Cabo Verde ends visa on arrival for 91 nationalities, including most of Latin America

Cabo Verde ends visa-on-arrival for 91 nationalities

Since 1 January 2026, Cabo Verde no longer allows citizens of 91 countries to buy a visa on arrival. The change is set out in Decree No. 244/GMAI/2025 (Cabo Verdean government, November 2025) and confirmed by the country's official EASE entry list, which enumerates the affected nationalities.

What changed

Previously, most nationalities without a full visa exemption could land in Cabo Verde and purchase a visa at the airport. That option is gone for the 91 listed nationalities. Affected travellers must now obtain a visa before boarding:

• online, through an application linked to the EASE portal (ease.gov.cv), or
• in person at a Cabo Verdean embassy or consulate.

Some reports describe in-person interviews now being required at diplomatic missions for at least part of this group. Arriving at a Cabo Verdean airport without an approved visa risks denied boarding by the airline or refusal of entry on arrival.

Who is affected

91 nationalities in total, spanning Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe/Oceania and — the block most relevant to packset.travel's Latin American readers — 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean:

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.

Notably absent from the list — meaning unaffected by this change — are Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Cuba, Belize, Barbados and the Bahamas, among others. "Most of Latin America" is accurate by country count, but the region's two largest nations, Brazil and Argentina, are not on the suspended list.

Who is not affected

Nationals of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, the UK, and a further list including the US, Canada, Brazil and Argentina keep visa-free short-stay access. They still must complete online EASE pre-registration before travel and pay the Airport Security Tax (TSA) of 3,400 CVE (~EUR 31) — a requirement that applies to essentially all international arrivals regardless of visa status, with narrow exemptions for Cabo Verdean nationals, foreign residents, children under two, transit passengers and official missions.

Sources

Primary: Cabo Verde's official EASE country list (ease.gov.cv) and the MNEC Consular Portal FAQ. Secondary: VisasNews and Tribune Online, both citing Decree No. 244/GMAI/2025 (published 24 November 2025). packset.travel last checked the EASE list on 13 July 2026.