🇨🇻 Cape Verde Digital Nomad Visa: Make Cabo Verde Your Remote Working Dream

How the Cape Verde digital nomad visa works

Your island escape could be closer than you think. Cabo Verde, still often called Cape Verde in English, is a chain of Atlantic islands off the coast of West Africa. Explore everyday life and what Sal, Mindelo and Praia cost in our Cabo Verde country profile. Here, get clarity on the legal essentials: which status lets you stay and work remotely, what the program asks for in 2026, and what the promise of paying no local tax really means.

Here is the part that could change your plans. No age limit. No degree requirement. No monthly income threshold in the thousands. The core requirement is an average bank balance of at least €1,500 over the last six months. That is one of the lowest bars of any program worldwide, and a powerful reason to take your dream seriously.

New to the idea? Start with our explainer on what a digital nomad visa is to understand how these permits differ from tourist stays and work visas, and take your next step with confidence.

Short stays: your first step and the EASE registration

That escape you keep dreaming about? You may not need the program at all. Visa-free entry, and how long you can stay, depends on your own passport. EU citizens, for example, may stay up to 30 days without a visa. On 1 January 2026 Cabo Verde tightened its visa list for a number of other nationalities, so check your passport's current status before you book that dream trip.

Visa-exempt travelers, there's one essential step between you and take-off: register online on the government platform ease.gov.cv before you fly and pay the airport security fee (TSA) of 3,400 escudos, about €31. The escudo is pegged to the euro, keeping that figure reassuringly stable, and giving you one less thing to worry about.

Don't let a missed step turn your excitement into frustration. Skip pre-registration and you can still do it on arrival, but you pay double: 6,800 escudos, about €62 per person. Some airlines cause problems as early as check-in when the EASE registration is missing. Five minutes online saves you an argument at the counter.

A kite trip you've craved. A focused work block you need. A short stay can be exactly the reset you're looking for. But a whole winter season? That takes more. That is what the program is for.

Requirements of the Remote Working Programme

Your dream of working remotely from Cabo Verde has a legal foundation. The Remote Working Cabo Verde Programme started in December 2020 as a tourism-authority pilot. Law No. 27/X/2023 created the legal basis, and Decree-Law No. 13/2025 of May 2025 formally regulated the residence visa for remote work. What began as a pilot is now a proper legal framework. Here’s what you need:

• Duration of six months, renewable once for six more, giving you up to one year in total. Want to stay longer? You’ll need a regular residence permit; the programme itself does not lead to permanent residence.
• Your opportunity is open if you’re a national of Europe, North America, the Portuguese-speaking countries (CPLP) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
• Proof of funds: an average balance of at least €1,500 over the last six months for a single applicant, €2,700 for a family. These amounts are unchanged in 2026. The relief for freelancers with uneven income? It’s a balance, not a monthly salary.
• Bring your work with you: prove you’re employed or self-employed for employers or clients outside Cabo Verde. Work for Cabo Verde companies is expressly not allowed.
• Get your essentials ready: a passport valid for at least six more months, health and travel insurance valid in Cabo Verde, proof of accommodation and a criminal record certificate.
• You don’t have to leave loved ones behind: family members can come with you. There is no minimum stay.

Protect yourself before you go: medical care on the islands is limited. Serious cases are usually flown to Portugal or the Canary Islands, so your policy must include medical evacuation. Our overview of health insurance for digital nomads explains what to look for.

How to apply and what it costs

Your fresh start is closer than you think, with just two deliberately simple steps.

1. Pre-register online on the official tourism portal visit-caboverde.com/en/remote-working. Upload a passport copy, a photo, bank statements for the last six months, proof of insurance and your accommodation booking. Processing usually takes about two weeks, and the rejection rate is low, giving you more reason to feel excited about what comes next.
2. Complete it on arrival. Show your documents to the border officers and receive your stamp. No consulate appointment standing between you and your next chapter.

The immigration office DEF is moving online, too. Its portal e-portaldef.gov.cv has had a digital nomad section with a document list since 2025, but fully electronic applications there were still marked "coming soon" as of August 2026. Until then, keep your plans moving with the practical route: the tourism portal plus arrival.

And the cost? A welcome breath of fresh air. Two fee figures are in circulation: the tourism portal lists a visa fee of €20, charged again on renewal, plus an airport fee on arrival. The DEF portal puts the residence visa fee under the new law at 5,000 escudos, about €45. Either way, total fees stay under €100, making Cabo Verde one of the cheapest nomad programs anywhere. Application fees alone for many Caribbean programs are ten to twenty times higher. Keep more of your money for the life you’re dreaming of.

Taxes: what "no local tax" really means

Keep your foreign income free from Cabo Verde income tax during the program. That’s the promise, and it’s correct. But before you get swept up in the headline, understand why: The visa gives you temporary residence status, not tax residence. During the program, your foreign income is simply not taxed locally.

Here’s the bigger picture you cannot afford to overlook: Cabo Verde taxes its residents on their worldwide income, at progressive rates up to about 27.5%. In principle, you become resident if you spend more than 183 days a year in the country or keep a home there with the intention to stay. Use the full twelve months and you clearly cross that threshold. Get your situation checked: there is no separate regime for remote workers beyond the program.

Don’t mistake this escape for a tax-planning strategy. Cabo Verde’s treaty network essentially consists of one double tax treaty, with Portugal. The visa ends after twelve months, and after that, the country would tax you as a resident on everything. Know the limits before you commit.

And don’t let the excitement make you forget home. A season in Cabo Verde does not, by itself, end your tax residence there; your home country’s rules decide that. If you are a US citizen, you remain subject to US income tax on your worldwide income wherever you live (IRS). The real opportunity? Used well, the program gives you a simple base for a few months inside your existing setup, nothing more, nothing less.

Islands, internet and daily life

Visa sorted. Now comes the decision that shapes your everyday happiness: which island feels like you?

• Sal, with Santa Maria, is the obvious choice: the best airport, coworking spaces, an international community and world-class kitesurfing and windsurfing. Feel the pull? Just know it is touristy, and the landscape is bare.
• São Vicente, with Mindelo, is where culture comes alive: a real small town with a music scene and an everyday rhythm that does not depend on tourism.
• Santiago, with the capital Praia, offers the best internet in the country, but the least charm.

Your island escape still needs a reliable connection. Fiber is available in the main towns, with typical speeds of 50 to 300 Mbps and more in Praia. Starlink has been available since late 2024, making remote islands and smaller towns workable for the first time. But old, slow copper lines remain: ask for a speed test before you book, and bring a power bank and a mobile data backup for occasional power cuts.

Cabo Verde does not compete with Lisbon or Bangkok. Its appeal is simpler, and wonderfully tempting: a few winter months in the sun, with a visa that costs almost nothing. Ready to imagine yourself there? Compare programs in our digital nomad visa overview and explore more destinations in the country profiles.

Frequently asked questions

Does Cape Verde have a digital nomad visa?

Yes, your dream of working from Cape Verde could become reality. The Remote Working Cabo Verde Programme has run since December 2020 and has been regulated by Decree-Law 13/2025 since May 2025. Enjoy six months, renewable once for six more.

How much money do I need to make my Cape Verde digital nomad visa dream a reality?

Your next chapter could be closer than you think: you need an average bank balance of at least €1,500 over the last six months as a single applicant, or €2,700 for a family. The reassuring part? It’s a balance requirement, not a minimum monthly income.

Can I bring my family?

Yes, your next chapter can include the people you love most. Family members can come with you if you show the family balance of €2,700. There is no minimum stay.

Does the program lead to permanent residence?

No. Dreaming of staying longer? After a maximum of twelve months, you need a regular residence permit if you want to stay. Time on the program does not open a path to permanent residence.