Entry/Exit Requirements

A U.S. passport and a Cabo Verdean visa are required. Two types of visas are available: a single-entry visa valid for up to 90 days or a multiple-entry visa valid for five years. You can apply for a visa at the Cabo Verdean Embassy in Washington, D.C. (3415 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007, tel. 202-965-6820) or the Cabo Verdean Consulate General in Massachusetts (300 Congress Street, #204, Quincy, MA 02169, tel. 617-353-0014). You can find visa requirements on the website of the Consulate General.

Alternatively, if you are unable to travel to the Cabo Verdean Embassy or Consulate, you may apply for a visa upon arrival at one of the country’s four international airports (Nelson Mandela/Praia, Cesaria Evora /Mindelo, Amilcar Cabral/Sal, and Aristides Pereira/Boa Vista). The current fee for such a visa is 2500 CVE (also payable in U.S. dollars) but is subject to change. In theory, Visa credit cards (no Mastercard or American Express) are accepted, but intermittent power cuts in airport terminals often make electronic processing of credit card transactions impossible. We strongly advise being prepared to pay in U.S. currency.

World Health Organization (WHO) vaccination cards are not required upon entry via flights from the United States. However, the Cabo Verdean Health Ministry intermittently imposes such a requirement on persons, including U.S. citizens, arriving on flights from Senegal or other West African countries. Outbreaks of malaria and dengue fever in recent years (see “HEALTH” below) along with the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 have prompted such measures. If you plan any West African travel en route to Cabo Verde, you should ensure that you have your WHO card up to date.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Cabo Verde.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.