Programme Overview
Sao Tome & Principe Citizenship
From $95,000 — financed against your portfolio, not liquidated from it.
Or compare it against the other programmesSão Tomé and Príncipe at a glance
Sao Tome and Principe's citizenship by investment programme was created by Decree-Law 7/2025 under Nationality Law 7/2022 and came into force on 1 August 2025, with the first passport issued in January 2026. The only route is a donation to the National Transformation Fund.
Investment from
$95,000
Processing
3-5 months
Stay required
Flexible
Citizenship. Spouse and dependants included. There is a pathway to citizenship.
Sao Tome & Principe Citizenship — investment routes
National Transformation Fund (single applicant)
Non-refundable donation.
- ▪Investment of $90,000 + $5,000 submission fee
National Transformation Fund (family of 2 to 4)
Covers the main applicant and up to three qualifying dependants.
- ▪Investment of $95,000 + $5,000 submission fee
Sao Tome & Principe Citizenship benefits
- Full citizenship and passport
- Visa-free travel to 70+ countries
- African citizenship advantages
- No residency requirements
- Include family members
- Dual citizenship permitted
- Fast processing (3-6 months)
- Tax-friendly jurisdiction
Eligibility Requirements
- ▪At least 18 years old
- ▪Good character
- ▪Clean criminal record
- ▪Source of funds documentation
- ▪Pass due diligence checks
- ▪Valid passport
- ▪No adverse immigration history
Who can be included
- Spouse
- Dependent children under 18
- Additional fees for family members
- Family members receive citizenship
Taxation
Sao Tome and Principe operates a territorial tax system. Non-resident citizens are not taxed on foreign-sourced income.
Residency requirements
No residency or visit requirements. Citizenship can be obtained without traveling to Sao Tome and Principe.
Path to citizenship
Direct citizenship upon approval and completion of investment. No prior residency required.
Application process
Typical duration: 3-5 months- 01
Application & Documentation
1-2 monthsPrepare and submit application with supporting documents
- 02
Due Diligence & Processing
2-3 monthsGovernment review and background verification
- 03
Approval & Citizenship
1-2 monthsComplete investment, receive citizenship certificate and passport
Costs and fees (Commission)
Every charge the programme makes, and the sales commission an intermediary adds on top of them.
Investment Contribution
$90,000-$95,000
National Transformation Fund donation, single applicant or family of two to four
Due Diligence
$10,000-$15,000
Per adult applicant
Government Fees
$5,000-$10,000
Processing and passport issuance
Agent & Legal
$15,000-$25,000
Professional service fees
Sales commission
$25,000–$40,000
Among the highest commissions relative to contribution of any programme here.
Fee based model
The same programme, bought without an intermediary's commission.
You save
$25,000–$40,000
The sales commission on the left, which you do not pay. The $2,500 fee replaces it.
Total estimated cost
$410,000–$500,000
Including the sales commission above.
Total estimated cost
$385,000–$460,000
The programme's own charges, plus the $2,500 fee. No commission.
What the advice costs
The programme costs the same. The advice does not.
Through a commission
$25,000–$40,000
Sales commission on Sao Tome & Principe. Among the highest commissions relative to contribution of any programme here.
Through a fee
$2,500
Six months as a private client — route selection, the financing, the portfolio, and me on the end of a phone. Twelve months is $5,000. Paid by you, so the answer can be no.
Total saving
$25,000–$40,000
The whole commission, before the $2,500 fee. The programme costs what it costs either way.
This is the commission only. The licensed agent, the legal work and the government fees in the list above are payable whoever advises you, and nothing here removes them — a saving that quietly included a statutory fee would be the same trick in the other direction.
Commission ranges are typical rather than universal, and no firm is named. They are not published anywhere, which is the point of them.
Fund Your Sao Tome & Principe Investment with a Lombard Loan
Instead of liquidating your portfolio to fund the From $95,000 Sao Tome & Principe investment, use your existing assets as collateral and keep your money working for you.
Traditional: Liquidate Assets
- ✗Sell From $95,000 from your portfolio
- ✗Trigger capital gains tax (up to 20%)
- ✗Lose years of compound growth
- ✗After 10 years: $205,098
Lombard Loan: Keep Your Portfolio
- Borrow From $95,000 against $190,000 collateral
- No capital gains event triggered
- Portfolio continues growing at 8%
- After 10 years: $381,696
10-Year Wealth Projection
Is São Tomé and Príncipe right for you?
Ideal for
- Investors seeking Schengen visa-free access
- Those interested in Portuguese-speaking world mobility
- Privacy-conscious individuals seeking alternative passport
- Investors wanting CPLP benefits for Portugal pathway
- Those seeking legitimate African passport
Consider alternatives if
- ▪Budget-conscious investors ($350K minimum)
- ▪Those seeking USA visa-free access
- ▪Investors wanting well-known programme
- ▪Those requiring extensive banking infrastructure
- ▪Applicants wanting major city lifestyle
Related Resources
Elsewhere
If this one is not the fit, these might be
FAQs
Half an hour, $100, no commission.
Whether Sao Tome & Principe is right for you, what it will actually cost, and whether a visa with no capital contribution gets you the same place for nothing.