Regional Advisory Hub

United States

Second Citizenship Research for US Persons: Reporting, Compliance and Mobility

An advisory reference for US persons considering São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship, written around the reporting architecture — FATCA, FBAR and citizenship-based taxation — that distinguishes the American applicant from every other market.

Last updated 10 August 2026 · Source: Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), Decree Law No. 07/2025

01 — Executive Summary

Investment migration in United States

The United States taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. That single feature reframes the second-citizenship question for Americans: another nationality alters no US tax obligation. American interest is therefore driven by optionality — the ability to enter, reside, bank or relocate under a second legal identity — rather than by fiscal advantage.

The applicant profile has broadened since 2020. Alongside ultra-high-net-worth families, agents report interest from technology founders, remote professionals, dual-national households regularising a second status, and retirees planning cross-border lifestyles.

US law is exacting rather than restrictive. Nothing prohibits acquiring a second citizenship, and the State Department recognises dual nationality. What the law imposes is disclosure: FATCA reporting by foreign financial institutions, FBAR filings above the reporting threshold, and continued Form 1040 filing from anywhere in the world. A second passport sits alongside all of it and displaces none of it.

Read against that background, the São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Programme appears in American research chiefly as a low-friction, remotely completed instrument: a young statute — Decree Law No. 07/2025, administered by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) — with one qualifying route, a published fee schedule and a review window of approximately 8 weeks. Its entry threshold sits materially below the Caribbean programmes after their 2024 price harmonisation.

02 — Applicant Profiles

Who typically applies

Technology founders and operators: Pre- or post-liquidity principals holding concentrated equity, seeking jurisdictional optionality for the household without disturbing US filings.
Family offices and multi-generational families: Interested in a status that extends to dependent parents and grandparents and passes to descendants as part of a wider legacy structure.
Dual-national and immigrant-origin families: Americans with existing ties abroad who want a portable second status independent of a home country whose politics or documentation they consider unreliable.
Retirees and pre-retirees: Planning extended periods overseas, with an alternative travel document and a clean legal basis for long stays.
International executives and consultants: Frequent travellers whose work reaches jurisdictions where a single US travel document is operationally limiting.
Digital entrepreneurs: Location-independent owners who value an application requiring neither travel nor an interview.
Investors diversifying jurisdiction risk: Those already diversified by asset class and currency who treat legal jurisdiction as a further axis.

03 — Rationale

Why applicants choose São Tomé & Príncipe

Mobility redundancy: A second travel document provides continuity where a primary passport is lost, expired, restricted at a border or politically inconvenient.
Household inclusion: One application can cover a spouse, financially dependent children under 30, and dependent parents and grandparents aged 55 and over, at US$5,000 for each additional dependant.
Tax considerations (high level): Citizenship-based taxation continues irrespective of any further nationality. Treat second citizenship as a mobility and contingency instrument, and consult a qualified US tax adviser.
Wealth diversification: Legal status in more than one jurisdiction reduces single-jurisdiction dependency, much as geographic allocation reduces market concentration.
Future planning: Optionality has value because it is acquired before it is needed. Naturalisation routes take years; a contribution route is measured in weeks.
Legacy planning: Citizenship is granted for life and inherited by descendants, so future generations need not re-earn the status.
CPLP orientation: São Tomé & Príncipe is a Lusophone state and CPLP member, placing the citizenship inside a Portuguese-speaking network spanning four continents.

Note: this hub is a research resource. It does not constitute legal, tax or immigration advice, and readers should obtain qualified professional advice in their country of nationality and residence.

04 — Fact Box

Key programme facts

All figures are published government amounts, held in a single canonical data layer and reconciled against Decree Law No. 07/2025.

Qualifying route: National Development Contribution (NDC)
Minimum contribution: US$90,000
Indicative all-in cost: US$100,750 single · US$108,000 family of four
Submission fee: US$5,000 per application
Processing fee: US$5,000 per application
Document issuance: US$750 per applicant
Processing time: 8 Weeks
Minimum age: 18 years
Dependants: Spouse, children under 30, parents and grandparents 55+
Residency requirement: None
Dual citizenship: Recognised
Administering authority: Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU)

05 — Timeline

Typical applicant journey

Stage 1
Weeks 1–2
Engagement and preparation
An authorised agent is appointed, preliminary compliance screening is completed and the documentary file is assembled: identity and civil status records, police clearances and lawful source-of-funds evidence. Delay in investment migration originates here far more often than in government review. File quality at this stage largely determines the overall timeline.
Stage 2
Weeks 2–8
Submission and government review
The completed application is lodged with the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU). Review and Government Due Diligence run concurrently, not in sequence. Government Due Diligence is included within the Submission Fee — it is not charged as an additional fee.
Stage 3
Weeks 8–10
Approval in Principle and contribution
On a favourable decision, Approval in Principle is issued and the National Development Contribution (NDC) is remitted to the National Transformation Fund with any outstanding government fees. Dependants may be added after this point under a published post-approval schedule.
Stage 4
Weeks 10+
Registration and document issuance
Citizenship is registered and the passport, national identification card, citizenship certificate are produced and delivered. The entire process is conducted remotely — no travel to São Tomé is ever required.

The full stage-by-stage account is set out on the government process page.

06 — Regional Considerations

Matters specific to United States

Citizenship-based taxation

The United States taxes non-resident citizens on worldwide income — a practice shared by very few states, and applied comprehensively by fewer still. A US person who acquires São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship remains a US taxpayer, continues to file annually, and stays within the full body of US international reporting rules.

Second citizenship is often confused with expatriation. They are separate steps. Relinquishing US citizenship is a formal consular process carrying its own consequences, including a potential exit tax under the covered-expatriate rules. In practice another nationality is obtained first, since US policy discourages renunciation that would leave a person stateless — but it is not the same decision.

FATCA and FBAR reporting

FATCA requires foreign financial institutions to report accounts held by US persons. The Bank Secrecy Act requires an FBAR where foreign accounts exceed the statutory threshold at any point in the year. A second passport changes neither obligation, and opening accounts abroad without disclosing US status creates exposure rather than removing it.

Some foreign institutions decline US persons outright. That is a compliance-cost decision by the institution, not a legal barrier, and an additional nationality does not alter it.

Dual nationality under US law

The State Department recognises that a US national may hold another nationality. Voluntary acquisition does not itself cause loss of US nationality absent an intention to relinquish. US citizens must still enter and leave the United States on a US passport.

Source of funds expectations

Government Due Diligence runs concurrently with review and is included in the submission fee of US$5,000 per application. American applicants are served well by the documentary depth of the US system: tax transcripts, brokerage statements, audited accounts and closing statements from asset sales all satisfy source-of-funds review readily.

Professional advice

This hub is a research resource, not legal or tax advice. US persons should take advice from a qualified US tax professional and, where relevant, an immigration attorney before submitting.

07 — Comparison

São Tomé & Príncipe in context

Investment migration programmes differ in legal effect, cost and timeline. The table below states published positions only; entry figures exclude government fees and professional costs unless indicated, and every programme is subject to change.

Programme	Type	Entry level	Indicative timeline	Notes
São Tomé & Príncipe — National Development Contribution (NDC)	CBI	US$90,000	~8 weeks	Single contribution route; remote application; CPLP member state; programme established 2025.
Vanuatu — Development Support Programme	CBI	From US$130,000	~1–3 months	Long-established Pacific programme; visa-free access to the EU/Schengen area was suspended for Vanuatu passport holders in 2024–2025.
St Kitts & Nevis — Sustainable Island State Contribution	CBI	From US$250,000	~4–6 months	Oldest CBI programme (1984); mandatory interview; higher entry threshold following the 2024 Caribbean price harmonisation.
Dominica / Antigua / Grenada	CBI	From US$200,000–US$235,000	~4–8 months	Caribbean contribution routes; Grenada holds a US E-2 treaty, the only Caribbean CBI to do so; all subject to EU visa-suspension review.
Malta — Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services	Hybrid	From ~EUR 690,000 plus residence period	12–36 months	EU citizenship; ruled unlawful by the Court of Justice of the EU in April 2025 and consequently discontinued in its previous form.
Portugal — Golden Residence Permit	RBI	From EUR 250,000 (cultural donation) or EUR 500,000 (regulated funds)	18–36 months to residence	Residence, not citizenship; real-estate route closed in 2023; naturalisation requires a qualifying residence period and language attainment.

Regional consideration — United States

One entry in the table carries a specifically American feature: Grenada holds a treaty with the United States permitting its citizens to apply for the E-2 investor visa — the only Caribbean contribution programme to do so, though Malta and Portugal are also E-2 treaty countries by other routes. Nothing else in the table alters US immigration or tax status, and none of these nationalities affects a US person's worldwide filing obligations. Read the comparison as a mobility and contingency exercise, not a fiscal one.

Detailed one-to-one analyses are published on the programme comparison pages.

08 — Government Process

How the government administers an application

Submission

Applications may only be lodged through an agent designated by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU); there is no direct-to-government filing channel for private applicants. The submission fee of US$5,000 is payable per application and is non-refundable.

Government review and due diligence

Review is conducted by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) under Decree Law No. 07/2025. Government review and Government Due Diligence are conducted concurrently by the Citizenship by Investment Unit. Government Due Diligence is included within the Submission Fee — it is not charged as an additional fee. Screening typically encompasses identity verification, criminal-record checks, sanctions and politically-exposed-person screening, adverse media review and verification of the declared source of funds.

Decision and Approval in Principle

A decision is communicated to the agent, who notifies the applicant. Approval in Principle confirms that the government intends to grant citizenship subject to completion of the contribution and remaining fees. The published guidance measures approximately 8 weeks from formal submission of a complete application to government decision.

Contribution

The National Development Contribution (NDC) is remitted after Approval in Principle. Contribution levels are published by household composition, beginning at US$90,000 for a single applicant and rising in defined steps for couples and larger families, with US$5,000 for each additional dependant.

Registration and passport issuance

On receipt of the contribution, citizenship is registered and the document issuance fee of US$750 per applicant covers the passport, national identification card, citizenship certificate. The fee applies equally to adults, spouses, children and infants.

09 — Questions

Frequently asked questions — United States

Can US citizens hold dual citizenship?+

Yes. The State Department recognises dual nationality, and voluntary acquisition of another citizenship does not by itself end US nationality where there is no intention to relinquish it.

Does a second passport reduce my US tax obligations?+

No. Worldwide income remains taxable regardless of residence or additional nationalities. This is a mobility and contingency instrument, not a tax planning one.

Do I still have to file FBAR and FATCA reports?+

Yes. Both attach to US person status rather than to the passport used, and continue unchanged.

Do I need to tell the IRS that I acquired a second citizenship?+

There is no standalone form for acquiring a foreign nationality, but existing foreign account and foreign entity disclosures continue. Confirm your position with a qualified US tax adviser.

Can I use the São Tomé passport to enter the United States?+

US citizens must enter and depart on a US passport. The second document serves travel to and between other jurisdictions.

Is this a route to renouncing US citizenship?+

Some applicants acquire another nationality first, since US policy discourages renunciation that would leave a person stateless. Renunciation is a separate consular process with its own tax consequences and warrants professional advice.

How does this compare with Caribbean programmes for Americans?+

Caribbean contribution routes begin at US$200,000 or above following the 2024 harmonisation. The National Development Contribution (NDC) begins at US$90,000, with an indicative all-in figure of US$100,750 for a single applicant.

Can Americans complete the process without travelling?+

Yes. The entire process is conducted remotely — no travel to São Tomé is ever required.

Can United States citizens obtain São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship by investment?+

Yes. Open to applicants of all nationalities except the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Applicants from the United States are assessed against the same statutory criteria as anyone else: age 18 or over, a clean criminal record, and a verifiable lawful source of funds.

How much does the programme cost?+

Contributions begin at US$90,000 for a single applicant. With government fees added, the indicative all-in figure is US$100,750 for one applicant and US$108,000 for a family of four.

How long does approval take?+

Approximately 8 weeks from formal submission of a complete application to government decision. Review and due diligence run concurrently, which is why the window is shorter than in most comparable programmes.

Is there a residency or physical presence requirement?+

None. No travel to São Tomé & Príncipe is required at any stage.

Can the whole application be completed remotely?+

Yes — from engagement to document delivery. The entire process is conducted remotely — no travel to São Tomé is ever required.

Can a spouse be included?+

A spouse or de facto partner may be included in the main application, or added later under a published post-approval fee.

Can children be included?+

Children under 30 qualify where they are financially dependent on the main applicant. Newborns may be added up to one year of age after approval.

Can parents or grandparents be included?+

Yes, where they are aged 55 or over and financially dependent on the main applicant.

What documents are required?+

A complete file generally comprises: valid passport copy; birth certificate; police clearance certificate; proof of address; source of funds evidence; passport-style photographs; marriage certificate (where applicable). For US applicants the criminal record element is normally an FBI Identity History Summary, and civil records are issued by the state rather than federally, so vital records must be requested from the relevant state office. The United States is party to the Hague Apostille Convention: apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State of the issuing state, or by the US Department of State for federal documents.

What documents does a successful applicant receive?+

Passport, National Identification Card, Citizenship Certificate. The issuance fee of US$750 per applicant covers all three, and applies equally to adults, spouses, children and infants.

Is there a separate due diligence fee?+

Government Due Diligence is included within the Submission Fee — it is not charged as an additional fee.

Is an interview required?+

No interview is held at any stage, and no language test is set.

Is a language test or education qualification required?+

Neither. No business experience requirement.

Does São Tomé & Príncipe permit dual citizenship?+

Dual citizenship is fully recognised. The US State Department likewise recognises dual nationality, and voluntary acquisition of another citizenship does not by itself end US nationality where there is no intention to relinquish it. US citizens must still enter and depart the United States on a US passport.

Is the citizenship permanent and can it be passed to children?+

Citizenship is granted for life and is inheritable by descendants.

Which authority administers the programme?+

The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), under Decree Law No. 07/2025. Contributions are made to the National Transformation Fund.

Can an application be filed directly with the government?+

No. Filing runs through agents designated by the CIU; there is no direct channel for private applicants.

What happens if an application is declined?+

The submission fee of US$5,000 per application is non-refundable and covers Government Due Diligence. The contribution falls due only after Approval in Principle.

Are there nationality restrictions?+

Open to applicants of all nationalities except the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Does São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship confer visa-free travel rights automatically?+

Visa policy is set unilaterally by each destination and changes over time. No passport should be acquired on a mobility figure alone; verify current entry requirements for the destinations that matter to you, at the time you travel.

Is São Tomé & Príncipe a member of the CPLP?+

Yes. The Community of Portuguese Language Countries has nine member states: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Timor-Leste and São Tomé & Príncipe. Guinea-Bissau's membership was suspended in December 2025. Membership frames cooperation between states; it confers no automatic residence rights on individuals.

Does acquiring citizenship change where a person pays tax?+

Not for a US person. The United States taxes its citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they live or what other nationalities they hold, and FATCA and FBAR reporting attach to that status rather than to the passport used. A second citizenship therefore sits alongside the US regime and displaces none of it. Confirm your position with a qualified US tax adviser.

The complete programme FAQ library is maintained on the FAQ page.

10 — Research Resources

Investment migration terminology

Citizenship by Investment (CBI): A statutory pathway under which a sovereign state grants citizenship in return for a qualifying economic contribution, subject to due diligence and legislative conditions.
Residence by Investment (RBI): A pathway granting residence rights — not citizenship — in return for investment. Naturalisation, where available, generally requires years of physical presence.
National Development Contribution (NDC): The qualifying route of the São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Programme: a non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund.
Approval in Principle (AIP): A government decision confirming intent to grant citizenship, conditional on completing the contribution and outstanding fees.
Government Due Diligence: The state's independent vetting of an applicant. In this programme it is conducted concurrently with review and is included within the submission fee.
Source of funds: Documented evidence of how the applicant's wealth used for the application was lawfully generated — employment, business proceeds, investment gains, inheritance or sale of assets.
Source of wealth: The broader documented history of how an applicant's total net worth was accumulated, distinct from the specific funds used for an application.
Politically Exposed Person (PEP): An individual entrusted with a prominent public function, or their close associate or family member, subject to enhanced scrutiny under international AML standards.
Dependant: A family member included in an application. Here: a spouse or de facto partner, financially dependent children under 30, and financially dependent parents and grandparents aged 55 and over.
Dual citizenship: The simultaneous holding of two or more nationalities. Whether a person may retain their existing nationality is determined by that country's law, not by São Tomé & Príncipe.
CPLP: The Community of Portuguese Language Countries — an intergovernmental organisation of Lusophone states including Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and São Tomé & Príncipe.
Visa-free access: Entry to a destination without a pre-issued visa. Access is set unilaterally by each destination and can change; it is never guaranteed by a passport alone.
Tax residency: The jurisdiction entitled to tax a person's income, determined by domestic law tests such as presence, domicile or centre of vital interests. Citizenship and tax residency are distinct concepts.
CRS: The OECD Common Reporting Standard for the automatic exchange of financial account information between participating jurisdictions. Reporting follows tax residency, not passport-holding.
Designated agent: A firm authorised by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) to prepare and submit applications. Private applicants cannot file directly.

Enquiries

Assessment for applicants in United States

Eligibility, household composition and documentation are assessed confidentially. Indicative costs run from US$100,750 for a single applicant, based on a US$90,000 contribution, with government review of approximately 8 weeks.

Request an assessment