Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde is a multi-island nation. Entry by foreign pleasure craft involves the maritime administration, port authorities, customs, Maritime and Border Police (DEF) and health authorities, which separately handle vessel safety, ports, temporary import, immigration checks and health matters. Foreign pleasure craft in port are subject to lawful inspections by the relevant agencies. This information is based on current Cabo Verde official legislation and publicly available government and port information. Vessel type, flag, route and island visited may affect procedures; confirm with the destination port before departure.

Current Cabo Verde regulations list 9 maritime border crossings: Porto da Praia on Santiago; Porto Grande in Mindelo on São Vicente; Porto da Palmeira on Sal; Porto Novo on Santo Antão; Porto do Tarrafal on São Nicolau; Porto de Sal Rei on Boa Vista; Porto Inglês on Maio; Porto Vale de Cavaleiros on Fogo; and Porto de Furna on Brava. If calling at an island without an authorised border inspection post, the master must contact DEF to arrange immigration and document checks, potentially at additional cost. Border posts may be temporarily opened or closed under law; confirm which ports currently handle entry before departure.

Before arrival, contact the planned entry port's operator, maritime administration or local ship agent to confirm whether yachts are currently accepted, agency office arrangements and declaration methods. Prepare the vessel name, flag, registration, dimensions, draught, estimated arrival time, previous port and next port. General foreign-vessel arrival notification rules require at least 48 hours' notice. To request border inspection while the vessel is underway, apply to DEF electronically or by fax at least 24 hours in advance with lists of everyone aboard and transit passengers. Confirm the specific pleasure-craft reporting route with the maritime administration and DEF beforehand; do not apply air-passenger preregistration requirements directly to yachts.

Crew and passengers must undergo border checks. Foreign visitors need a valid travel document recognised by Cabo Verde. Passports normally must remain valid for at least 3 months beyond the intended stay, and an applicable visa is required according to nationality and purpose. Entry also requires compliance with statutory conditions such as sufficient means of support and absence of an entry prohibition. Visa exemptions and categories depend on nationality, purpose and current arrangements; check individually with Cabo Verde's Immigration and Asylum Authority (AAI) or DEF. On arrival, the master must submit to DEF lists of disembarking persons and transit passengers. Those aboard should also prepare passports, crew lists and other documents required by the competent authorities.

Foreign pleasure craft may stay in Cabo Verde waters under temporary import, subject to the periods in Article 28 of Decree-Law No. 37/2015 and customs rules. The 2025 recreational navigation regulations require the owner to apply to the maritime administration for temporary-import permission, submitting the current or previous vessel registration certificate, proof of sale or ownership transfer notarised in the country of purchase, and a minimum safe manning certificate. The regulations provide for a decision within 10 working days. Temporary import is for a specific purpose; the vessel must be re-exported within the prescribed period and must not be altered without authorisation beyond normal wear from use. Declare the vessel and declarable goods to customs on arrival and confirm the applicable temporary-import period, guarantees and taxes or charges. The regulations refer to prescribed periods; this entry does not assume an identical number of days for every vessel.

Foreign pleasure craft and those aboard are subject to health authority inspections. Vessel entry documentation includes a Maritime Declaration of Health, with forms applicable according to vessel type and circumstances. Before carrying pets, animals, plants, animal-origin foods, veterinary medicines or other regulated biological products, confirm permissions, health certification and quarantine conditions with Cabo Verde's Directorate-General for Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock (DGASP). Its official system lists prior import permits for animal-origin products, plants and regulated goods, and offers applications for pet travel certificates. Do not assume onboard personal-use goods are automatically exempt.

Firearms and ammunition are strictly controlled. The Cabo Verde government trade portal states that importing them requires advance permission from the National Police Directorate-General, plus foreign-trade and customs formalities. If carrying them aboard, obtain written confirmation from the National Police, DEF and customs before arrival regarding declarations, temporary custody or other requirements. Never take them ashore undeclared. Specific yacht allowances and procedures for alcohol, tobacco, medicines, cash, endangered-species products and other regulated goods could not be confirmed from the official material reviewed. Declare proactively and check with customs.

When foreign pleasure craft first enter a Cabo Verde port, the maritime administration should provide the master with a transit navigation booklet (livrete de trânsito) to complete and sign. The maritime authority completes the cover, endorses entry and sends copies to border and customs authorities. If subsequent voyages are only between domestic ports without an intervening foreign call, later ports normally inspect the booklet. On leaving a Cabo Verde port, the master must notify the maritime administration; if bound for a foreign port, also notify customs and Maritime and Border Police. Give DEF at least 5 hours' departure notice; the vessel may leave only after border release. Pleasure craft must retain a crew/persons-aboard list and submit a copy to DEF for endorsement; the endorsed list serves as a departure document. ENAPOR publishes port contact details, including Praia +238 260 9060, Porto Grande in Mindelo +238 230 7500 and Palmeira +238 241 1348. Other port contacts are on the source page.

The current DEF fee schedule took effect on February 1, 2026. Vessel border-inspection fees vary by inspection method and port: inspection aboard a vessel underway costs 20,000 Cabo Verde escudos (CVE); an anchored vessel costs 10,000 CVE; document checks for vessels berthed at Praia, Mindelo or Palmeira border posts cost 5,000 CVE; and berth-side checks at the other listed maritime border posts cost 20,000 CVE. Departure release is 1,000 CVE per vessel, and endorsement of a pleasure-craft crew/persons-aboard list is 1,000 CVE. These are DEF administrative charges and exclude ENAPOR port services, agents, mooring, supplies, customs duties/taxes and any applicable visa fees. Confirm the vessel's category and total payable with DEF and the destination port.