Cape Verde Entry Requirements: Visas, EASE and Airport Tax

The entry routes below were checked on 8 November 2026 for ordinary passports and short tourist visits. Start with your passport nationality and trip length, then complete the registration and payment steps that apply to you.

Do you need a visa for Cape Verde?

British, American, Canadian, German and French ordinary-passport holders are among those who can visit for up to 30 days without a tourist visa. Other nationalities have different allowances or need a visa before travelling.

These are examples, not a complete nationality list. Use the official visa guidance and country lists to find your passport’s route, including whether advance approval is compulsory.

Visa-free time is a limit on your stay, not permission to work or settle in the country. If your planned holiday exceeds your passport’s allowance, arrange the appropriate visa before departure.

Residence and nationality also need separate treatment. Living in the UK does not give you the British-passport allowance. However, certain valid residence permits can change the advance-visa requirement, as explained below.

Complete EASE before you travel

EASE is Cape Verde’s traveller pre-registration system. It collects your passport and journey details for checks before arrival. Visa-exempt visitors generally still have to use it.

Complete your registration through the official EASE portal at least five days before travel. Have these details ready:

• Your passport information, entered exactly as shown in the document.

• Your arrival and departure dates.

• Your flight number.

• Your accommodation details in Cape Verde.

Save the confirmation and payment receipt where you can open them offline. If a tour operator handles EASE for you, obtain the confirmation before departure so you know the registration is complete.

Arriving without pre-registration or proof can mean an additional charge at the border. UK travel advice states that, from 1 July 2026, passengers without the required registration or proof must pay double the TSA. Completing the process before departure also avoids leaving the paperwork until the immigration queue.

Cabo Verdean nationals, people born in Cabo Verde and foreign residents in the country have registration exemptions. Children under two are also exempt under the traveller guidance for British visitors; keep their travel documents with the rest of the family’s paperwork.

While preparing your phone for the journey, compare the best eSIM for Cape Verde if you want mobile data for bookings and arrival messages. Keep your entry documents downloaded regardless of which connection you choose.

The airport tax is now 4,400 CVE

Since 4 November 2026, the TSA for international flights is 4,400 Cape Verdean escudos per liable passenger. The domestic-flight rate is 200 CVE.

These amounts come from the November 2026 amendment. Older pages quoting 3,400 CVE for international arrivals or 150 CVE for domestic flights reflect the previous rates.

TSA pays for airport and border security services. Visa-free visitors may owe TSA even though they have no visa fee to pay. International passengers normally pay through the pre-registration process; the domestic charge is collected with the airline ticket.

Exemptions include children under two and passengers in qualifying airport transit. Cabo Verdean passport holders also have an international-flight exemption. The November change removes the age limit for the children of people born in Cabo Verde, whose children and spouses are covered by the relevant international-flight exemption. Carry documents establishing the exemption you are claiming.

If your trip includes domestic flights, account for that charge when planning travel between Cape Verde’s islands. Changing islands remains part of the same visit; it does not restart your permitted stay.

If you need a visa, arrange approval before the flight

Cape Verde has a list of 91 countries whose nationals must obtain the required visa before arrival, unless a specified exception applies. Egypt, Mexico and the Philippines are among them. The restriction also covers the relevant transit and airport-stopover visas.

The November 2026 change allows applicants in this group to request a visa through the designated digital platform, subject to prior security and immigration assessment. It retains the requirement for approval before arrival and prohibits issuing their visa at the border.

Use the application route provided for your nationality through the official system or a Cabo Verdean embassy or consulate. Keep the issued visa with your travel documents; an EASE registration receipt alone is not the required visa approval.

Can you still get a visa on arrival?

Visa on arrival remains a nationality-specific route. UAE travel guidance, for example, lists it for Emirati ordinary-passport holders. That option should not be extended to passports covered by the compulsory advance-visa list.

Cape Verde’s consular guidance also describes border applications in certain circumstances involving residents of countries without Cabo Verdean diplomatic representation. Nationality restrictions and the advance-approval rules still need to be applied to the individual traveller.

What if you hold a foreign residence permit?

The compulsory advance-visa list includes an exception for holders of qualifying residence permits from an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the UK, San Marino, Switzerland, the Vatican, Brazil, Canada or the United States.

The permit must be valid and guarantee unconditional readmission to the issuing country. This exception concerns the advance-visa restriction; it should not be treated as a blanket promise of visa-free entry. Establish the applicable entry procedure using both your passport and residence permit before travelling.

Check your passport and supporting documents

Cabo Verde’s government visa guidance and the entry-conditions document linked from EASE specify passport validity of at least three months beyond the intended stay. UK travel advice tells British citizens to have at least six months remaining from arrival.

As a practical buffer, travel with six months remaining beyond your planned departure from Cape Verde. If your passport falls short of that buffer, get confirmation for your passport and itinerary from the airline and the Cabo Verdean consulate before relying on the shorter published minimum.

Keep the following together for check-in and border control:

• Your passport and visa, if required.

• EASE confirmation and TSA payment evidence, or documents supporting an exemption.

• Your accommodation confirmation and address.

• Your return or onward travel details.

• Evidence that you can support yourself during the visit.

Border authorities can request evidence of sufficient funds. Paid accommodation, arrangements covering your stay and a return ticket can affect how that requirement is demonstrated; carry the relevant confirmations.

Keep a downloaded copy of your accommodation address for the arrival journey. On a compatible, unlocked phone, Roafly’s Cape Verde eSIM provides mobile data for contacting your transfer driver and accessing reservations.

Children, health documents and airport transit

Children travelling alone or with someone who is not their parent or legal guardian need particular attention. UK guidance requires under-18s in those circumstances to carry parental or guardian authorisation in Portuguese, with the signature certified by a solicitor or notary. It should identify the child’s travel dates, accommodation, responsible adult in Cape Verde and the parent or guardian’s contact details.

Yellow fever documentation depends on where you are arriving from. A vaccination certificate is required for arrivals from countries identified as yellow fever transmission risks. Review that requirement against your journey, including any relevant connections.

Airport transit also needs its own visa check. The compulsory advance-visa list expressly includes transit and airport stopovers, so remaining in the international transit area is not a universal exemption. Passengers exempt from TSA may still need a transit visa.

Once you are entering the country, goods declarations are another arrival step. Review Cape Verde’s airport customs rules for what you can bring and what must be declared.

Staying longer than your initial permission

Check the authorised stay when you enter and plan your departure around it. The 30-day exemption used by many visitors should not be confused with the longer stay available under a tourist visa.

Cape Verde’s tourist visa can allow a stay of up to 90 days and generally must be used within 60 days of issue. Consular guidance provides for an extension of up to an equivalent period, but an extension requires permission.

If your plans change after arrival, contact the Foreigners and Borders Service before your current permission expires. Keep any extension approval with your passport and travel records.

Before heading out to explore, review local laws for visitors, including restrictions on activities and conduct in public places.