Cape Verde entry requirements, by passport
Cape Verde visa requirements at a glance: 81 of the 81 passports VisaRadar tracks can enter Cape Verde without arranging a visa beforehand — visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an electronic travel authorization.
Which passport do you hold?
We'll take you straight to the entry requirements for Cape Verde for your nationality.
What we've verified for Cape Verde
Beyond the yes/no matrix, we've checked these against an official primary source (last checked 2026-08-23). The specifics depend on your nationality — open your passport's row in the table for the detail that applies to you.
- Standard short-stay visa fee: EUR 32.00
- Required documents (3)
- Required vaccinations
- Health-insurance rules
- Customs limits (cash, alcohol, tobacco)
- Overstay penalties
- Airport transit rules
Sources: portalconsular.mnec.gov.cv (Cape Verde Consular Portal, TSA and EASE pre-registration, verified via direct fetch); ease.gov.cv (official pre-registration portal); aai.gov.cv (Agência para a Integração de Imigrantes — entry, stay and exit of foreigners, visa types, verified via direct fetch); caboverde-airports.cv (green/red customs channels); embcv-usa.gov.cv (official PDF from the Cape Verde Embassy in the US citing the CVE 3,400 / ~€32 TSA, via caboverde24.info); worldtravelguide.net (currency limits, not contradicted by an official source but not directly confirmed against dnre.gov.cv) (checked 23 August 2026).
Cape Verde requires every visitor, whether visa-exempt or not, to pre-register through the EASE portal — as of January 1, 2026, it also stopped issuing visas on arrival for 96 nationalities, who must now apply before traveling. Citizens of the European Union, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland are visa-exempt for up to 30 days, but must still complete the EASE registration before traveling.
This table summarizes the exact entry mechanism for every passport we track — the difference between entering visa-free, with an electronic authorization, with an e-Visa, or with a traditional visa is explained in visa, e-Visa, and electronic authorization: what's the difference. How we verify every row before publishing it is on methodology.
Base entry rules refreshed 2026-09-17. Published: .
| Passport | Requirement | Max. stay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | ||
| Algeria | Visa on arrival | — |
| Argentina | Visa on arrival | — |
| Australia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Austria | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Bangladesh | Visa on arrival | — |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Bolivia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Canada | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Chile | Visa on arrival | — |
| China | Visa on arrival | — |
| Colombia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Costa Rica | Visa on arrival | — |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Cuba | Visa on arrival | — |
| Czech Republic | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Dominican Republic | Visa on arrival | — |
| Ecuador | Visa on arrival | — |
| Egypt | Visa on arrival | — |
| El Salvador | Visa on arrival | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Visa on arrival | — |
| Finland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| France | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Gambia | Visa-free | — |
| Georgia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Germany | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Ghana | Visa-free | — |
| Greece | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Guatemala | Visa on arrival | — |
| Honduras | Visa on arrival | — |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| India | Visa on arrival | — |
| Indonesia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Israel | Visa on arrival | — |
| Italy | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Japan | Visa on arrival | — |
| Jordan | Visa on arrival | — |
| Kenya | Visa on arrival | — |
| Malaysia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Mali | Visa-free | — |
| Malta | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Mexico | Visa on arrival | — |
| Moldova | Visa on arrival | — |
| Morocco | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 30 days |
| New Zealand | Visa on arrival | — |
| Nicaragua | Visa on arrival | — |
| Nigeria | Visa-free | — |
| Norway | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Pakistan | Visa on arrival | — |
| Panama | Visa on arrival | — |
| Paraguay | Visa on arrival | — |
| Peru | Visa on arrival | — |
| Philippines | Visa on arrival | — |
| Poland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Romania | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Russia | Visa-free | 60 days |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Senegal | Visa-free | — |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 30 days |
| South Africa | Visa on arrival | — |
| South Korea | Visa on arrival | — |
| Spain | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Sri Lanka | Visa on arrival | — |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Thailand | Visa on arrival | — |
| Tunisia | Visa on arrival | — |
| Turkey | Visa on arrival | — |
| Ukraine | Visa on arrival | — |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa on arrival | — |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 30 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Uruguay | Visa on arrival | — |
| Venezuela | Visa on arrival | — |
| Vietnam | Visa on arrival | — |
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Do you need a different visa for Praia, Sal, or Mindelo?
No. Cape Verde sets the requirements, so entering through Praia asks for the same as entering through Sal or Mindelo. If you're arriving overland or through a small border post, check that separately: some countries apply their own rules to specific crossings.
What does change is where you file the application when a visa is needed, and that depends on the country you live in rather than the city you're travelling to.
What draws travelers to Cape Verde
Cape Verde is an Atlantic archipelago of ten volcanic islands off Senegal, with a Portuguese and African soul. You choose the trip by island. Sal and Boa Vista are beach and wind: white sand, world-class kitesurfing and turtle nesting between July and October. Santo Antão is the hiking island, of volcanic ridges, green valleys and farm terraces. São Vicente brings Mindelo and its music (the morna of Cesária Évora). And Santiago holds Cidade Velha, the first European colonial settlement in the tropics (1462) and the country's only World Heritage site. A week is enough to combine a beach island with Santo Antão. It can be visited year-round: the climate is dry and mild, windier from December to March and gently warm the rest of the year.
Sources for this section: Cape Verde Ministry of Tourism and Transport and official portals; UNESCO World Heritage List (whc.unesco.org, Cidade Velha); UK FCDO travel advice for Cape Verde. Accessed 31 August 2026.
Things to see and do in Cape Verde
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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Where can Cape Verde passport holders travel visa-free? →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.