Advice for people coming or relocating to Cape Verde

If you read the oldest post and read forward, that is the obvious result!

Well, you would REALLY help yourself if you read the LATEST post and then read BACKWARDS from there. You will find the posts are from 2019, 2018, 2017, etc.

What am I missing?

Angelo

AbundanceTeam8 wrote:

Most of these posts has been since 2011 , 2012 & 2013. Please I will like an information on Cape Verde as of today 26th September 2019 for someone intending to come to Cape Verde.  Please I will appreciate it. Thank you.

Hello Mr Alfred,
Thank you for ur information, really help at this point. I want to know if one has a friend in CV and you coming for the first time, do you need to do an hotel booking again.

Hello,
From what I read on your post, do you mean all the total number of people from West Africa west get to know someone to assist in settling the immg before the entry?

Hi Smithuk,

You do not need a hotel reservation if you will be staying with a friend. But you will need a letter of invitation from your friend, written in Portuguese. You will also need to show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your entire stay. I do not recommend travelling with large sums of cash. If you travel with a bank card, you must show that the balance available to you is sufficient (walk with a recent statement of the account, otherwise the immigration officers will escort you to the ATM and require that you print your account balance). And obviously, you must also have a return ticket or an onward ticket.

Finally, you are now required to register online, in advance of your trip, and pay the airport tax. You can find the information here: [link moderated]. After you register, you will be issued a registration receipt. You will need to travel with this  receipt (either printed or stored on your mobile device) as you will be required to present it to the immigration officer.

If you give them reason to suspect you have not come for a brief vacation, but that you have come to stay in Cape Verde, that is when they will bar your entry to the country.

Regards,

Angelo

Smithuk wrote:

Hello Mr Alfred,
Thank you for ur information, really help at this point. I want to know if one has a friend in CV and you coming for the first time, do you need to do an hotel booking again.

Hello sir,
I don't know how to get a contract number of cape verdy embassy. I applied for the visa online, fill up the application and make payment, after that they sent me an email the visa is approved and will be sent to my email and I only received a msg stating my application number that I should bring that along. Pls am confused if that is the visa I should print out bcos have not gotten any msg since I received that even when I wrote am still waiting to receive the visa as they said it will be forwarded to my email. Pls your advice on what to do

Hi there, SmithUK,

Don't panic. Everything moves slowly in Cape Verde. If you do not receive any further emails, just bring along the emails you did receive because if they said the visa was approved and gave the application number, just bring that along with your receipt. Remember that the immigration officers will already have your approved visa application on their computer system.

Cape Verde no stress! Just come. Everything will be fine! Just explain what happened to the immigration officers. I promise you won't have to pay twice.

Angelo

Smithuk wrote:

Hello sir,
I don't know how to get a contract number of cape verdy embassy. I applied for the visa online, fill up the application and make payment, after that they sent me an email the visa is approved and will be sent to my email and I only received a msg stating my application number that I should bring that along. Pls am confused if that is the visa I should print out bcos have not gotten any msg since I received that even when I wrote am still waiting to receive the visa as they said it will be forwarded to my email. Pls your advice on what to do

Hello alfredrobinson,
   i thank you for all the useful information about visiting cape verde, pls may i know how much it can cost one to get a Residence permit and how long it takes to be out.


Thanks
Best Regards,

A residenccy visa costs €50. It takes 1-2 weeks for them to process the application. However, to make the application requires that you obtain various documents from various government agencies which can take weeks and will have extra costs (not very much). So the entire process can take a month or more.

Also, please note that you can only request residency if you first have a job, start a business, have registered in a local university or you are an independent professional providing services in the country. In other words, you cannot come on a vacation and apply to be a resident.

Regards,

Angelo

Blesser wrote:

Hello alfredrobinson,
   i thank you for all the useful information about visiting cape verde, pls may i know how much it can cost one to get a Residence permit and how long it takes to be out.


Thanks
Best Regards,

Thank you Angelo for the information you provide me with, i am an investor.

thanks once again

Best Regards,

please mr Angelo do you really know CV requirements for business registration?

Yes. I not only know all the requirements, I provide a paid professional service to investors.

Blesser wrote:

please mr Angelo do you really know CV requirements for business registration?

Alfred Robinson: I thought you stated that the country is not corrupted. Deporting you for no other act than that you did not bribe the immigration officer with 200 Euro is corruption. I do not know what other name you want to call it.

Hi Oma,

How old is the post you're responding to? It's probably many years old. Alfred was not deported from CV. He left of his own accord for better opportunities after living here for years. He has not been on this forum since he left many years ago.

Meanwhile, the technology resources used by the immigration folks at the airport have been dramatically improved within the last 3 years. They now must follow the law quite rigorously because everything is now completely transparent (it's all online for the entire immigration office and department of justice to see). You cannot be denied for having the correct documents because you will have pre-registered that info online. You can only be denied for arriving without the documents that are required. And it happens.

In any event, if you are looking for information about what is needed to come to Cape Verde as a temporary visitor, you can find this info on the Cape Verde eVisa website (where you can pre-register and pay for a visa before coming). Too many people do not pre-register and they arrive without the necessary documents. This never ends well.

If you plan to come to Cape Verde to reside permanently via investment, work, study, retirement or business start-up, there are unfortunately no online resources to provide the details. The process is quite complex regardless of which country you are coming from and requires a significant number of documents (most of which are locally issued).

I specialize in working with expats to obtain a visitor's visa or a permanent residency visa (for investment, work, study, retirement), or even citizenship. I can provide you with the information you need to obtain visas yourself, or you can enlist my help to obtain the visas on your behalf. Clearly, if I am to work on your behalf, I would expect to be remunerated.

Just contact me via a private message, or if there is anything else you need to ask or clarify, please go ahead and ask here. I'd be happy to respond.

Best regards,

Angelo

oma sampson wrote:

Alfred Robinson: I thought you stated that the country is not corrupted. Deporting you for no other act than that you did not bribe the immigration officer with 200 Euro is corruption. I do not know what other name you want to call it.

Thanks. I realized the article was too old only after I responded. Thanks for the update. 

Hi CVAngelo,

I in particular am not interested in living in CV. I am a Nigerian American living permanently in the US and have both the ECOWAS and American passports. I was wondering when visiting CV, which passport to present to the immigration office that would give me the most optimal clearance: my ECOWAS passport or American passport. Also, I would like to link you to my friend who is actually interested in relocating to CV -- which triggers my doing this research on his behalf. That is how I came across this forum. You can private message me at [link moderated] and we would carry on this communication further from there.

Thanks!

Oma.

Ok Oma. I understand where you're coming from now. I have responded to your comments below:

I was wondering when visiting CV, which passport to present to the immigration office that would give me the most optimal clearance: my ECOWAS passport or American passport. You should use your American passport, not your Nigerian/ECOWAS passport, to travel to Cape Verde. If you travel on a ECOWAS passport, you will be asked additional questions simply because the rate of illegal immigration into CV from ECOWAS countries (beyond 90 days without a residency visa) is extremely high.

Basically, regardless of what passport you travel on, your entry to CV will be extremely efficiently handled if you pre-register (i.e., pay your airport tax and obtain a pre-approved eVisa) on the CV eVisa website. If you pre-register, you will essential present your passport and walk in to CV. If you do not pre-register on EASE, you will find yourself in a separate long immigration line, yo could end up waiting for an hour or more depending on the size of the incoming flight and you will have to have exact cash in euro to pay for the visa as they do not accept credit card payments at the immigration desk...but they do accept them online.

As for helping your friend, I am happy to do so. One thing that most of my clients say was extremely helpful to them is my eGuide to Living and Working in CV. It addresses evrything about entering and relocating to CV and then living and working here including how to go about getting the entry visa (especially the 5-year multiple entry visa which allows them to enter for up to 6 months each visit during a 5 year period), how to get the residency visa, and how to find a place to live, how to find an English-speaking job/self employment, and how to start a business, as well as every other aspect of living here.

Either way, I am happy to speak with your friend directly. Please note that we can only exchange contact info in the private chat.

Cheers,

Angelo

oma sampson wrote:

Hi CVAngelo,

I in particular am not interested in living in CV. I am a Nigerian American living permanently in the US and have both the ECOWAS and American passports. I was wondering when visiting CV, which passport to present to the immigration office that would give me the most optimal clearance: my ECOWAS passport or American passport. Also, I would like to link you to my friend who is actually interested in relocating to CV -- which triggers my doing this research on his behalf. That is how I came across this forum. You can private message me at [link under review] and we would carry on this communication further from there.

Thanks!

Oma.

Hello do you mind sharing your Instagram handle? Or better still a way to reach out to you!

Please Alfred here is my email address *** I am looking to relocate with my family to Cape Verde

Hello Lawrence,

Personal contact info cannot be shared on the public forum! Should you wish to converse in private, simply send a private message.

Cheers,

Angelo

Lawrence Nwachukwu Jr. wrote:

Hello do you mind sharing your Instagram handle? Or better still a way to reach out to you!

Dear Lawrence,

Alfred has not participated on this forum for at least 5 years. In addition, you may not post personal information on forum posts.

Angelo

Lawrence Nwachukwu Jr. wrote:

Please Alfred here is my email address *** I am looking to relocate with my family to Cape Verde

Yea boss, your advise is pure, am already in Togo and will be heading that direction by next week

Hello,can we communicate via email?

Hi Marycordis,

If your post was directed to me, then please send me a private message if you feel that whatever you have to say or ask cannot be posted on the public forum. Unfortunately, I do not share my personal details with people I do not know or of whose motives I am unaware. In addition, please note posting of personal details is not permiitted on the public forum..

Regards,

Angelo

Marycordis okonkwo wrote:

Hello,can we communicate via email?

Hello, is there any new update about CV? I would like to move there

Thank you for the info, please what does it take to start a business there? What business strive best at CV?

Hello, Cape Verde is still here where it's been sitting in the Atalntic Ocean at least since I arrived. Cape Verde has no plans to move from this location and we will most likely still be here if and when you choose to relocate. Any new update on Nigeria?

keleojis wrote:

Hello, is there any new update about CV? I would like to move there

The best businesses in Cape Verde are in the following economic sectors: Maritime (shipping and transport); Tourism; Construction; Technology; Fishing & Agriculture (local production of food). It's a service based economy. The services you can offer in these sectors can be quite lucrative provided you can differentiate yourself from competitors or offer needed services where there were none equivalent previously. And obviously, if you can do so while delivering better customer satisfaction and/or at a cheaper cost than others, you will have a sustainable competitive advantage.

Assuming you have the capital to start and sustain a business, you simply register the business (it takes 48 hours), obtain your operating license (only if one is required), secure a business location (assuming you need a physical location), and launch and execute your business plan.

You're welcome,

Angelo

keleojis wrote:

Thank you for the info, please what does it take to start a business there? What business strive best at CV?

I have been following the thread about CV on this platform, and there was a place you mentioned there's improvement at the port of entry... Probably one doesn't have to pay any immigration officer again (the corruption aspect).

So that was why I asked if there's any update about CV. Of course there are lots and lots of updates in Nigeria.

Thank you for your response.
Warm regards
Kele

Hello ALFRED. Thank you for your insightful article. I intend to visit Cape Verde in September and see if I can relocate there with my family? Will Cape Verde allow this? Can you still be of help in terms of guiding me through the process of visiting? My email is ***. I would appreciate any help from the forum too.

Hi Bola,

The message from Alfred is dated 2012, over 9 years ago. Alfred is no longer on the forum for almost 5 years now. And a lot has changed over the past 9 years, so much of the older messages are no longer fully reliable.

Still, I have answered your questions below:

I intend to visit Cape Verde in September and see if I can relocate there with my family? Will Cape Verde allow this?
Foreigners can only enter Cape Verde as tourists. You cannot enter to relocate as this is not permitted. Unfortunately, if you state that this (relocation) is the purpose of your visit, you will be rapatriated immediately to the last airport you left prior to arriviing in Cape Verde. Just say that you are here for a short vacation (and be prepared to prove it).

Therefore, if you come with your family, you must be able to prove that you are visiting for a temporary period (i.e., as tourists) and you will have to demonstrate that you have hotel or other reservations for the entire period of your visit, that you have sufficient funds to pay for the hotel and meals for the entire period of your visit (about $1,000 per person for every 4 weeks you plan to stay which does not have to be in cash but can be a credit or debit card as long as you can show you have sufficient balance/credit on it), and that you have a confirmed return travel reservation.

This is how it works for ALL foreign tourists regardless of country of origin. There are dozens of ECOWAS citizens who believe they can just arrive in Cape Verde and walk right in because Cape Verde is a member of ECOWAS. This is not how it works in ANY country in the world when you cross its external borders. Do not make this mistake because the people who arrive with this impression usually do not have the documents required to be permitted entry and are immediately repatriated by the immigration officers (on the same flight that they arrived on when it returns to its previous airport from which it came.) It is always a very expensive mistake because such individuals end up losing all the money they spent to come to Cape Verde without being properly informed.

I strongly recommend that you PRE-REGISTER on the government's eVisa Website before you attempt to fly into Cape Verde. This is where you will provide all your biographic data, indicate your travel dates (arrival and departure), indicate your travel reservations (where you will stay while you visit), and pay your airport tax. You must pre-register for each person in your travel party. Pre-registration does not guarantee entry because you still have to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to support your visit! However, it does show that you are aware of ALL the requirements BEFORE you enter Cape Verde.

If you wish to stay in Cape Verde beyond the expiration date of the tourist visa (always 30 days for each visitor), you must apply for a residency visa. However, to obtain a residency visa, the head of the family must have either a job in Cape Verde, register their own business in Cape Verde, or enroll in a university in Cape Verde (the local language is Portuguese, so if you are not able to speak the language, university is not an option).

The conditions and list of documents necessary to apply for a residency visa is extremely long, and the process is quite intensive. You can learn everything about entering and living in Cape Verde with my 50-page eGuide.

Can you still be of help in terms of guiding me through the process of visiting?
Indeed! I have helped dozens of foreigners, mostly Europeans and Americans, relocate to Cape Verde and find jobs or start businesses. Accomodations are not cheap here but they are much cheaper than America and Europe, and the quality of life is better than in Nigeria.

I cannot help you further with the process of visiting beyond what I've told you in the answer to the first question. There is nothing further to say about it. But if anything is unclear, you can certainly send me a private message.

Best regards,

Angelo

Please note that you cannot put your private contact like phone number or email addressinfo in messages posted on the public forum! You can only exchange such info in a private message.

Bola O. wrote:

Hello ALFRED. Thank you for your insightful article. I intend to visit Cape Verde in September and see if I can relocate there with my family? Will Cape Verde allow this? Can you still be of help in terms of guiding me through the process of visiting? My email is [link under review]. I would appreciate any help from the forum too.

If you have followed all the posts over the 9 year period they were written, you will note that there have been several references to the immigration arrival process being completely modernized.

So there is no longer such thing as immigration officers taking bribes as everything is now entered into the immigration system and the officers cannot fudge aything. In fact, you are encouraged to pre-register on the CV eVisa website before coming to Cape Verde! You could even be pre-approved for entry even before you arrive.

This new system has now been in place for several years and there are no further updates on immigration matters since then. Just follow the instructions on the eVisa website and be prepared to prove what you entered there (confirmed travel dates, hotel reservations, etc)  once you arrive in Cape Verde.

It is only those people who do not seem to be aware of the instructions that are immediately repatiated (same day) when they arrive in Cape Verde because they arrive without the necessary documents.

Please read my response to Bola O for more information.

Best regards,

Angelo

keleojis wrote:

I have been following the thread about CV on this platform, and there was a place you mentioned there's improvement at the port of entry... Probably one doesn't have to pay any immigration officer again (the corruption aspect).

So that was why I asked if there's any update about CV. Of course there are lots and lots of updates in Nigeria.

Thank you for your response.
Warm regards
Kele

My deep apologies for breaking the rule of this forum albeit unknowingly. Thanks to CVAngelo for the indepth answer to my question.Truly helpful.I shall be contacting you in the coming days.

Thanks all.
Please can one do masters programs in CV?
How much does tuition cost?

Thanks

Hi there,

Yes, you can do a masters degree in various disciplines in Cape Verde. Note that you will probably not be accepted for registration in any such program nor will you be able to complete such a program unless you are fluent in Portuguese. All the instruction, research, tests and theses are conducted/written in Portuguese in all the local universities. Portuguese is the official language in Cape Verde. English is rarely spoken.

Tuition varies by univeristy type. In the public universities, it would be around €100-150 per month. In a private university it would be about €200 per month.

Cheers,

Angelo

oderinufestus wrote:

Thanks all.
Please can one do masters programs in CV?
How much does tuition cost?
Thanks

Thank you for this information. It was very helpful learning from your point of view.

Pls how much is the ferry from senegal to cape verd

Where did you get this information? There is no "ferry" from Senegal to Dakar. You have to take a plane!

temidayogbenga810 wrote:

Pls how much is the ferry from senegal to cape verd