This was my first experience of applying for Residency in Cape Verde, on the island of Sal. I started the process in 2015 hoping that it wasn't going to be as time consuming as anticipated. Yeh right. This blog is in three parts!
Hopefully this blog will provide you with some helpful information to enable you prepare your application for Visa's or Residence.
Documents Required to Apply for Residence Permit.
You must apply for your Residency in person. You need to visit the National Police Station (NPS) and ask for 'Documentos Necessários para Pedido de Autorização de Residências'. I am based on Sal Island, so I needed to visit the NPS which is situated in Espargos.
I am classed as self-employed, others may be retired or employed or run their own business, so may be required to provide a few different documents.
Make lots of copies of each document
Before starting your experience, make several copies of your passport and any visa you hold. It’s useful to obtain the help of a translator if you don’t speak Creole or Portuguese.
If you don’t have an ID card or something similar that shows the name of your father and mother, get a few copies of your original birth certificate with both parents’ names on. You could also use your marriage certificate.
In previous years, a number of foreigners living or working in Cape Verde were able to apply for a 12months visa (residencia visa). Last year (2014) the Police at the National Police station in Espargos informed foreigners that they could only really hold a 12 month Residencia Visa, for 3 consecutive years. This type of visa was stamped in your passport so it was clear how many of these you had held previously. In 2014 they also reduced the length of the Residencia Visa, from 12 months to 6 months. I had held more than three Residencia Visa's of 12 month periods. I was now expected to apply for a Residence Card.
If your visa has expired or is due to expire in the near future while you are applying for Residence: Pedido de Autorização de Residências (Application
for Residence Card), the NPS will require you to renew your visa by applying for a 6 months visa while you are in the process of collating documents
or, while you are waiting for your application for Residence Card (Residency) to be issued.
Where to go for each document
The list obtained from the National Police Station of what is required for Residence Card (and other visa's) doesn’t provide you with any explanation as to where places are situated that you need to visit to request and pay for different documents required for submission with your application. Neither does it tell you the opening times or how long you need to wait to obtain each document. The list they issue doesn’t include the fact that it is now obligatory to have INPS (paying national insurance) as part of your application for a Residence Card. There are also other documents the Nat. Police requested, not identified on their list which can fall under: 'Any other documents required'.
On the Police list for example, it doesn’t ask for an 'Atestado', which is a statement from the Camara do Municipal saying how long you have lived in Cape Verde or the date you last entered the country (not sure), anyway the Police accepted this statement in my visa application last year when I'd applied for the 12 month Residencia Visa, so I had a new one produced again for my application for Residence (just in case). You can obtain an Atestado from the Camara Municipal office in Santa Maria (at Municipal Market). I also obtained a number of other documents at the Camara Municipla office and paid 1420cve for the Atesdado….. No.6: Registo Criminal de Cabo Verde and No.11: Comprovativo de Alojamento. It also seems to be cheaper to get these done in Santa Maria Municipal office than in Espargos for some reason.
I also copied and included in my application my Model 110 with my NIF number on it which also gives my Profession which is registered with the Finanza in Espargos (for tax and work purposes). NOTE: You also get a NIF number when you own a property or are buying a property in Cape Verde (obtainable at Finanza Office, near to Pirata).
For more info on an my application click on the links below. There is another blog by YD which you can also read:
My Application for Residence - Part 2
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