Passport and Visa

Passenger Identification and travel permission

Is considered passenger identification (ID) for travelling, following original and valid documents:

• Passport (must have a minimum validity of 6 months at the date of return);
• National ID Card;
• Visa;
• Immigration documents;
• Alien Residents card;
• In case of minors’ passengers, travel permission is required for an International flight.

Other important documents

When traveling to an international destination, the certificate of vaccination can be requested by airport officers, and you may be penalized if it is not in order with OMS recommendations. Which means, when traveling internationally, you need to be aware about health policies of the country you are visiting.

Passengers with final destination Cabo Verde must have the International Certificate of yellow fever vaccine.
 
NOTE 1: The acceptance of the entry documents may differ between the country of original departure and the country of destination. For information and clearance is required to check Travel Information Manual (TIM) and «Regulation nº 02/2010 from March 11th».

NOTE 2: For more information, it is recommended to consult Cape Verdean law: “LAW Nº 66/VIII/2014“.

APIS & Visa requirements

The following requirements apply for visa-free entry to the USA

• You must be a citizen of a member state of the Visa Waiver Program
• Your passport must meet the criteria required by the USA
• You must have an ESTA travel permit
• You must have submitted your APIS details

Visa-free entry is only possible if all 4 criteria are met. If not, you must apply for a visa. To do so, please contact the US Embassy in your country.

Visa Waiver Program

Member countries in the Visa Waiver Program

Citizens of these countries are able to visit the USA for up to 90 days without a visa.

What are the passport requirements for travel under the Visa Waiver Program?

Check in advance to make sure that your passport is still valid for a sufficient period of time and that it meets US requirements for visa-free entry into the USA. If this is not the case, then please either extend your passport or apply for a visa.

Visa Waiver Program requirements are:

• The passport must have a machine-readable zone on the biographic page.
• Issued on or after October 26, 2005 Each Visa Waiver Program passport issued on or after this date must have a digital photo.
• Issued on or after October 26, 2006 Each Visa Waiver Program passport issued on or after this date must be an electronic passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport owner.

For more information, see Passport requirements

ESTA travel authorization

To strengthen the security of travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, requirements to travel visa-free have been enhanced. Nationals of Visa Waiver Program countries will still be eligible to travel without a visa but will have to obtain an approved electronic travel authorization (ESTA) prior to their travel to the United States.

Apply for the ESTA travel authorization at least 72 hours before your departure directly at ESTA

Who is required to have a travel authorization?

All passengers traveling under the Visa Waiver Program are required to have an approved travel authorization prior to traveling to the United States by air. Even non-ticketed infants are required to have an approved travel authorization, if they do not have a visa for travel to the United States. An application may be submitted by a third party on behalf of a Visa Waiver Program traveler.

When do I need to apply for a travel authorization?

Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security recommends that travel authorization applications be submitted at least 72 hours prior to travel. Unless revoked, travel authorizations are valid for two years from the date of authorization, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Validity of the ESTA travel authorisation

Your ESTA authorization is valid for up to two years provided it is not withdrawn and your passport does not expire. This means it is valid for several entries to the USA. You can update the address of your destination, travel route or future travel plans at the ESTA website.

APIS data acquisition

Airlines use the “Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS)” to transmit the details of all passengers to the USA Immigration Department on the day of their departure. You must provide the full and correct details if you wish to avoid difficulties at your destination. These details include your name, passport data, address in the USA and so on.
 
* To reassure our Nigerian passengers, the new travel ban does not affect tourism, business visas or people seeking medical treatment.

Advanced Passenger Information System data (APIS)

Aiming at a better borderline and migratory flow control, passengers travelling to Portugal must make their personal information available according to Act 193/2013, as follows:

• Number, date of issue and validity of travel document to be used
• Nationality
• Full name
• Date of birth
• Border post when entering national territory
• Transport code
• Departure and arrival time
• Total number of passengers on that means of transport
• Initial embarkation place.

Cabo Verde Airlines must give all this information to the Portuguese Immigration Services.

Based on  Order 2004/82/CE, Cabo Verde Airlines extends application of APIS to passengers willing to travel to Schengen countries :Holland, France, Italy, Spain and the Canary Islands.

If you traveling to France, in accordance with Article L 237 -7 of French Homeland Security Code, please be informed that air carriers may transmit reservation, checking and boarding data collected from their passengers ( API/PNR) to the French national public services and competent authorities for the purposes and under conditions as defined in the Decret N° 2014-1095 dated 26/09/2014, modified by decree 2018/714 dated August 3rd 2018.

Nigéria

Prevention And Control Across Border Transmission Of Yellow Fever

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination against Yellow Fever for all international travelers aged Nine (9) months to Sixty (60) years entering or exiting Nigeria, as there is evidence of persistent or periodic Yellow Fever virus transmission in the country.

Dated 11th March 2020,  the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health has implemented the Operationalization of Nigeria’s Point of Entry policy on the prevention and control of cross border transmission of Yellow Fever. The entry screening of passengers due to the COVID-19 outbreak will be prioritized by the Port Health services until the outbreak has been effectively contained.

To all operating Regional and International flights into and out of Nigeria will implement the following policy of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health as follows:

1. Passengers coming to Nigeria without documented proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever (valid yellow card) be allowed to board but be advised that they will be vaccinated accordingly at Points of Entry and the process for obtaining the e-Yellow card will be initiated.
2. For Passengers departing Nigeria, a valid Yellow card will be required for boarding.

Health Recommendations:

Malaria prophylaxis: malaria risk, mainly due to P. falciparum, exists throughout the year in the whole country. Recommended prevention: C.

The WHO recommended type of prevention is referred to as:

• Type A (very limited risk of malaria transmission) – Mosquito bite prevention only.
• Type B (risk of non-falciparum malaria) – Mosquito-bite prevention plus chloroquine or doxycycline or atovaquone-proguanil or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis.
• Type C (risk of P. falciparum malaria) – Mosquito-bite prevention plus atovaquone-proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis.
• Chemoprophylaxis should be started preferably one week before departure and no later than the first day of exposure; it must be taken with unfailing regularity and continued for 4 weeks after the last exposure. No prophylactic regimen is 100% protective against infection, but even if it fails to prevent the disease it may, nevertheless, render the infection milder and less life-threatening.

This information is for guide purposes only. Other health organizations may recommend alternative precautions.

Vaccination against yellow fever required. On arrival, passengers have to present a valid e-yellow card with a valid vaccine.

For more information about Nigeria please click here.

Senegal

Vaccination against yellow fever required. On arrival, passengers have to present a valid e-yellow card with a valid vaccine.

For more information about Senegal please click here.