Where can Cape Verde passport holders travel?
41 countries are visa-free. Add 21 with a visa on arrival, 2 with an online eTA and 31 with an eVisa, and you can visit 95 countries without applying at an embassy.
22 rules on this page are backed by a cited official or authoritative source, shown next to the country. In our latest audit (22 October 2026), 195 of 198 destinations matched IATA Timatic, the database airlines check (via Wikipedia), or were confirmed with an official source; 3 are still being checked. How we check visa rules
Source: Passport Index dataset (visualpharm/visa-free-dataset, updated 2026-06-14) + 188 sourced corrections (last checked 2026-10-22). Page built 26 October 2026. Report an error
Visa free 41
Visa on arrival 21
eTA (online travel authorization) 2
SeychellesFlights90 days · ~$90/day
90 days · About $90 a day
Official site: seychelles.govtas.comSource: Seychelles Electronic Border System (official) and Tourism Seychelles (checked 24 September 2026)
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eVisa (apply online) 31
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ThailandFlights~$55/day
About $55 a day
Official site: thaievisa.go.thSource: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom); Thai MFA "THAI E-VISA: Apply, Anywhere, Anytime" (checked 24 September 2026)
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VanuatuFlights~$100/day
About $100 a day
Official site: evisa.gov.vuSource: Vanuatu Immigration and Passport Services: official eVisa portal (checked 25 September 2026)
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Embassy visa required for 103 countries
Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Korea, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of the Congo, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Yemen
Narrow it down to a trip
Rank these countries by your budget, travel month, trip length and interests.
Changing planes with a Cape Verde passport
These rules cover connecting flights where you stay in the airport's international transit area. Leaving it, changing airports or collecting your bags means entering the country, which needs the entry visa.
Schengen area
No airport transit visa needed
United Kingdom
No airport transit visa needed
United States
US visa needed, even to change planes (a C-1 transit visa or a B visitor visa)
Who is exempt
A valid US visitor (B) visa also covers transit.
Canada
Canadian visa needed, even to change planes (a transit visa for stays of 48 hours or less)
Who is exempt
US lawful permanent residents can transit without a Canadian visa or eTA.
Australia
Australian transit visa (subclass 771) needed, even to change planes (free, up to 72 hours)
Who is exempt
Not needed with an Indian official passport or most diplomatic passports. Transit without a visa does not apply to refugees or stateless travellers.
Singapore
No transit visa needed
Only while you stay in the transit area of Changi Airport. Some low-cost airlines make you clear immigration to collect your bags or check in for the next flight; Singapore's entry rules then apply. Ask your airline if unsure.
United Arab Emirates
No transit visa needed
Only while you stay in the transit area (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other UAE airports). To leave the airport, for example on separate tickets, you need a pre-arranged 48- or 96-hour transit visa, sponsored by a UAE airline, unless your passport enters visa-free or on arrival.
Recent rule changes for Cape Verde passports
Chad · 11 May 2026
Chad moved all visa applications online (evisa.td)
Nicaragua · 16 February 2026
Nicaragua published new visa lists (Disposición 002-2026)
Already hold a visa or residence permit?
Cape Verde passport: common questions
How many countries can Cape Verde passport holders visit without a visa?
41 countries are visa-free for Cape Verde passport holders. Counting 21 with a visa on arrival, 2 with an online eTA and 31 with an eVisa, they can visit 95 countries without applying at an embassy. The other 103 countries require an embassy visa.
Which countries are visa-free for Cape Verde passport holders?
Cape Verde passport holders can enter these 41 countries visa-free: Angola, Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Ecuador, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hong Kong, Kenya, Liberia, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius, Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Territory, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia and Zambia.
Why do other websites show a different number for the Cape Verde passport?
Websites count different things. Wandava counts every way in without an embassy: visa-free (41), visa on arrival (21), online eTA (2) and eVisa (31), 95 in all. Counting only entry with no step before you travel (visa-free and visa on arrival) gives 62, and visa-free alone gives 41. When an online visa needs a local sponsor or a full set of supporting documents, Wandava counts it as an embassy visa, not an eVisa.
Which countries give Cape Verde passport holders a visa on arrival?
Cape Verde passport holders can get a visa on arrival in these 21 countries: Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Iran, Jordan, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Namibia, Nepal, Palau, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tuvalu and Zimbabwe. A fee may apply.
Where do Cape Verde passport holders need an eTA or eVisa?
An online eTA is needed for Seychelles and Suriname. An eVisa, applied for online before you fly, is needed for Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Bhutan, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
Can a US, UK or Schengen visa help Cape Verde passport holders visit more countries?
Yes. Holding a valid visa opens more countries that Cape Verde passport holders can enter without an embassy visa: 9 more with a US visa, 7 more with a UK visa and 42 more with a Schengen visa. Conditions apply, and each rule links to its official source.
Where can Cape Verde passport holders with a Schengen residence permit, UK residence permit or US green card travel?
A valid residence permit opens more countries that Cape Verde passport holders can enter without an embassy visa: 9 more with a US green card, 3 more with a UK residence permit and 38 more with a Schengen residence permit. A Schengen residence permit allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180 in the other Schengen countries. Conditions apply, and each rule links to its official source.
Do Cape Verde passport holders need a transit visa?
Schengen area: no airport transit visa needed. United Kingdom: no airport transit visa needed. United States: US visa needed, even to change planes (a C-1 transit visa or a B visitor visa). Canada: Canadian visa needed, even to change planes (a transit visa for stays of 48 hours or less). Australia: Australian transit visa (subclass 771) needed, even to change planes (free, up to 72 hours). Singapore: no transit visa needed. United Arab Emirates: no transit visa needed. Some visas and residence permits exempt you; the transit section on this page lists them with official sources.
How up to date is this Cape Verde passport information?
The visa data comes from the Passport Index dataset (visualpharm/visa-free-dataset, updated 2026-06-14) + 188 sourced corrections (last checked 2026-10-22). This page was built on 26 October 2026. Entry rules change, so confirm with the destination's official website or embassy before you travel.