Trip checklist: Cape Verde

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

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Visa requirement

South Africans can get a visa on arrival in Cape Verde.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 30 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Before you go

• Purpose of visit

  Tourism and short visits.

• Passport validity

  At least 6 months after arrival (FCDO); The GSA says 6 months after departure, with blank pages.

• How to apply

  Pre-register on the official EASE platform https://www.ease.gov.cv at least 5 days before arrival, and pay the airport security fee (TSA) there: CVE 3,400 (about EUR 31). Nationalities that need a visa pay a visa fee as well, reported at about EUR 22.67–30 (total about EUR 53.50). From 1 July 2026, travellers who haven't pre-registered pay DOUBLE the TSA at the border. Visa on arrival is issued at Sal, Boa Vista, São Vicente and Santiago international airports.

• Where South Africans apply

  Online at ease.gov.cv. No Cabo Verde mission in South Africa; the GSA says the nearest accredited representation is in Dakar, Senegal.

• Travel insurance

  Not mandatory; comprehensive cover with evacuation recommended because medical facilities are limited.

• Return or onward ticket

  Arrival flight details are needed for the EASE registration.

• Proof of funds

  The GSA quotes CVE 20,000 per person plus CVE 10,000 per day of stay.

• Accommodation or invitation

  Accommodation address is needed for the EASE registration.

• Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

  CABO VERDE: yellow fever certificate if arriving from a risk country. RETURN TO SOUTH AFRICA: Cabo Verde is not on South Africa's yellow fever risk-country list, so no certificate is needed on return unless you transited a risk country (or a risk-country airport for more than 12 hours) on the way. Many SA routings connect via Addis Ababa, Dakar or Lisbon; a long layover in Addis or Dakar (risk countries) triggers SA's certificate rule on return.

• Arrival forms

  EASE pre-registration is the arrival form; it is compulsory.

• Extending your stay and overstaying

  Extensions are possible locally (Direção de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras); procedure not published online.

• Transit

  Nationals on the 2026 list need a visa even for transit or airport stopovers; South Africa is not on that list.

• Travelling with children

  Under-18s travelling alone or with someone other than a parent or guardian need a notarised or solicitor-certified authorisation letter in Portuguese.

• Confirm with the embassy

  Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

• Government of Cabo Verde – EASE platform https://www.ease.gov.cv/
• UK FCDO https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cape-verde/entry-requirements

Research sources

1. 1. Government of Cabo Verde – EASE platform (Official, ease.gov.cv) https://www.ease.gov.cv/
2. 2. Government of Cabo Verde – EASE (2026 advance-visa country list) (Official, ease.gov.cv) https://www.ease.gov.cv/assets/lista_de_paises.pdf
3. 3. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cape-verde/entry-requirements
4. 4. National Department of Health, South Africa (Other government, health.gov.za) https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Protocols-for-Travellers.pdf
5. 5. DIRCO (South African High Commission, Canberra) (Other government, dirco.gov.za) https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/yellow-fever/
6. 6. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Cape_Verde
7. 7. The GSA (South African visa agency) (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2574-cape-verde-country-guide
8. 8. Sherpa (Commercial, apply.joinsherpa.com) https://apply.joinsherpa.com/visa/cape-verde/south-african-citizens
9. 9. CapeVerdeIslands.org (News and guides, capeverdeislands.org) https://www.capeverdeislands.org/travel-information/visa/
10. 10. Travel Buddy (News and guides, travel-buddy.ai) https://travel-buddy.ai/cape-verde-visa-on-arrival-suspended-96-countries-2026/
11. 11. Discover Cape Verde (News and guides, discover-cape-verde.com) https://www.discover-cape-verde.com/cape-verde-travel/visas/

From doineedavisa.co.za/cape-verde. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.