Providence/Warwick to Espargos (PVD–SID) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

US passport holders need a visa to enter Cape Verde. The easiest option is the eVisa, applied for at ease.gov.cv. The single-entry tourist eVisa costs EUR 32 (about $35) and allows stays up to 30 days. Processing takes 1 to 5 working days. Upload a passport scan, a recent photo, proof of accommodation, and a return ticket. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of entry with at least 2 blank pages. A separate airport security tax of CVE 3,400 (about $34) is collected on departure or can be prepaid during the eVisa application.

Cape Verde also issues visas on arrival at Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID) on Sal and Nelson Mandela International Airport (RAI) on Santiago for EUR 32 plus the airport tax. Lines can be long during peak season (November to April), so the eVisa saves time. For stays beyond 30 days, apply for an extension at the local immigration office (Direcção de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) in Praia or on whichever island you are staying.

No direct flights connect the US mainland to Cape Verde. Route through Lisbon (about 3 hours 30 minutes to SID or RAI on TAP or TACV), Boston (seasonal service on TACV/Cabo Verde Airlines to SID, about 5 hours 30 minutes when operating), or Dakar (about 1 hour 15 minutes on TACV). Cape Verde uses the Cape Verdean escudo (CVE), pegged to the euro at 110.265 CVE per EUR 1, trading at roughly 100 CVE per $1. ATMs exist in Praia, Sal, and Mindelo. Card payments work at hotels and larger restaurants. Smaller shops and taxis operate in cash only. Inter-island flights on TACV connect the nine inhabited islands for CVE 4,000 to CVE 12,000 ($40 to $120) one way.