São Tomé citizenship at a glance
WHAT YOU OBTAIN
Full citizenship, and a passport
Citizenship equal to citizenship by birth. Each approved applicant receives a certificate of registration, a national ID and a passport.
WHO IT SUITS
Nationality first, residence next
After acquiring São Tomé citizenship, you can separately plan residence abroad to suit your family.
BASIC OUTLAY
From US$90,000
One contribution to the National Transformation Fund: US$90,000 for one applicant, US$95,000 for a family of up to four.
FAMILY
Spouse, children and elders
A spouse or de facto partner, children up to 30, and parents or grandparents from 55 can join the same application.
PRESENCE AND RESIDENCE
No residence requirement
No stay or relocation is needed during or after the application.
MAIN STAGES
Five stages, one agent
Preparation, submission, due diligence, approval and contribution, citizenship and passport. Approval typically takes about two months.
WHY FAMILIES CHOOSE SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE
Citizenship and residence planning
Acquire São Tomé citizenship, then plan residence in the EU or another country to suit your family.
One contribution, no ongoing investment requirement
A single contribution to the national fund. There is no property to select or manage, and no continuing investment afterwards.
Dual citizenship, passed on
São Tomé and Príncipe requires no renunciation, and citizenship passes to future generations. The passport opens 70 visa-free destinations.
Who can be included
| Family member | Condition | Contribution | Citizenship and passport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main applicant | 18 or over; valid passport; clean criminal record; lawful funds; due diligence passed | US$90,000 alone; US$95,000 for a family of up to four | After approval in principle and the contribution |
| Spouse or de facto partner | Marriage or partnership evidence | In the family amount | With the main applicant |
| Child under 18 | Birth and relationship evidence | In the family amount; from the fifth person +US$5,000 each | With the main applicant |
| Child aged 18 to 30 | Qualifying conditions confirmed for each person | In the family amount, on the same basis | Once the new law takes effect |
| Parent or grandparent aged 55 or over | Financially dependent, not in work or retired | In the family amount, on the same basis | Once the new law takes effect |
| Family member added later | Spouse, dependant or newborn, added after approval in principle | Inclusion fee US$500 to US$10,000; see “The family budget” | After their own review |
KEY FIGURES
As at 1 October 2026, applications for adult children aged 18 to 30 and for parents or grandparents aged 55 or over are accepted, reviewed and approved; their naturalisation and passports are suspended until the new law takes effect.
Application eligibility
| Applicant / family | Age and conditions |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | At least 18; Meet the investment or other entry conditions of this programme and provide lawful funds; Age at application |
| Spouse | Age not specified; Provide a valid marriage certificate |
| De facto partner | Age not specified; Provide evidence of the recognised partnership |
| Minor child | Under 18; Include birth or adoption and custody documents; parental consent where required; Age at application |
| Adult child aged 18–30 | At least 18; Up to 30; Naturalisation and passport issuance are suspended pending the new law; applications may be processed; Age at application |
| Parents of either spouse | At least 55; Financially dependent; unemployed and/or retired. Adult-family issuance is subject to the transition announced in September 2026; Age at application |
| Grandparents of either spouse | At least 55; Financially dependent; unemployed and/or retired. Adult-family issuance is subject to the transition announced in September 2026; Age at application |
| Adding family later | Later family applications are assessed separately under the rules in force at that time |
| Nationality restrictions | The published consular material gives no exhaustive restricted-nationality list; acceptance remains subject to authority approval and sanctions/background screening |
| Who the restrictions cover | Disclose all current and former nationalities, birthplace and residence history for the applicant and family |
| Residence conditions and exceptions | No published residence-based exception has been identified for this programme. A second passport or overseas residence does not itself establish eligibility |
| Sanctions and background checks | Background, security and source-of-funds checks apply. Sanctions affecting a person, bank or transfer can prevent completion |
The family budget
It supports renewable energy, education and infrastructure.
FOUR HOUSEHOLDS
Published amounts. Family of four: main applicant, spouse and two children under 18; family of six: four children under 18.
ONE-TIME APPLICATION COSTS
AFTER CITIZENSHIP
FAMILY ADDED LATER
QUOTED CASE BY CASE
Process and payment schedule
No stay or relocation is needed. One authorised agent coordinates every stage.
| Stage | You prepare | Handled by | Payment | You obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Engage and preparePayment | Choose an authorised agent; settle the family list; gather identity, civil status, police and financial records, translated and certified as required. | You and the agent | Quoted | A complete file |
| 02SubmissionPayment | The agent finalises the application and submits it to the Citizenship by Investment Unit. | The agent | Submission fee, US$5,000 per application | Application under review |
| 03Due diligence | Answer questions and supply further documents through the agent. | The Unit | — | Approval in principle |
| 04Approval and contributionPayment | Follow the approved payment instruction. | You | Fund contribution and remaining fees | Proof of payment |
| 05Citizenship and passport | Delivery details for each applicant. | Government | — | Certificate of registration, national ID and passport |
The passport typically follows three to four months after approval, delivered to each applicant by the agent.
The documents to prepare
Prepare original evidence early and work from the agent's current checklist. Confirm translation and certification requirements before ordering documents.
Personal and family records
- Valid passport and national ID
- Birth certificate
- Marriage and other civil status records
- Police certificates
- Photographs, proof of address
- Relationship and dependency evidence for each family member
Wealth and source of funds
- Recent bank statements
- Source of the contribution
- Business income or employment records
- Asset sale or inheritance records
- Professional and business background
- Sponsored application: the sponsor's documents
Disclosure and records
- Current and earlier nationalities
- Residence history
- Past visa and citizenship decisions
- Material legal matters
- A short explanation wherever two records differ
- An indexed copy of the full submission
Identity, civil records and financial evidence that tell the same story move through review with fewer questions. The indexed copy serves later passport and civil-record matters.
What citizenship gives you
THE CITIZENSHIP IN BRIEF
Each citizen receives
- Certificate of registration
- National ID
- Passport
The contribution
- One applicantUS$90k
- Family of up to fourUS$95k
- Each further member+US$5k
Family in one application
- Spouse, de facto partner
- Children0–30
- Parents55+
- Grandparents55+
CITIZENSHIP
Citizenship and residence planning
After acquiring full São Tomé citizenship rights, you can plan residence in the EU or another country separately, to suit your family.
NATIONALITY
Dual citizenship, passed on
São Tomé and Príncipe requires no renunciation of your existing nationality, and citizenship passes to future generations under national law.
IN SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE
The same rights as a citizen by birth
Citizenship through the programme carries the same rights and privileges as citizenship by birth. No stay is required to obtain it or to keep it.
FAMILY
One application for the family
A spouse or de facto partner, children and elders can be included. A newborn, a spouse or a further dependant can be added later after their own review.
Your path to citizenship
Approval in principle, then the contribution, then the citizenship documents and passport.
- Approval in principleTypically in about two months
- Contribution paidPaymentTo the National Transformation Fund
- Citizenship grantedCertificate of registration issued
- National ID and passportTypically three to four months after approval
- Future generationsCitizenship passes on under national law
A direct citizenship programme
Applicants apply for citizenship through a qualifying contribution. After eligibility review, due diligence and approval in principle, the contribution and fees are paid. Citizenship follows directly, with no residence period first.
Citizenship and identity documents
Once the contribution is complete, the Government grants citizenship and issues the certificate of registration, the national ID and the passport. The agent coordinates delivery to each applicant.
After citizenship
Keep each family member's documents and renewal dates in order. A newborn, a spouse or a further dependant can be added after their own review, and citizenship passes to future generations.
Speak with your adviser
Request a current eligibility check, especially for adult dependants, then a written itemised quotation.
HOW TO APPLY
Assessment
We review your family, aims and eligibility, and say plainly whether the programme fits.
Written proposal
You receive an itemised quotation, a document list and a timetable in writing.
Engagement and filing
Once engaged, we prepare the file, submit it and follow it through to the decision.
BRANDS
Identity planning and second-citizenship advisory
