Is Cape Verde safe? Visa, EASE fee and health

Do you need a visa for Cape Verde?

Not if you hold an EU or British passport and stay as a tourist for up to 30 days, according to the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) and Spain's Foreign Ministry. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the date you arrive, and a lost, stolen or damaged passport will be refused. For a longer stay you need a visa or an extension of stay, requested in the country from the immigration service, the Direção de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras; overstaying leads to a fine that must be paid before you can leave.

The main visa change of recent years affects other nationalities. Since 1 January 2026 citizens of the countries on an official list, mostly in Africa, Asia and Latin America, must obtain a visa from a Cabo Verde embassy before travelling, including for transit; visas on arrival are no longer issued to them. The list is published on ease.gov.cv. If you do not hold an EU or UK passport, check it and your own government's advice before you book.

EASE pre-registration and the airport security fee (TSA)

Visa-exempt visitors must pre-register on the government's EASE platform, ease.gov.cv, at least five days before they arrive, and pay the airport security fee, the Taxa de Segurança Aeroportuária (TSA), at the same time. The form asks for your passport and travel details. Keep the confirmation on your phone or on paper, as it may be checked on arrival.

The TSA for international arrivals is 3,400 escudos, about €31, per person. Cape Verdean nationals, foreign residents and children aged one and under are exempt. From 1 July 2026, the FCDO warns, travellers who have not pre-registered or cannot show proof pay double the fee at border control.

Several commercial websites look official and charge a service fee on top of the TSA, sometimes doubling the cost. Use the government site. Travel agencies have their own access to EASE, so if you booked a package, ask your tour operator whether they have already registered you before you pay twice.

Is Cape Verde safe?

Generally yes. Serious crime against tourists is rare, the islands are politically stable and there is no recent history of terrorism. The FCDO describes crime as generally low but reports pickpocketing, bag snatching, burglary and muggings, especially in Praia, on Sal and on Boa Vista, and Spain's Foreign Ministry notes a rise in petty crime in tourist areas during holiday periods.

Normal precautions are enough: use the hotel safe for passports and spare cash, do not leave bags unattended on the beach, avoid unlit and isolated places after dark, including empty stretches of beach, and take a taxi at night in Praia, particularly in the neighbourhoods away from the centre. In Santa Maria on Sal you will be approached by street sellers and people offering tours; a polite "no, thank you" is usually enough, and it is safer to book excursions with an established operator. Use official taxis from ranks or booked by your hotel.

Sea, roads and outdoor risks

The sea is the biggest danger for most visitors. Many beaches have strong currents, undertow and big waves, and lifeguards are on duty only at some. Respect the flags: red means no swimming, yellow means paddling only and green means safe to swim. Ask locally before swimming on the exposed beaches of Boa Vista and the north and east coasts of Sal; see the beaches guide.

If you hire a quad or scooter, a helmet is required by law, and the FCDO warns that quad biking may not be covered by standard travel insurance. Roads outside the towns can be narrow, unlit and winding, especially on the mountain islands. On Fogo, the volcano and the altitude of the crater are real considerations, and during the rainy season, from mid-August to mid-October, floods and landslides can close roads. Delays and cancellations of inter-island flights and ferries are common, so read island hopping and keep a buffer before your flight home.

Diseases and health in Cape Verde

No vaccinations are compulsory for travellers arriving from Europe; a yellow fever certificate is needed only if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission. Make sure routine vaccines are up to date and ask a travel clinic, or check TravelHealthPro, about hepatitis A and others.

Dengue is the main mosquito-borne risk: there has been an outbreak since late 2023, and the government has raised its warning level on Santiago, Fogo and Brava. Use repellent day and night. Malaria is not a concern for visitors, since the World Health Organization certified Cape Verde malaria-free in January 2024.

The UK Health Security Agency has investigated stomach infections such as shigella and salmonella among travellers returning from Cape Verde. Wash your hands often, drink bottled rather than tap water, and be careful with ice and raw food outside the bigger hotels. The sun is strong even when the breeze makes it feel cool.

Hospitals and travel insurance

Medical care is basic and some medicines are hard to find, so bring enough of your own, split between hand and hold luggage. The main hospitals are in Praia and Mindelo; facilities on Boa Vista and the smaller islands are limited, and Santo Antão and Brava have no working airport for evacuation flights. The European and UK health cards (EHIC/GHIC) are not accepted, so take travel insurance that includes medical evacuation to Europe. The number for an ambulance is 130. For cash and cards, see currency and money; for arriving and transfers, see airports.