can be done in the six months following the date of issue of the visa.
You can also apply for a visa for one or more stays of a total length of stay of six months. The price is 86,30 EUR.

PROCEEDING

It is really easy: you fill out a form and you add a passport picture to it. Some embassies might ask you for a copy of your flight ticket. For the application via mail you will have to make a money transfer to the respective Embassy or Consulate.

DISADVANTAGES

The waiting time in some embassies or consulates can be very long and often they have certain business hours. Second disadvantage, it is expensive.

TRAVEL AGENCIES

Some local travel agencies organise the visa formalities for their guests. If you book your travel for example with CapeVerdeTrekking, you will receive your visa directly at the airport and you will have to line up in the waiting line of the national citizens who do not need a visa. Usually that is much faster.

TRAVEL PREPARATIONS

Here are some small little hints before your departure: pack some sunprotection, a hat, some longsleeved shirts for cool evenings or hikes in altitude and also pack some mosquito spray into your luggage.

You do not need to bring fish, you can buy that on spot.

HEALTH

There are no mandatory vaccinations, only if you are entering the country via Dakar: in that case you need a yellow fever vaccination.

You are taking the ferry? The sea can be pretty rough at times. It is not a bad idea to bring pills or chewing gum against seasickness.

ON SPOT

If you feel like staying longer in Cape Verde than you had originally planned, check the validity of your visa: leaving the country with an expired visa costs a fine of 100 EUR + the price of the visa.

EXTENSION

You can extend your visa for maximum three months. This has to be done at the immigration and border police which can be found inside the policestation of the island you are on.

AND ALSO...

In our FAQ section we are also talking about other topics and also answer questions that are frequently asked by visitors of this website.





YOUR QUESTIONS

If you are looking for information which you can neither find here nor in our FAQ section, please contact us through our online form.





RESPONSABILITY

The information published on this website are from secure and trustworthy sources. The aim is to help the travellers to prepare their trip. Die auf dieser Seite veröffentlichten Informationen stammen aus sicheren und vertrauenswürdigen Quellen. Ziel ist es den Reisenden bei der Vorbereitung ihrer Reise behilflich zu sein.
The publisher of this website does not take any responsability about the accurateness of the published information and does not take any responsability in case of damage or loss.

ABOUT US

Development & text: Mic Dax
Photos: Mic Dax, David Gil, Henning Leweke, Caroline Granycome, Rey Perezoso