Nationality in Cape Verde is governed by the applicable sections of the 2010 Constitution, which allows for dual nationality, states that no Cape Verdean by origin may be deprived of nationality, and provides for every person to have the right to an identity. In statutory terms, citizenship is regulated by the Lei No.80/III/90 of 29 June 1990 (as amended by Lei No.41/IV/92 of 6 April 1992, Lei No.64/IV/92 of 30 December 1992, and Lei n.º 51/VI/2004 of 13 September) and elaborated through Decreto-Lei 53/93 (as amended by Decreto-Lei n.º 29/2000 of 24 April).

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child noted in 2001 that despite progress in increasing birth registration, it remained concerned that a large portion of births still went unregistered. By 2012, Cape Verde was reporting 91 percent birth registration of children under five.