Nigeria Affected as Cape Verde Halts Visa-on-Arrival for 96 Countries, Introduces Tough New Rules
- Cape Verde ends visa-on-arrival for 96 countries, including Nigeria, tightening immigration policy
- New regulations mandate visa acquisition from embassies, introducing stricter background checks and interviews
- Tourism and travel operations face potential disruption due to revised entry requirements and stricter enforcement
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Cape Verde has ended its visa-on-arrival programme for citizens of 96 countries, including Nigeria, in a sweeping overhaul of its immigration policy aimed at tightening border security and strengthening traveller screening.
The new regulations, introduced under Decree-Law No. 13/2025 and Decree No. 244/GMAI/2025, abolish both the visa-on-arrival system and the Electronic Airport Security Tax (EASE) digital entry platform for affected nationalities. Instead, eligible travellers must now obtain a visa from a Cape Verdean embassy or consulate before embarking on their journey.
Source: Getty Images
Nigerians, others face new visa process
For Nigerian travellers, the change means spontaneous trips to the island nation will no longer be possible through airport-issued visas or online pre-clearance.
Instead, applicants must complete the visa process at a diplomatic mission, where authorities say stricter background checks and identity verification measures, including mandatory in-person interviews, will now be conducted before approval is granted.
According to Cape Verde's Directorate of Foreigners and Borders (DEF), the reforms are designed to improve immigration controls, enhance national security and curb irregular migration.
Officials said the previous system, which allowed visitors to secure entry through the EASE platform or obtain visas upon arrival at selected airports, no longer provided the level of scrutiny required under the country's updated border management strategy.
Tougher border controls
Cape Verde said the policy reflects a broader global trend toward tighter immigration rules and stronger identity verification for international travellers.
Under the revised regulations, travellers arriving without a valid visa already stamped in their passports risk being refused entry, deported immediately or required to pay the full cost of their return journey to their country of departure.
The government warned that airlines and travel operators are also expected to enforce the new rules strictly by ensuring passengers possess valid visas before boarding flights to the country.
Tourism and travel industry could feel the impact
Industry observers believe the new measures could affect tourism flows, airline operations and last-minute travel arrangements, particularly for visitors who previously relied on visa-on-arrival facilities for business or leisure trips.
The stricter entry requirements are expected to have the greatest impact on travellers across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Oceania and the Americas who benefited from Cape Verde's simplified entry process, according to a report by the Nigerian Tribune.
Countries affected
The new restrictions apply to 96 countries across four regions.
In Africa, the affected nations include Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Tunisia, among others.
The list also covers 31 countries in Asia and the Middle East, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Yemen.
In the Americas and the Caribbean, countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama and Venezuela are affected, while Belarus and several Pacific island nations are included under Europe and Oceania.
Source: Getty Images
The latest immigration reform marks one of Cape Verde's most significant border policy changes in recent years. It signals a shift toward more rigorous screening of international visitors before they enter the country.
US unveils $750 fast-track visa interview for Nigerians
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States has introduced a new premium visa interview service that allows Nigerians and other foreign travellers seeking business or tourism visas to secure interview appointments within 10 business days for an additional fee of $750.
The new initiative, announced by the US State Department in a notice published in the Federal Register on June 9, is designed as an optional expedited service for applicants seeking B1/B2 visas.
According to a report by TheCable, the premium option will operate only at selected US embassies and consulates, although officials have yet to disclose the locations that will participate.
Source: Legit.ng
