Cape Verde
Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) is an Atlantic island nation off West Africa's coast, known for year-round sunshine, volcanic landscapes, pristine beaches, and vibrant Cape Verdean music (morna and coladeira). The archipelago consists of 10 volcanic islands. Praia on Santiago Island is the capital. Visitors are drawn to Sal Island's beaches and water sports, Boa Vista's desert dunes and sea turtles, Santo Antão's dramatic hiking trails, Fogo's active volcano, Mindelo's music scene on São Vicente, and Creole culture blending African and Portuguese influences. Cape Verde offers excellent conditions for windsurfing, kitesurfing, and beach relaxation.
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Visa Requirements for Cape Verde
All travellers to Cape Verde must complete online pre-travel registration through the EASE system (ease.gov.cv) within 5 days before departure, regardless of nationality. This electronic registration is mandatory and includes payment of a security fee — check the current amount on the official portal before applying. Upon arrival, most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival at airports and ports. ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) nationals can enter visa-free for up to 30 days, though EASE registration is still required. The EASE registration generates a confirmation code to present at check-in and immigration. Some nationalities may need to obtain visas in advance through Cape Verde embassies. The registration simplifies the entry process and expedites immigration clearance.
Visa types
EASE Pre-Registration + Visa on Arrival
For most international tourists visiting Cape Verde for tourism purposes.
ECOWAS Visa-Free Entry
For citizens of Economic Community of West African States member countries for tourism, business, or visiting.
Long-Stay Visa
For stays exceeding 30 days for work, study, residence, or extended tourism in Cape Verde.
Guides
Cape Verde is ten volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic, roughly six hundred kilometres off the West African coast, and each island is a different country in miniature. Sal and Boa Vista are the resort islands — flat, sun-baked, fringed with golden sand and hammered by the trade winds that make them two of the world's premier kitesurfing and windsurfing destinations. Loggerhead sea turtles nest on Boa Vista's remote beaches from July to October. Santo Antao, reached by ferry from Sao Vicente, is a mountain island of vertiginous gorges, terraced valleys, cloud forest and cobblestone paths — one of the finest hiking destinations in the entire Macaronesian region and a world away from the beach-resort experience. Fogo is dominated by the symmetrical cone of Pico do Fogo (2,829 metres), an active volcano whose last eruption in 2014-2015 partly buried the village of Cha das Caldeiras inside the crater — the inhabitants returned and rebuilt, and they still grow wine, coffee and apples on the volcanic soil at 1,700 metres altitude. Sao Vicente and its capital Mindelo are the cultural heart of the archipelago: morna music in every waterfront bar, the spirit of Cesaria Evora in the air, a carnival in February that rivals anything in Brazil on intimacy if not scale, and a cosmopolitan nightlife scene that draws musicians from across the lusophone world. Santiago, the largest island, is the most African in character — the Cidade Velha (UNESCO), the first permanent European settlement in the tropics and a centre of the transatlantic slave trade, stands fifteen minutes from the capital Praia. The Creole culture that ties it all together — the sodade, the cachupa, the Kriolu language that is neither Portuguese nor African but something entirely its own — is what stays with visitors long after the tan fades.
Cape Verde travel guide →
The full guide — Fogo's crater village, Mindelo's morna, Santo Antão's trails, ten islands one fare.
Money in Cape Verde →
The escudo in practice — the euro peg, where euros work directly, and ATMs across ten islands.
Eating in Cape Verde →
Beyond cachupa — the street pastries and Cape Verde's own corn couscous, both worth seeking out.
Getting around Cape Verde →
Not one destination but ten — each island its own flight; plan around the shape, not against it.
Health & safety in Cape Verde →
Among the region's safer stops — bottled water, real ocean currents and strong equatorial sun.
Cities & planning
Plan your trip
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Regions
Embassies & missions
Accredited missions for Cape Verde
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Cape Verde?
All travelers must complete the online EASE pre-travel registration regardless of nationality. Most nationalities then obtain a visa on arrival, while ECOWAS nationals can enter visa-free for up to 30 days (EASE registration is still required).
What is the EASE system, and when must I complete it?
EASE is Cape Verde's mandatory online pre-travel registration at ease.gov.cv, completed within 5 days before departure. It includes payment of a EUR 30 security fee and generates a confirmation code to present at check-in and immigration.
Are ECOWAS nationals exempt from the EASE registration?
No — ECOWAS nationals still need to complete EASE registration even though they can enter visa-free for up to 30 days.
How much does the EASE registration cost?
It includes a EUR 30 security fee, paid online as part of the registration process.
How long can I stay on a visa on arrival?
Typically 30 days, after completing the EASE registration in advance and receiving the visa stamp on arrival at the airport.
How do I travel between the islands?
Domestic flights (TICV/Binter) connect the main islands and are the most reliable option. Ferries exist but schedules can be unreliable, so it's worth booking flights ahead during peak season.
What currency is used, and can I pay in euros?
The Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) is pegged to the euro at roughly 110 CVE to 1 EUR. Euros are widely accepted, and ATMs are available on the main islands, though they may run low on cash at weekends.
What language is spoken in Cape Verde?
Portuguese is the official language, and Cape Verdean Creole (Kriolu) is spoken everywhere in daily life. English is used in tourist areas, and knowing Portuguese or basic Spanish helps.
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Visaja keeps this page's contact details and visa guidance under continuous review — still, requirements can change at short notice, so confirm the essentials with the mission or the official government portal before you travel.