The São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Programme: Structure and Costs

São Tomé and Príncipe, in the Gulf of Guinea off the west coast of Africa, operates a Citizenship by Investment Programme funded by contributions to national development projects.

The programme was established through Decree-Law No. 07/2025, published on August 1, 2025, and opened to applicants in September 2025. Contributions are allocated to renewable energy, tourism, housing, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Pricing starting from USD $90,000 for single applicants and around USD $95,000 for small families. The process includes a non-refundable USD $5,000 submission fee per application — which includes the Government Due Diligence process — a USD $5,000 processing fee per application, a USD $750 document issuance fee per applicant, and a processing time of approximately 8 weeks from formal submission to government decision. Applicants are not required to reside in the country, attend interviews, or travel during the application period. All submissions are handled through an administrative hub in Dubai.

The programme accepts applicants from a number of nationalities that are restricted or ineligible under other citizenship by investment programmes.

São Tomé and Príncipe is a Portuguese-speaking republic of two main islands and several islets, with multi-party elections held since 1991. It is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), which underpins its trade, cultural, and diplomatic ties across Africa, Europe, and South America.

The passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a defined list of destinations. Dual citizenship is permitted, and due diligence is conducted by the government as part of the submission fee.

As a licensed marketing agent for the São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Program, Advance Citizenship handles each application from initial consultation and eligibility assessment through document preparation, due diligence coordination and final approval.

To discuss eligibility and the documents required, contact Advance Citizenship for a confidential consultation.