Your first 90 days in Cape Verde: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Inter-island logistics are the hidden cost of living here — flights and ferries are expensive, frequently cancelled, and a medical or administrative errand on another island can eat days. Choose your island with the administrative and medical realities in mind, not only the beach.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Apply for the autorização de residência at the Direção de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras and register with the local câmara municipal
Before your visa-free or visa stay expires — many nationalities get 30 days visa-free and must apply for residence inside that window
Cape Verde replaced the tourist visa with an online Airport Security Tax (TSA) for most European arrivals, which is not a visa and does not extend your stay. The residence file wants a criminal record certificate, proof of means and proof of accommodation, apostilled and translated into Portuguese.
Get your NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal)
Banking, property, utilities, employment and every filing with the tax authority key off it.
Registered at a Casa do Cidadão or tax office with your passport and residence documentation — it can generally be obtained before residence is granted, which is why it is the sensible first errand.
Open a bank account
Banco Comercial do Atlântico, Caixa Económica and BAI open accounts on the NIF and residence permit. The escudo is pegged to the euro, which makes European transfers predictable, but international wires outside the euro area are slow and expensive.
Enrol in healthcare
Public hospitals on Santiago and São Vicente provide basic and emergency care at low cost, with the smaller islands served by health centres only. Anything complex means a flight to Portugal or Senegal, so international insurance with evacuation cover is the practical requirement — inter-island medical transfer alone is a real cost.
Sort your driver's license
A foreign licence with an International Driving Permit is accepted for short stays; residents convert through the transport authority, with Portuguese and several other licences exchanging on paper. Driving is on the right.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to Cape Verde?
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Cape Verde: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Cape Verde?
Apply for the autorização de residência at the Direção de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras and register with the local câmara municipal — Before your visa-free or visa stay expires — many nationalities get 30 days visa-free and must apply for residence inside that window. Cape Verde replaced the tourist visa with an online Airport Security Tax (TSA) for most European arrivals, which is not a visa and does not extend your stay. The residence file wants a criminal record certificate, proof of means and proof of accommodation, apostilled and translated into Portuguese. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the NIF and do I need one?
NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is Cape Verde's personal tax/ID number. Banking, property, utilities, employment and every filing with the tax authority key off it. Registered at a Casa do Cidadão or tax office with your passport and residence documentation — it can generally be obtained before residence is granted, which is why it is the sensible first errand.
Can I drive in Cape Verde on a US license?
A foreign licence with an International Driving Permit is accepted for short stays; residents convert through the transport authority, with Portuguese and several other licences exchanging on paper. Driving is on the right. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Cape Verde?
Public hospitals on Santiago and São Vicente provide basic and emergency care at low cost, with the smaller islands served by health centres only. Anything complex means a flight to Portugal or Senegal, so international insurance with evacuation cover is the practical requirement — inter-island medical transfer alone is a real cost. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Cape Verde's system treats foreign residents.