USA Visa Requirements for Cabo Verde Citizens: Application Guide

Island geography makes the practical side of a U.S. visa application unusually important for Cabo Verde citizens. An applicant from São Vicente, Sal or another island may need to coordinate inter-island travel, the interview, passport retention and later international flights as separate stages.

This guide covers tourism, visiting relatives and limited visitor-business activity. Employment, degree study and permanent migration use different U.S. immigration routes.

Plan the interview from Cabo Verde

Build a flexible interview plan with weather and transport buffers. Do not book a non-refundable U.S. departure immediately after the appointment. Passport return can take longer than the interview itself, especially if additional processing or documents are required.

Choose the route before completing the form

A B-2 visa generally covers a temporary holiday, medical visit or family visit; a B-1 category can cover limited business activities such as meetings or negotiations. A combined B-1/B-2 visa does not permit ordinary employment. The official U.S. visitor-visa guidance explains permitted purposes, the application framework and the difference between a visa and admission.

If the planned activity includes paid work, a full academic programme or permanent relocation, stop and identify the correct category rather than describing it as tourism.

Build evidence around the real trip

For tourism, prepare a believable daily budget, accommodation plan and return date. For a diaspora family visit, identify the host, relationship, address and who pays each cost. Evidence of work, study, dependants or ongoing business in Cabo Verde should match the claimed absence.

• a passport suitable for the proposed journey;
• the DS-160 confirmation and appointment record;
• a realistic itinerary and first accommodation details;
• evidence showing how the trip will be paid for;
• work, study, business or family records relevant to returning; and
• truthful records of previous U.S. visas, refusals or immigration issues when applicable.

Prepare for a short, fact-based interview

Keep the explanation direct even when a large extended family is involved. The officer needs the applicant’s own purpose and circumstances, not a history of every relative abroad. Disclose previous petitions or refusals accurately.

There is no document that guarantees approval. Officers consider the whole application, and individual cases can require additional information or administrative processing.

What the Cabo Verde reciprocity schedule means

For Cabo Verde citizens, the reviewed B-1/B-2 schedule states no reciprocity fee, one entry and three months of visa validity. The controlling source is the State Department reciprocity page for Cabo Verde.

With a single-entry visa, a cruise or itinerary that leaves and seeks to re-enter the United States needs special attention. Confirm the route before paying for a complex ticket.

A practical application sequence

1. Confirm that the true purpose fits temporary B-1/B-2 travel.
2. Complete a separate DS-160 for every applicant and save the confirmation page.
3. Use the appointment system specified by the responsible U.S. post.
4. Pay the required application charge through the authorised channel.
5. Prepare a compliant photograph and the documents requested for the appointment.
6. Attend the interview and provide fingerprints when required.
7. Wait for an issued visa before buying non-refundable U.S. travel.
8. After approval, check the name, passport number, visa class, entries and validity.

After approval: validity is not length of stay

An issued visa allows the traveller to request admission at a U.S. port of entry. It does not guarantee entry. The border officer decides whether to admit the traveller and records the authorised stay. Check that admission record after arrival and depart by the permitted date.

Frequently asked question

Does a U.S.-based family member guarantee a visitor visa for a Cabo Verde citizen?

No. Family can host or fund a visit, but the consular decision is based on the individual application and the temporary nature of the trip.

GlobalVisora is an independent information platform. It is not affiliated with an embassy, the U.S. government or a visa agency, and it does not provide an approval guarantee or individual legal advice. Rules and consular operations can change; verify the two official sources above immediately before applying.