The Remote Working Programme.
Since December 2020, Cape Verde has had its own program for location-independent workers: anyone working for an employer or company based outside the country can settle here for 6 months (renewable up to 12) - with a tax exemption on foreign income, but no right to local employment. This guide explains the requirements, process, tax status, and where you can actually get work done in Cape Verde.
Digital nomads at a glance.
- Program name
- Remote Working Programme (Regime Jurídico dos Trabalhadores Remotos)
- Launched
- December 2020
- Duration
- 6 months, renewable once for another 6 months (max. 1 year)
- Eligible origin
- incl. Europe, North America, CPLP and ECOWAS states
- Proof of funds
- avg. €1,500 (individual) or €2,700 (family) over 6 months*
- Processing time
- usually around 2 weeks
- Tax status
- no tax residency, 1-year exemption on foreign income
- Work restriction
- no local employment or services for Cape Verdean companies allowed
What the application needs.
Eligible are nationals of Europe, North America, the CPLP countries (Portuguese-speaking states), and the ECOWAS states of West Africa, who work for an employer or their own company based outside Cape Verde. The following documents are required for the online application via the official portal (visit-caboverde.com/en/remote-working):
- Passport, valid for at least 6 months on entry
- Passport photo in the specified format
- Proof of income: bank statements for the last 6 months, or the last 3 pay slips
- Proof of an average account balance of at least €1,500 (individual) or €2,700 (family) over 6 months*
- Valid international health insurance for the duration of the stay
- A current police clearance certificate from your country of residence
- Proof of accommodation in Cape Verde (booking or lease)
- Proof of employment or company registration outside Cape Verde
- For family applications, additionally: marriage or birth certificates
In practice, processing usually takes around two weeks. Once approved, you receive an entry authorization; on arrival, the original documents must be presented to border authorities for inspection before the residency stamp is issued.
*The amounts of €1,500/€2,700 weren't explicitly stated on the official application page at the time of our research, but are consistently reported by several independent digital nomad guides. Before applying, we recommend checking the current status directly on the official portal.
Gather your documents
Prepare all the documents listed above, some with translation/apostille.
File the online application
Via the official portal visit-caboverde.com/en/remote-working.
Wait for processing
Usually around 2 weeks until a decision.
Entry & stamp
Present the original documents on entry; the residency stamp is issued.
Tax exemption - with clear limits.
Important for context: the Remote Working title itself doesn't automatically make you a tax non-resident. Whether you become tax resident in Cape Verde is still decided by the general 183-day rule or habitual residence - regardless of your residence permit. However, Cape Verde's 2026 budget law provides a one-year income-tax exemption for remote workers who are not tax resident under that general rule and who work for clients based outside Cape Verde - this applies equally to salaries, freelance income, and other foreign earnings, but only as long as you actually remain non-resident. If you cross the 183-day threshold, you should clarify your tax status individually with an advisor.
In exchange, local employment is strictly prohibited: anyone with Remote Working status may neither work for a Cape Verdean company nor provide services to Cape Verdean clients. If you're planning that, you instead need a regular residence permit with a work authorization - see our Visas & Residency guide.
Fees now officially confirmed
Per the official tourism authority page visit-caboverde.com/en/remote-working, the costs break down into two separate items: a €20 visa fee (due at renewal after the first 6 months) plus a €34 airport fee (one-time, on entry). Since fee structures can still change at short notice, it's still worth checking the current figures on the official portal before applying.
Where to actually get work done.
The two most established digital nomad hubs are Sal (Santa Maria) and São Vicente (Mindelo) - with noticeably different characters.
Beach location with solid infrastructure
Fixed-line fiber typically delivers 50-200 Mbit/s, supplemented by 4G LTE and a few 5G pilot sites (no commercial-area rollout yet, see our SIM & Internet guide). Coworking spaces like GoHub Sal offer around 60 Mbit/s fiber internet per the operator, while Ocean Café functions as a daytime café-coworking space with noticeably slower upload speed (around 4 Mbit/s).
Cultural capital with the fastest internet
Fixed-line fiber reaches up to 300 Mbit/s per operator figures. Prime Coworking Mindelo, housed in a restored old-town building, tests above 60 Mbit/s download; the Don Paco Hotel, at around 82 Mbit/s, is considered one of the fastest spots on the island - plus Mindelo's live-music scene for after work.
Sources & status of this page
- Program launch, visa duration (6+6 months) & tax exemption: cross-checked directly via WebFetch on the official tourism authority page visit-caboverde.com/en/remote-working - primary source.
- Tax residency vs. tax exemption corrected (18 Oct. 2026): the 2026 budget law (Lei n.º 69/X/2025 of 31 Dec. 2025, in force since 1 Jan. 2026) explicitly frames the one-year IRPS exemption for remote workers as a benefit for "não residentes" (tax non-residents) who work for clients based abroad - meaning it presupposes non-residency under the general 183-day rule, rather than granting it. An earlier version of this page implied that the Remote Working title itself automatically made you non-resident, regardless of actual time spent - that conflated two separate legal questions (tax exemption ≠ tax residency) and has been corrected. Sources: pwc.pt/pwcinforfisco (Orçamento Estado 2026), an occ.pt analysis of the same Lei.
- Fees (€20 visa, €34 airport): confirmed on the same official page and consistently reported by several independent digital nomad visa guides (incl. citizenremote.com, nomadsembassy.com).
- Proof of funds (€1,500 individual / €2,700 family): not explicitly listed on the version of the official page we accessed, but consistently reported by several independent digital nomad guides - flagged here as secondarily sourced.
- Internet speeds by location (GoHub Sal, Ocean Café, Prime Coworking Mindelo, Don Paco Hotel): come from a single independent digital nomad blog (caboverdeexpert.com) summarizing its own tests and/or operator figures - not an official measurement. Independent aggregate data for Mindelo overall (SpeedGEO.net) shows a noticeably lower average of around 31 Mbit/s than the individual best-case figures cited here - a sign that experience can vary significantly by location and provider.
- Eligible countries of origin & document list: per the official page and several independent guides, consistently; details can change, and checking the official portal before applying is recommended.
Questions about Digital Nomads.
Who can apply for the Remote Working Programme?
Location-independent workers from, among others, Europe, North America, and the CPLP and ECOWAS states, who work for an employer or their own company based outside Cape Verde.
How long can you stay in Cape Verde with the program?
Initially 6 months, renewable once for another 6 months - so a maximum of one year in total.
How much proof of income is required?
An average account balance of at least €1,500 (individual) or €2,700 (family) over the last 6 months, or alternatively the last 3 pay slips.
Do you have to pay taxes in Cape Verde?
That depends on your actual tax status (the 183-day rule or habitual residence), not automatically on the Remote Working title. For remote workers who are not tax resident under that rule, foreign income is exempt from Cape Verdean income tax for one year under the 2026 budget law.
Can you work for Cape Verdean clients with digital nomad status?
No, local employment and services for Cape Verdean companies are expressly prohibited. For that, you need a regular residence permit with a work authorization.
Where is the internet most reliable?
Santa Maria on Sal and Mindelo on São Vicente are considered the best-equipped locations, with fiber speeds of 50-300 Mbit/s depending on provider and location.
This page doesn't replace individual legal or tax advice. Requirements, fees, and processing times for the Remote Working Programme can change - verify all details before applying on the official portal visit-caboverde.com/en/remote-working or with a specialized lawyer.
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