How can a newcomer open a bank account in Cape Verde in 2026?

Get a NIF first: Get a tax number (NIF). Caixa Económica’s non-resident opening list commonly wants a completed account form, passport, NIF declaration, address proof (or a signed address statement on the bank’s minuta), and either an employer salary declaration or a self-employed activity declaration. Bring originals or authenticated copies as the desk instructs.

BCA current-account information for individuals lists residents and non-residents, with a minimum opening amount often cited near CVE 5,000 (about €45 at the 110.265 peg) or the foreign-currency equivalent when allowed. Plan an in-branch appointment in Praia, Mindelo or Santa Maria with Portuguese paperwork ready: Portuguese bureaucracy without Portuguese. Keep your Remote Working Programme or other status story consistent: Apply for a residence permit.

Open the account after you have lodging proof and a local number for OTP callbacks: How to rent a home and Get a mobile phone. Align opening with deposit timing so you are not wiring lease cash through informal channels: Monthly budget. Ask which currencies, debit cards and incoming SWIFT options your branch actually supports before you move a large balance.

Sequence banking inside the wider arrival checklist: Paperwork after moving. Soft living costs still need a clear bank trail when Electra and landlords invoice locally: How expensive is Cape Verde.