Viajante
Vaccines for Cape Verde: do you need any? (2026)
Flying from Portugal to Cape Verde? No malaria, and no required vaccine on a direct flight. Yellow fever only if you arrive from a risk country.
General information — it does not replace a medical consultation. Vaccination centre hours may change.
Cape Verde is one of the simpler African trips from a health point of view, including for people who live in Portugal and fly out from here. There is no malaria transmission — the World Health Organization certified the country malaria-free in 2024 — and yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for the trip itself. A few vaccines are still worth considering, and there is one case in which a yellow fever certificate is required.
A travel consultation (€39, in English) checks your record and whether the route, stopovers included, changes anything.
Quick summary
- Required on entry (direct flight from Portugal): no vaccine.
- Yellow fever: required only for travellers aged 1 year or older who arrive from a yellow fever risk country. Not recommended by the CDC for Cape Verde.
- Malaria: no transmission. No tablets.
- Other vaccines to consider: hepatitis A and typhoid for some travellers; routine vaccines up to date.
- When to book: 3 to 4 weeks ahead is usually enough.
Yellow fever: only if you come from another risk country
On a direct flight from Portugal, you do not need a certificate. If you reach Cape Verde from a yellow fever risk country — for example after time in Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Angola or Brazil — you will need the International Certificate of Vaccination.
The vaccine is given at an International Vaccination Centre in Portugal, at least 10 days before arrival. Vaccine guide: yellow fever. It is not given at CUF.
Malaria: there is none
The CDC states there is no malaria transmission in Cape Verde, and the country was certified malaria-free by the WHO in 2024. You do not need preventive tablets — unless the route also includes other African countries where malaria exists. In that case the prescription comes from the consultation: malaria prophylaxis.
Mosquitoes: still protect yourself
Cape Verde has had dengue and Zika outbreaks in the past. Even without malaria, use repellent and avoid bites, especially in the rainy season (roughly August to October). If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk to a doctor before you travel.
Other vaccines to consider
- Hepatitis A: spread by food and water; useful for most people, especially away from resorts.
- Typhoid: if you are visiting family, staying in rural areas, or going for a long time.
- Hepatitis B: long stays, or a chance of medical or dental treatment on the ground.
- Routine vaccines: measles and tetanus in particular. If your record is from outside Portugal, bring it. The consultation checks what is actually documented.
More context: malaria and hepatitis A/B.
Travel consultation · video
Prepare your trip with a personal vaccine plan
- €39 · video consultation
- Prescriptions and vaccine plan the same day, when indicated
- Vaccines paid separately, at an International Vaccination Centre
How far ahead to book
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3–4 weeks before | Travel consultation and recommended vaccines |
| At least 10 days before | Yellow fever vaccine, only if you are coming from a risk country |
| Last minute | Still useful to review routine vaccines and a travel kit |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a required vaccine for Cape Verde?
No, if you fly directly from Portugal.
Is there malaria on Sal or Boa Vista?
No. There is no malaria transmission in Cape Verde.
I am going to Cape Verde after Guinea-Bissau. What changes?
You need a yellow fever certificate to enter Cape Verde — and the vaccine plus malaria tablets for Guinea-Bissau.
Book the travel consultation
Other destinations
- Vaccines for Brazil
- Vaccines for Angola
- Vaccines for Mozambique
- Vaccines for Thailand
- Vaccines for India
- Safari in Kenya and Tanzania
- All destinations
Sources
- CDC Yellow Book — Yellow Fever Vaccine and Malaria Prevention Information, by Country
- World Health Organization — certification of Cape Verde as a malaria-free country (2024)
This article is information. It does not replace a medical consultation. Entry rules can change; check them before you travel.
