Cabo Verde · Student

Cabo Verde Student residence

First stay: 1 yr

Temporary residence permit for higher education students

First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Student residence is a student route for Cabo Verde. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.

Government fees: CVE 6,400 ≈ $65
Processing: Up to 90 days
First stay: 1 yr

Cost, time and long term

To apply: government fee CVE 6,400 ≈ $65; decision: up to 90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government feesCVE 6,400 ≈ $65

CVE 6,400 (≈ $65)Residence permit fee for nationalities other than CPLP countries; CVE 1,400 (≈ $14) for CPLP nationals and CVE 1,700 (≈ $17) for Senegal.

RenewalRenewable

The permit lasts 1 year and can be renewed for equal periods while you stay enrolled and meet the conditions. After your studies you can switch to a work permit without a new visa.

Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 51

Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence

After 5 years on temporary residence permits you can apply for a permanent permit with no end date. You need means of support, accommodation, knowledge of the national and official language, and no prison sentence over one year.

Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 51 Polícia Nacional, e-Residência portal, Government of Cabo Verde

CitizenshipGeneral rule: 5 years of residence

A foreigner who normally lives in Cabo Verde for at least 5 years can be granted nationality by naturalisation, if of good moral and civic standing and able to support themselves.

Government of Cabo Verde, AAI immigrant portal Embassy of Cabo Verde in the United States

ProcessingUp to 90 days

The law requires a decision on a first permit within 90 days of a complete application, and on a renewal within 45 days.

Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 51 Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 38

Where to applyFrom abroad

For a programme longer than one year, you first get a residence visa from a Cabo Verde consulate, then apply for the permit in Cabo Verde.

Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 51 Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 38

Presence rulesAway max 90 days

A temporary permit can be cancelled if you stay away for six consecutive months without good reason. Tell the immigration directorate within 8 days if you are away for more than 90 days.

Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 51

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Applications are made from outside Cabo Verde, not after arriving
Needs a place at a school or university in Cabo Verde

What you'll need

Who can apply2

The applicant is admitted to a recognised higher education institution.
The applicant has means of subsistence set by ministerial order and health insurance.

What you must show1

Residence permit fee of CVE 6,400 (≈ $65) for nationalities other than CPLP countries and Senegal.

Documents5

Proof of admission, enrolment and payment of the required tuition fees.
A valid passport with a residence visa.
A criminal record certificate from the country of nationality or habitual residence, translated into Portuguese and legalised by the Cabo Verde consular services.
Proof of accommodation, a medical certificate and an international vaccination certificate.
A residence certificate from the municipality, social security registration and Cabo Verde police and judicial police records.

Steps1

Apply through the e-Residência portal, with a residence visa for a study programme longer than one year.

After you arrive1

The permit is valid for one year and renewable for equal periods while the conditions are met.

What happens at day 183

How Cabo Verde decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Stay on this route: 1 year at first, renewable
Tax residence: More than 183 days in any twelve-month periodA person present in Cabo Verde for more than 183 days, consecutive or interrupted, in any twelve-month period of the year is resident.
Foreign-source income: Residents are taxed on worldwide income and non-residents on Cabo Verde income.

All tax rules for Cabo Verde Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026

Official site

What you need to arrange

Health insurance
The applicant has means of subsistence set by ministerial order and health insurance
Accommodation
Proof of accommodation, a medical certificate and an international vaccination certificate
Certified translation
A criminal record certificate from the country of nationality or habitual residence, translated into Portuguese and legalised by the Cabo Verde consular services
Police certificate and civil documents
A criminal record certificate from the country of nationality or habitual residence, translated into Portuguese and legalised by the Cabo Verde consular services

Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.

Full official text

One-year renewable residence permit for foreigners enrolled at a recognised higher education institution. ^{1 2 3}

What you must show and pay

A fee of CVE 6,400 (≈ $65) · Residence permit fee for nationalities other than CPLP countries; CVE 1,400 (≈ $14) for CPLP nationals and CVE 1,700 (≈ $17) for Senegal. ¹

Requirements

The applicant is admitted to a recognised higher education institution. ^{1 2}
The applicant has means of subsistence set by ministerial order and health insurance. ²
Residence permit fee of CVE 6,400 (≈ $65) for nationalities other than CPLP countries and Senegal. ¹
Proof of admission, enrolment and payment of the required tuition fees. ^{1 2}
A valid passport with a residence visa. ¹
A criminal record certificate from the country of nationality or habitual residence, translated into Portuguese and legalised by the Cabo Verde consular services. ¹
Proof of accommodation, a medical certificate and an international vaccination certificate. ¹
A residence certificate from the municipality, social security registration and Cabo Verde police and judicial police records. ¹
Apply through the e-Residência portal, with a residence visa for a study programme longer than one year. ^{1 3}
The permit is valid for one year and renewable for equal periods while the conditions are met. ²

Stay

The student residence permit is valid for one year and renewable for equal periods; for a programme under one year it covers the study period.
Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

Nationality

Foreign nationals; the permit fee is lower for CPLP nationals and Senegal.

Work

Study.

Family

Family members can apply for family reunification.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

Temporary residence permit: higher education student · Polícia Nacional, e-Residência portal, Government of Cabo Verde · checked 2026-10-11
Lei n.º 27/X/2023 amending Law 66/VIII/2014 on entry, stay, exit and expulsion of foreigners · Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 51 · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2023-05-08
Decreto-Lei n.º 13/2025 (second amendment to Decree-Law 2/2015) · Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 38 · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2025-05-15
Permanent residence permit: holder of a temporary permit for at least 5 years · Polícia Nacional, e-Residência portal, Government of Cabo Verde · checked 2026-10-12
Cabo Verdean nationality · Government of Cabo Verde, AAI immigrant portal · checked 2026-10-11
Cape Verdean Citizenship · Embassy of Cabo Verde in the United States · checked 2026-10-11

Student residence and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Student residence	–	1 yr, renewable	–
Student card Morocco	–	10 yr, renewable	–
Exchange visa South Africa	–	1 yr	Limited
Student pass Kenya	–	–	–
Academic exchange (R8A) Nigeria	–	2 yr, renewable	No

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for the Student residence?

A fee of CVE 6,400 (≈ $65). Residence permit fee for nationalities other than CPLP countries; CVE 1,400 (≈ $14) for CPLP nationals and CVE 1,700 (≈ $17) for Senegal.

How long can I stay on the Student residence?

The student residence permit is valid for one year and renewable for equal periods; for a programme under one year it covers the study period.

How long does the Student residence take to process?

The law requires a decision on a first permit within 90 days of a complete application, and on a renewal within 45 days.

Can I work on the Student residence?

Study.

Can I bring my family on the Student residence?

Family members can apply for family reunification.

Does the Student residence lead to permanent residence in Cabo Verde?

Time on the Student residence counts toward permanent residence in Cabo Verde, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 5 years of residence.

How are Student residence holders taxed in Cabo Verde?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Student residence. The standard rules apply: Employee salary in Cabo Verde is taxed by final monthly withholding at source unless the employee opts for an annual return; under the annual regime the rates are 16.5% up to CVE 960,000, (≈ $9,730) 23.1% up to CVE 1,800,000 (≈ $18,200) and 27.5% above, after an exempt amount of CVE 220,000 (≈ $2,230). Residents are taxed on worldwide income and non-residents on Cabo Verde income.

More in Cabo Verde

Freelancer residence Work residence Highly qualified permit CPLP residence

Study visas elsewhere

🇳🇦 Short-course student visa

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

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How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-11 against 6 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

Temporary residence permit: higher education student · Polícia Nacional, e-Residência portal, Government of Cabo Verde · checked 2026-10-11
Lei n.º 27/X/2023 amending Law 66/VIII/2014 on entry, stay, exit and expulsion of foreigners · Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 51 · checked 2026-10-12
Decreto-Lei n.º 13/2025 (second amendment to Decree-Law 2/2015) · Imprensa Nacional de Cabo Verde, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 38 · checked 2026-10-11
Permanent residence permit: holder of a temporary permit for at least 5 years · Polícia Nacional, e-Residência portal, Government of Cabo Verde · checked 2026-10-12
Cabo Verdean nationality · Government of Cabo Verde, AAI immigrant portal · checked 2026-10-11
Cape Verdean Citizenship · Embassy of Cabo Verde in the United States · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.