Travel to Cape Verde Check list

Travel to Cape Verde Check list

If you are planning on traveling to Sal Island in support of the CPEX-CV science efforts, please make sure to have all the required paperwork for your trip. This applies to all project participants, regadless if you are flying comercial or on the NASA DC8.
Travellers are not required to quarantine on arrival in Cape Verde. Please follow these steps to prepare your trip to Sal Island.

Visas: At this point, all civil servants planning to travel to Sal island must have a Cape Verde visa on their official passport. All other US citizens can obtain a visa on arrival by registering on the EASE website (below) (regardless of the length of stay.
All non-US Citizens, please ensure you understand the entry requirements for your country of origin. Link to the Cape Verde embassy)

Pro-Tips: Log off VPN for the registration process. Suggested browsers: Mozilla or Chrome
Pro-Tips: for those transiting on the DC8, please use NA817
 as your flight number and an arrival time of ~1200 LT.
Pro-Tips: if you are at a NASA Center and you keep getting errors. Try the registration site on a mobile device (off of VPN)

  1. Register with EASE at least five days before the start date of the trip. https://www.ease.gov.cv
    • Part of this registration is the payment of the Airport Security Fee ($31Euros). You can pay this online or upon arrival at Sal (this fee is reimbursable on your travel voucher).
    • Please mark the reason for travel as "other" - if needed enter "Research"
    • Wait until you get a confirmation page that says, "Dear, Your application has been successfully submitted."
    • Pro Tips: The payment page is very picky, please do not leave the registration until you get the confirmation page. It took me three tries. I only got charged once.
  2. COVID Requirements for Portugal
    • Most project participants (if not all) are entering Europe through Portugal. Currently, Portugal only requires proof of vaccination + boost. Sal Island requirements are similar (click here for the current guidance). Please carry your CDC white card with you at all times. In addition, download your CDC vaccination official certificate here (it must have a scannable bar code. Click here for an example of this official certificate (Please note that every state is different).
    • If your entry point in Europe is any other country (Germany, UK, etc.) Please make sure you understand the arrival/transit COVID guidelines and prepare any documentation they require.
  3. COVID Requirements for Sal Island.
    • To travel to Sal Island, there is no need for a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test results for vaccinated travelers. You must carry your CDC and Official Vax cards/documents.
    • All travelers must fill out a mandatory health declaration form here.
    • Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort: Adress: Avenida dos Hoteis, 4111 Santa Maria, Cabo Verde. Telephone: +238 334 44 44 
    • Print/download the confirmation page or wait for a confirmation email. You will have to show this in Sal.
    • The forms sometimes switch between Portuguese and English; remember that USA in Portuguese is Étas-Unis.
  4. Print and carry a hard copy of the CPEX-CV project introduction letter
  5. Have a mask handy for flights on TAP Air Portugal and any other European airlines that may still require them.
  6. You are ready to travel to Sal!

Don't forget to read through the deployment guide. This guide has great information to prepare you for your trip to Sal Island, Cabo Verde.

Whether you are traveling using SSAI or NASA travel services, please keep emergency contact information handy while traveling. Help with cancelations, re-bookings, and general information points of contact are clearly stated on your travel confirmation package.

Don't hesitate to reach out to ESPO if you have any questions.