A small island nation of around five lac (500,000) people, Cape Verde, has withdrawn its visa-on-arrival facility for Pakistan and 95 other countries, forcing affected travelers to obtain a visa before they fly.
According to reports, the new rules took effect on 1 January 2026. Until the end of 2025, citizens of dozens of countries could pre-register online via the EASE (Efficient Automatic and Safe Entry of travelers) portal, pay the required fee there, and then receive a visa on arrival at Cape Verdean airports.
That system has now been scrapped for nationals of 96 countries, including Pakistan. They must secure a visa in advance from a Cape Verdean embassy or consulate. The requirement covers entry visas, as well as transit and airport stopover visas. Travelers who arrive without a valid visa may be refused entry or onward transit.
| Afghanistan | Guatemala | Panama |
| Algeria | Guyana | Papua New Guinea |
| Armenia | Haiti | Paraguay |
| Azerbaijan | Honduras | Peru |
| Bahrain | India | Philippines |
| Bangladesh | Indonesia | Puerto Rico |
| Belarus | Iran | Rwanda |
| Bhutan | Iraq | Samoa |
| Bolivia | Jamaica | Somalia |
| Botswana | Jordan | South Sudan |
| Brunei | Kazakhstan | Sri Lanka |
| Burundi | Kiribati | Sudan |
| Cambodia | Kyrgyzstan | Suriname |
| Cameroon | Laos | Syria |
| Central African Republic | Lebanon | Taiwan |
| Chad | Lesotho | Tajikistan |
| Chile | Libya | Tanzania |
| Colombia | Madagascar | Tokelau |
| Comoros | Malawi | Tonga |
| Congo | Mauritania | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Costa Rica | Mexico | Tunisia |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Mongolia | Turkey |
| Djibouti | Myanmar | Turkmenistan |
| Dominica | Namibia | Tuvalu |
| Dominican Republic | Nauru | Uganda |
| Ecuador | Nepal | Uzbekistan |
| Egypt | Nicaragua | Vanuatu |
| El Salvador | North Korea | Venezuela |
| Eritrea | Oman | Vietnam |
| Eswatini | Pakistan | Yemen |
| Ethiopia | Palau | Zambia |
| Gabon | Palestine | Zimbabwe |
The change is based on Decree No. 244/GMAI/2025, published in the country’s official gazette in November 2025, which formally lists the nationalities now subject to a prior visa requirement under Cape Verde’s immigration law.
Authorities have maintained limited exemptions for specific categories, including airline crew members, certain residence permit holders, accredited diplomatic personnel, and some Cape Verde–born individuals who later acquired foreign nationality, provided they meet the conditions outlined in the decree.
Separately, Cape Verde has retained its mandatory EASE online registration and Airport Security Tax for all visitors, including those who remain visa-exempt. But for Pakistan and the other affected states, the portal now displays a clear warning that a visa must be obtained before departure and that arrival without one can lead to refusal of entry.