How to Enter Cabo Verde
Do I need a passport or visa to enter?
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 at www.conscvboston.org.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 have prompted such measures. If you plan any such West African travel en route to Cabo Verde, you should ensure that you have your WHO card up to date.
Special Travel Circumstances in Cabo Verde
Inter-island travel is generally via ferry or 45-seat propeller planes. The islands of Brava and Santo Antão, however, are only accessible by boat. Not all flights between islands are direct, even if originally scheduled as such, and airline services may be delayed, re-routed, or canceled due to poor visibility from dust or rain and related safety concerns. During peak travel seasons (summer and winter holidays), air travelers arriving from abroad to Praia and other major airports for connecting flights to other islands may experience luggage delays at their final destination because of the limited carrying capacity of aircraft. Prudence dictates having a change of clothing and all vital materials (including medications) in your carry-on luggage to tide you over for the first 24-48 hours in the country. There is a regular daily inter-island ferry service between Santo Antão and São Vicente. Ferry services are also available between Santiago, Brava, and Fogo but do not operate daily and the service schedules frequently change. Those planning to travel by ferry should plan well in advance and confirm a couple of days before departure that the ferry service is still operating. Regardless of whether your inter-island travel is by air or sea, be aware that poor weather and sea conditions often cause last-minute delays or cancellations.
CV Telecom is currently the largest provider of fixed-line voice, data service, and Internet service (dial-up, ISDN, and ADSL). T Mais, a competitor, also provides internet and fixed-line services. Mobile phone service is on the GSM standard and is available from both CV Telecom and T Mais. Only major cities and towns have Internet cafes, and international telecommunications services in Cabo Verde are dependent on transatlantic fiber-optic cables. Visitors who need reliable communication with other countries may want to consider carrying satellite-based voice and/or data equipment.
The international country code for Cabo Verde is 238. Fixed and mobile line numbers all have seven digits. Landlines all begin with the number “2,” and mobile numbers, which all began with the number “9” until the end of 2009, may now begin with either “5” or “9.” Telephone connections are good, but calls made to numbers outside the archipelago are very expensive.
Disclaimer
You are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, and health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. Information provided is subject to change without notice. One should confirm content prior to traveling from other reliable sources. Information published on this website may contain errors. You travel at your own risk and no warranties or guarantees are provided by us.