Citizenship by investment

São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship by investment

São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship for your whole family through a single application. We prepare your file, support you through due diligence and manage the process until your passports are issued.

Investment
from $90,000
single applicant
Processing
≈ 2 months
to a CIU decision
Visit
Not required
fully remote
Nationalities
Open to all
except North Korea
Get a free consultation Calculate the cost

We reply within 30 minutes

  • 6+ yearsin business
  • 1,250+clients
  • 65+partner banks

Programme at a glance

Requirements for São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship

Who can be included in your application, who is eligible to apply and which checks you will go through.

Checked against Citizenship Investment Unit data, October 2026

Programme status

Open

Accepting applications since 2025. Each application is decided by the government on the recommendation of the CIU.

  1. 2022Nationality Law
  2. 2025Decree‑Law 07/2025, launch
  3. 2026350 approvals in year one
Programme risks
Family
Up to 4people
under one $95,000 contribution: spouse, children up to 30 and parents aged 55+
Applicant
18+years
with no criminal record. Russian and Belarusian citizens are accepted; exceptions: North Korea and 3+ foreign nationalities
Interview
None
no exams. You sign the oath before a notary in your own country

Russian and Belarusian nationals

São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship for Russian and Belarusian nationals

The programme accepts you on the same terms as everyone else. What to consider before you apply if you hold a Russian or Belarusian passport.

Checked against CIU data and Russian and Belarusian law, October 2026

  1. 01

    Sanctions and source of funds

    The CIU screens sanctions lists, your business and the origin of your funds. The CIU refuses applications from sanctioned persons and their close associates.

  2. 02

    Paying the contribution

    You pay the contribution by bank transfer. Banks apply stricter checks to payments linked to Russia, so set up the paying account in advance. We can help with the bank.

  3. 03

    Banks see both passports

    You keep your Russian or Belarusian citizenship. Banks ask about every nationality you hold, and a second passport does not lift EU restrictions on Russian nationals.

  4. 04

    Notifying your home countryMandatory

    Russia: notify the Interior Ministry within 60 days of entering Russia.Belarus: notify a consulate or migration office within 3 months of receiving the passport.

Programme’s first year

22%

of applications came from Russian nationals, second only to China. 12 refusals out of 548.

Check my situation

Passport and travel

São Tomé and Príncipe passport: visa-free countries

Visa-free, with an eVisa or a visa on arrival. Below are the key destinations: where the passport opens doors and where you still need a visa.

59

countries and territories you can enter without applying for a visa at a consulate

  • about 25% of world destinations
  • visa required

  • Hong Kong

    14 days

  • Singapore

    30 days

  • Malaysia

    30 days

  • Philippines

    30 days

  • South Africa

    90 days

  • Kazakhstan

    eVisaapply online

  • Schengen Area

    visain advance

  • United Kingdom

    visain advance

  • United States

    visaplus a bond

  • Canada

    visain advance

  • China

    visain advance

  • Australia

    visaapply online

Visa-free access covers parts of Asia, Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. The Schengen Area, the UK, the US and Canada require a visa, and for a US visa the consul may set a bond from $10,000. It does not give the right to live or work in the EU, the UK or the US.

Henley Passport Index, IATA and immigration authority data, checked in October 2026. Check entry rules before you travel.

Cost

São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship cost: family calculator

The fund contribution and government fees for your family. You pay the contribution only after your application is approved.

Checked against Citizenship Investment Unit data, October 2026

Fund contribution

National Transformation Fund (NTF), non-refundable

1 person$90,000
2-4 people$95,000
5 or more+$5,000 per person

Your family

4 people in the application

Main applicant

aged 18 or over

1 person

Spouse

or de facto partner

Children under 18

biological or adopted

2

Children aged 18-30

passport issuance currently on hold

0

Parents aged 55+

and grandparents

0

Total for a family of 4

$103,000

Get an exact quote

Fees: 7.8% of the total

NTF contribution
$95,000
Submission fee
$5,000
Certificates
$1,000
Passports
$1,400
ID cards
$600

Based on the programme rules (Decree-Law 07/2025) and Citizenship Investment Unit data as of October 2026, government contributions and fees only. Due diligence is included in the submission fee, which is not refunded if the application is refused. Document translation and certification and Finextwin support are not included.

Requirements

Who can apply for São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship: eligibility and dependants

Who can apply and which family members can be included in the application.

Programme rules and CIU memoranda, checked in October 2026

Main applicant

18+minimum age

The Citizenship Investment Unit will not approve an application if the applicant:

  1. is subject to sanctions or linked to sanctioned persons
  2. has a criminal record
  3. cannot prove the lawful origin of their funds
  4. has a serious medical condition

Restrictions

2 exceptions

  • North Korean citizens
  • Holders of 3 or more nationalities

Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Iran and other countries apply on the same terms. Applications from holders of three or more foreign nationalities are temporarily on hold.

Dependants

Who can be included in the application

The whole family goes on one application and one contribution. Family members go through due diligence with the main applicant.

If your family changes

  • +$10,000to add a spouse after citizenship is granted
  • +$5,000to add a child, parent or grandparent
  • +$500for a newborn under 1 year

Plus a $5,000 fee per request and $750 for documents per person. While the application is under review, only a newborn can be added.

Spouse or partner
couple
Legally married or in a proven de facto partnership
Partners included
Children under 18
under 18
Biological or adopted children of the applicant or spouse
Adult children
18-30
Unmarried and supported by the applicant, with an affidavit
Passport issuance currently on hold
Parents and grandparents
55+
Yours or your spouse’s, supported by you
Siblings
no
They can apply separately as main applicants

Documents

Documents for São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship

What you need to gather for the application. We prepare the file, check every document and complete the programme forms with you.

Based on Citizenship Investment Unit data, October 2026

  1. Passports and IDcertified copies of all valid documents
  2. Birth certificatefull version showing both parents
  3. Police certificatefrom the country of citizenship and country of residence
  4. Proof of addressa utility bill or a letter from your bank
  5. Medical certificateon the programme form
  6. Photographspassport format, taken within the last 6 months

Document rules

3 months

Police certificates must be issued no more than 3 months before submission

6 months

Other documents, the bank reference and the medical certificate must be no older than 6 months

English

Documents in English or translated by an accredited translator. Copies are certified by a notary or lawyer

Get the list for your family

Process and timeline

São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship: process and timeline

We prepare your file and support you at every stage up to your passport. The decision on the application rests with the government, on the recommendation of the Citizenship Investment Unit.

Processing time

2months on average

The average time from submission to a CIU decision in the programme’s first year. Passports arrive on average 4 months after submission. File preparation is not included.

Discuss the timeline for your family

Based on Citizenship Investment Unit data, October 2026

  1. Consultation and checks

    We review your family, check your eligibility and assess due diligence risks before you apply.

    Finextwin

  2. File and submission

    You provide the documents; we arrange translation and certification, complete the forms and submit your application. You pay the $5,000 submission fee.

    You and Finextwin

  3. Due diligence and decision

    The CIU checks you and your family members and passes its recommendation to the government. No interview and no visit.

    CIU

  4. Contribution and document fees

    Within 90 days you pay the NTF contribution and document fees. The deadline can be extended once by another 90 days.

    You and Finextwin

  5. Oath of allegiance

    Each family member aged 18 or over signs the oath before a notary, lawyer or consular officer in their own country.

    You and Finextwin

  6. Certificate, ID and passport

    The CIU arranges your citizenship certificate, ID card and passport. You receive them without travelling to São Tomé.

    CIU

After citizenship

Life with São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship: tax and the route to Portugal

What changes once you hold the passport: tax, the route to Portugal and your obligations.

Based on CIU data, tax legislation and Portuguese law, October 2026

Personal taxes in São Tomé and Príncipe

  • 0%on foreign income if you are not resident
  • 25%top rate for tax residents
  • 183days a year make you resident

A passport does not change your tax residence. If you do not live in São Tomé, you pay tax under the rules of the country where you actually live.

CPLP community

Portuguese citizenship after 7 years instead of 10

São Tomé and Príncipe is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. If you move to Portugal, CPLP nationals can naturalise after 7 years. The passport itself does not give the right to live in Portugal.

  • You need a residence visa from a consulate: you cannot enter as a visitor and apply for residence on arrival
  • Citizenship requires years of genuine residence and Portuguese at A2 level
Passport
7 years
Then you renew it without travelling to São Tomé; citizenship is kept for life.
Children
Passed on
Citizenship passes to your children; a newborn is added by a separate request.
Residence
Not required
You do not have to live in São Tomé and Príncipe.
Dual citizenship
Permitted
You do not need to renounce your current citizenship.

Check the laws of your own country. Not every state allows a second citizenship. For example, the Constitution of Kazakhstan prohibits dual citizenship: acquiring another citizenship can be grounds for losing Kazakh citizenship.

Sources: Citizenship Investment Unit (passport, residence, dual citizenship), São Tomé and Príncipe tax legislation, Portuguese Organic Law 1/2026 and Law 61/2025, Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Risks

Risks and drawbacks of São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship

What to consider before you apply: the programme’s limitations and how we handle each of them.

  • The passport does not open Europe or the US

    The Schengen Area, the UK, the US and Canada require a visa, and for a US visa the consul may set a bond. The list of visa-free destinations can also change.

    We check travel conditions against your goals before you apply

  • A young programme with changing rules

    The programme has run since 2025 under a government decree, so its terms can change. The CIU has already changed the rules on dependants and on how many nationalities an applicant can hold.

    We prepare your file under the rules in force on the date of submission

  • Documents take longer than the decision

    Issuing the certificate, ID card and passport takes longer than the review itself. CIU data for the first year show that issuance lags behind approvals.

    We track your documents and keep you updated at every stage

  • The fee is not refunded on refusal

    The $5,000 submission fee is not refunded if the application is refused. The NTF contribution is non-refundable, but you pay it only after approval.

    We review documents and applicant histories before submission

We follow changes to the programme and take them into account when preparing your file.

Discuss the risks for your family

Use cases

Use cases: citizenship by investment

Three cases from our practice: St Kitts and Nevis, Vanuatu and Grenada. Client names are shortened, and reviews are published with their consent.

St Kitts and NevisSISC contributionAbout the programme

Citizenship for a couple, with funds from dividends

Task

The founder of a distribution group and his wife wanted a second citizenship as a family back-up plan and chose the SISC contribution rather than buying property. Most of the funds in his personal account came from dividends paid in previous years, so their source had to be documented without gaps.

What we did

We gathered the dividend resolutions, company accounts and bank statements for the same periods. Amounts in the accounts and the statements differed because of currency conversion, so before submission we prepared an explanation and reconciled the flow of funds. We prepared the main applicant for the interview and, after approval in principle, supported the contribution and the passport issue.

“The question was not so much the investment itself as documenting its source properly. We knew in advance that the dividends might raise additional questions. I liked that the file was checked before submission and that they explained why certain papers were really needed. After that, everything went fairly predictably.”

Denis K., co-owner of a distribution group

Timelines refer to these specific cases and depend on the programme, family composition and completeness of documents. We will review your situation at a consultation.

Discuss my situation

Programme comparison

São Tomé and Príncipe compared with other citizenship programmes

Choose a programme to compare it with São Tomé and Príncipe on the key points for a family of four.

Checked against programme data, October 2026

São Tomé and Príncipe

This page

Vanuatu

Speed
Contribution, family of 4
$95,000
$180,000
Visa-free access
59countries
85countries
Schengen Area
Visa required
Visa required
United States
Visa and bond required
Visa and bond required
Processing time
≈ 2 months
1-2 months
Visit required
No
In person for biometrics
Russian and Belarusian citizens
Accepted
Accepted

SummaryVanuatu is faster, also accepts Russian citizens and its passport reaches more countries visa-free. But for a family of four it costs almost twice as much, and the passport requires an in-person biometrics appointment.

More about Vanuatu

Rules for Russian and Belarusian citizens change from programme to programme, so we check availability for your nationality before we start.

Visa-free access per the Henley Passport Index, October 2026. Contributions exclude government and due diligence fees.

Find the right programme for your family
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship

The questions clients ask most often at the first consultation.

How much does São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship cost for a family?

The National Transformation Fund (NTF) contribution is $90,000 for a single applicant and $95,000 for a family of 2-4, plus $5,000 for each additional member. On top of that come a $5,000 submission fee that covers due diligence and $750 per person for the certificate, passport and ID card.

Total government costs are $95,750 for one person and $103,000 for a family of four. The calculator shows the figure for your family; we quote our support fee after the consultation.

Can Russian citizens get São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship?

Yes. The programme accepts Russian and Belarusian citizens on the same terms as everyone else; only North Korean citizens are excluded. In the programme’s first year, 22% of applications came from Russian citizens.

Due diligence covers sanctions lists and source of funds, and banks apply stricter checks to payments linked to Russia. See the section for Russian and Belarusian nationals.

How long does it take to get a São Tomé and Príncipe passport?

On average the CIU reaches a decision 2 months after submission, and passports arrive on average after 4 months. File preparation is not included in this time.

After approval you have 90 days to pay the contribution, then you sign the oath and the CIU issues your documents. See the process section.

Do I need to travel to São Tomé to get citizenship?

No. There is no interview and no exam; you sign the oath before a notary, lawyer or consular officer in your own country and receive your documents without travelling.

You do not need to live in São Tomé and Príncipe to keep citizenship: it is for life and passes to your children.

Can I include adult children and parents in the application?

Yes. The application can include a spouse or de facto partner, children up to 30 (unmarried and supported from age 18), and parents and grandparents aged 55 or over. Siblings apply separately.

Passport issuance for dependants aged 18 and over is currently on hold until new dependency rules are published, and we take this into account when planning. See the requirements section.

Can I apply if I already hold two or three citizenships?

With two citizenships you can apply, and São Tomé would become your third. The CIU is temporarily not accepting applications from holders of three or more foreign nationalities, citing the nationality law.

Check your own country’s laws too: for example, the Constitution of Kazakhstan prohibits dual citizenship.

Do I need a Schengen visa with a São Tomé and Príncipe passport?

Yes. The Schengen Area, the UK, the US and Canada require a visa, and for a US visa the consul may set a bond from $10,000. Visa-free, the passport opens 59 countries and territories, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa.

See the full list in the passport section.

Does São Tomé citizenship open a route to Portuguese citizenship?

São Tomé and Príncipe is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, so its citizens can naturalise in Portugal after 7 years instead of 10. But the passport itself does not give the right to live in Portugal.

You first need a residence visa from a consulate, then years of genuine residence and Portuguese at A2 level. See the section after citizenship.

Do I have to pay tax in São Tomé after getting citizenship?

No, unless you live there. Tax residents are those who spend more than 183 days a year in the country or have a permanent home there; they pay tax on worldwide income at rates up to 25%.

A passport does not change your tax residence: you pay tax under the rules of the country where you actually live.

What happens to my money if citizenship is refused?

The $5,000 submission fee is not refunded, as it pays for the checks. You pay the NTF contribution only after approval, so a refusal at the review stage does not cost you the main amount.

In its first year the CIU refused 12 of 548 applications. To reduce the risk, we review documents and applicant histories before submission.

Do Russian citizens have to report São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship?

Yes. A Russian citizen must notify the Interior Ministry within 60 days of entering Russia; failure to do so is a criminal offence under Article 330.2 of the Russian Criminal Code.

A Belarusian citizen must notify a consulate or migration office within 3 months of receiving the passport.

Will a bank open an account for me with a São Tomé and Príncipe passport?

Banks look at all your nationalities and your country of residence, not at a single passport. A second passport does not lift the restrictions EU banks apply to Russian citizens.

It is best to set up the account for paying the contribution before you apply. Finextwin works with 65+ partner banks and can help you choose the right one.

Answers checked in October 2026 against Citizenship Investment Unit data. This is general information, not legal or tax advice for your situation.

Can’t find your question?

We reply within 30 minutes
WhatsAppTelegram
Enquiry

Let’s discuss citizenship for your family

We will check whether the programme suits you and calculate the total cost, including all fees.

  • The first consultation is free
  • The price is fixed in the contract before we start
See the cost