Cape Verde has declared state of emergency as a measure to curb coronavirus. The state of emergency applies until May 2 for the islands of Boa Vista, Santiago and São Vicente, and until April 26 for the rest of the islands. It is closed to international, commercial flights. Passengers arriving by boat from abroad are not allowed to land. It is not possible to travel inland between the islands, and public offices are closed. For more information about coronavirus, see the section Health.
Safety
Most trips to Cape Verde can be completed today without any special problems. The biggest challenge for tourists is petty crime, loss of passport or hospitalization after minor accidents.
Norway has two honorary consulates at Cape Verde, one in Praia and one in Mindelo. Contact information for the consulates.
The threat level of terrorism is low on Cape Verde. However, all travelers should be aware of the global risk of arbitrary terrorist attacks that may affect public areas, including those frequented by foreigners.
The crime rate in Cape Verde is relatively low, but petty crime is more widespread than in Norway. Crowds such as marketplaces, festivals and celebrations are especially vulnerable. Local police statistics show an increase in crime in Cape Verde in recent years, especially in Praia and Mindelo. One should avoid carrying valuables openly, and one should show general care.
Ran occurs more often than before, especially at night and in more isolated areas. Crime associated with drugs is also on the rise. Due to insufficient lighting in many public places and periodic power outages, people are encouraged to carry small flashlights, travel with others, keep the vehicle’s doors and windows locked, avoid dark and isolated places, and to pay special attention after dark.
Demonstrations and crowds are usually peaceful, but tourists are encouraged to avoid large crowds, demonstrations and political gatherings.
The road network on Cape Verde is of varying quality on the different islands, but the most central areas have reasonably fair road standards.
Be careful about traffic and follow the traffic rules. A seat belt is mandatory, and children under the age of twelve must sit in the back seat. Helmet is mandatory when driving a motorcycle/scooter etc. Road accidents are the leading cause of injuries and fatalities on Cape Verde.
Cape Verde is not a country that is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, but the volcano on the island of Fogo is active and erupted in 1995 and 2014. In the period 1982-2004, ten natural disasters were registered on the archipelago.
Of these, four were drought disasters (1982, 1992, 1998, 2002), two storms (1982, 1983), two insect-borne epidemics (1988, 2004), a volcanic eruption (1995) and an epidemic (1994).
The waters around Cape Verde are unstable at times, and tides and currents can be very strong. Particularly the areas around the southern islands of Fogo and Brava may be exposed to unstable and rough weather. Visitors who wish to practice water sports, swimming and boating should therefore exercise caution. Local port authorities should be contacted before embarking on voyages at sea.
Cape Verde is an archipelago of volcanic islands. Although the volcanoes of most islands now appear to be inactive, volcanoes on the island of Fogo are still active. Fogo has had several volcanic eruptions over the last hundred years, and the last major eruption was in 1995. Visitors should be aware of the possibility of future eruptions as well as the shaking associated with these eruptions, especially at Fogo, Brava and Santo Antão. For more information on natural disasters at Cape Verde, see Preventionweb or the International Disaster Database.
Norwegian citizens staying in or planning a trip to Cape Verde are encouraged to register their journey at http://www.reiseregistrering.no/..
Norwegian citizens are encouraged to have valid travel insurance.
Local emergency numbers: Hospital 130, Fire Department 131, Police 132, Police (not emergency) 800 11 43
In case of emergency, Norwegian citizens can contact the Embassy in Lisbon, which is later accredited to (responsible for) Cape Verde (+351 21 300 91 00).
Outside the embassy’s opening hours, the public can contact the UD’s 24-hour operating center on tel: +47 23 95 00 00 E-mail: UDops@mfa.no
Entry
Please note that entry regulations may change. The Foreign Service is not responsible if the following information on entry regulations or visa requirements is changed at short notice. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that travel documents are valid for entry and to familiarize themselves with the current entry rules for each country.
Norwegian tourists can travel visa-free for up to 30 days to Cape Verde if you register in advance and pay a fee. The same applies to Norwegian citizens traveling with a diplomatic passport. This is done in one of the following ways:
- online registration on the Efficient Automatic and Safe Entry of Travelers(Ease) online platform no later than five days in advance of the trip
- your travel agent
- at the airport on arrival (be prepared for long queues)
Children under two are exempt from this requirement. So too are citizens of Cape Verde origin, as well as their spouses and children. In these cases, proof of race-worthy origin must be provided, such as birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.
Norwegian citizens traveling to Cape Verde must have a valid passport. In addition to ordinary and temporary passports, travel documents for refugees (green travel documents) and travel documents for persons on humanitarian grounds (blue travel documents) are also accepted.
If you wish to stay in Cape Verde for more than 30 days, you must apply for an extension/visa (granted for up to 90 days). You can do this at the local immigration police (Direcção de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras).
Alternatively, Norwegian citizens can apply for a visa from one of Cape Verde’s diplomatic representations in Europe, such as the Embassy in Berlin, the Consulate General in Rotterdam, the Embassy in Madrid or the Embassy in Lisbon. This is a time-consuming process if you do not have the opportunity for personal attendance, and it should be calculated in good time for mailing.
Health
Coronavirus (covid-19): Norwegian travelers should keep abreast of the development of the coronavirus. See the Norwegian health authorities’ recommendations regarding travel on the Institute of Public Health’s websites, on regjeringen.no, as well as updated maps of cases in the world on WHO’s websites.
Cape Verdean health authorities are constantly updating their websites and the Cape Verdean government is announcing measures on their websites.
***
Cape Verde health care is limited as medical facilities and certain medicines are in short supply or inaccessible. There are hospitals in Praia, Mindelo and São Filipe on the island of Fogo. One of Cape Verde’s most important hospitals is Agostinho Neto Hospital in Praia. There are also health clinics and pharmacies in some residential areas around Praia and other cities.
No vaccines are required when entering Cape Verde. Travelers are advised to carry an international vaccine card if they are vaccinated. If you come from an area with jaundice, you must have been vaccinated against the disease before entering the country. Cape Verde was not affected by the Ebola epidemic in 2014/2015, but you will not enter Cape Verde if you have been in a country affected by the epidemic over the past 30 days.
If you are using medication, include documentation on the diagnosis, as well as any medical record or medical certificate.
At Cape Verde there are several different diseases that are transmitted through mosquitoes such as malaria, dengue and zika. Good precautions to avoid mosquito-borne illnesses are to cover bare skin, use mosquito repellent, and possibly sleep under impregnated mosquito nets and spray the home with insect repellent. If you are going to Praia, it is recommended that you also protect yourself by taking malaria medication beforehand.
More information about malaria, zika and dengue and how to protect themselves can be found on the Institute of Public Health’s website. There is also a guide for pregnant women and other travelers to areas with zika and malaria.
When it comes to HIV infection, one must be aware that the disease exists worldwide and that it is therefore important to take precautions to avoid being infected. One can test for the disease at the local health centers.
Be careful with the water. Drink bottled water, boiled or purified water. Wash raw foods (fruits, vegetables, etc.) well in purified water, possibly bottled water.
Practical information
The mobile network works across the country, and many hotels and restaurants offer wireless internet. To make calls, you can also buy prepaid calling cards that can be used on telephone boxes throughout the country. The mail system works quickly and efficiently, especially when using Express Mail Service.
The coin unit is the Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE). Euro is accepted in some places. There are banks in all major cities and also in some smaller places, and most have ATMs where credit cards are accepted. It is easiest to trade in cash, but international credit cards are increasingly accepted. Money exchange in unauthorized places is illegal, and there are many fake banknotes in circulation. The airport of Sal and Banco Interatlântico in Praia have exchange machines so you can switch back from escudos to euros before returning home. Tips/tips are not mandatory, but are often given as thanks for good service.
Stores are usually open Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 to 12:30 and from 15:00 to 19:00, as well as Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00. Most are closed on Sundays, but some major supermarkets are open Saturday night and Sunday morning. Please note that opening hours may be restricted during the summer season. Normal opening hours for the banks are from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 15:00.
Local time – GMT -1 (two hours after Norway)
Electricity – 220 volts with European plugs.
National telephone code – +238 (allcitycodes)
Internet domain -.cv
National holidays are January 1 (New Year’s Day), January 13 (Freedom and Democracy Day), January 20 (National Hero Day), Good Friday (varies from year to year), May 1 (Workers’ Day), June 1 (Children’s Day) day), July 5 (National Independence Day), August 15 (Our Lady’s Day), November 1 (All Saints Day), December 25 (First Christmas Day).