visa for Cape Verde

[ca.funke]

Does anyone have information about visas for Cape Verde for Belgians? What I can find is pretty ambiguous...

I want to book a last-minute-trip to Cape Verde, leaving Monday next (02nd of April 2012).

• Some Cape-Verde related websites claim that you can get a visa on arrival.
• The Embassies in Berlin and Bern both claim that it´s obligatory to get the visa before departure.
• The travel agency sais they need 2-3 days in advance (which is great if you want to book 2 days in advance) to include you into a group visa.
• TIMATIC sais Belgians >>can get a visa on arrival<<.

Does anyone know how it really is?

This information-mess is about to lose them a paying tourist

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

I know you're not British, but sometimes looking at UK FCO can help. They're pretty quick if there are impending changes. I used them to check in Sri Lanka requirements, which have changed now, but before I went it was in the process of changing.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-liv ... cape-verde

[ca.funke]

Thanks,

that´s the same info as the Germans and Belgians give out via their ministires of foreign affairs.

However, the fact that the Embassies in Bern and Berlin contradict this information insisting a visa MUST be obatined before departure gives me a headache.

In the light of the advice given by the embassies, their tourist count will be -2 this season ...

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

I suppose if you need to book it up soon, you need to be sure. What a pity. If the islands were still Portuguese you wouldn't have needed a visa.

[brummie]

You need a visa before departure.
http://www.doyouneedvisa.com/passport/BE

[ca.funke]

...If the islands were still Portuguese you wouldn't have needed a visa...

I wouldn´t want them to still be a colony against their will, but what´s the point of imposing visas on (potential) tourists?

I understand they may want to impose the visa-requirement reciprocally, but will that serve their interests?

There are many destinations that do not demand visas of (western) tourists, although we demand visas of their nationals. For example Lebanon and Egypt, but also "rich" countries like UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain...

I´m not saying this because I think we deserve to go there, while they don´t deserve to go to "our" countries (see also my engagement in this forum), but everyone should serve their own interests best. I wonder how many people would go to Egypt, if they insisted on pre-arranging visas

And finally, if they do insist on visas, it would be most pertinent for a tourist-destination to have consistent reliable information about their visa-procedures.

Anyway, I give up now, no Cape Verde for me. Unfortunately. I mean, I intend to go at some stage, but only if I have enough time to arrange a visa.

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

Sri Lanka changed its requirements also. It was a free visa on arrival. Some countries charge a fee for visa on arrival which is effectively a tax, good luck to them. At least their information is clear.

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

Just spotted this

http://www.thomson.co.uk/editorial/lega ... visas.html

Seems you are right to be concerned on lack of clarity.

[ca.funke]

Back from CapeVerde, what a lovely place.

It is possible to get a visa on arrival, just as >>TIMATIC<< sais.

Why the embassy harms the economy of their own country by diffusing crap remains their secret.

Rgds, Christian

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

Back from CapeVerde, what a lovely place.

It is possible to get a visa on arrival, just as >>TIMATIC<< sais.

Why the embassy harms the economy of their own country by diffusing crap remains their secret.

Rgds, Christian

Good to see you are back. Glad to hear you had a nice time.