Sao Tome and Principe

Citizenship by Investment Program

The São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Program allows foreign nationals to obtain citizenship through a non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund. Established under the Nationality Law (Lei n.º 07/2022) and regulated by Decreto-Lei n.º 07/2025, the program launched in August 2025 with applications accepted from September 2025. It is one of the most affordable citizenship-by-investment programs globally, starting at USD 90,000 for a single applicant. The program is administered by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) — also referred to in the regulation as the Unidade de Cidadania por Investimento e Doação (UCID) — under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice. The unit is directed by Disney Leite Ramos (a former Minister of Economy), with Alfredo Trinidade (head of the APCI investment agency) as Chief Operating Officer. The official government programme portal is published at cip.gov.st (a .gov.st government domain), while day-to-day operations are managed through a 10-year concession with Passport Legacy, a Dubai-based company. São Tomé and Príncipe permits dual citizenship, so applicants do not need to renounce their existing nationality. The São Toméan passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 63-74 destinations.

• Principal applicant must be at least 18 years old
• Clean criminal record with no active sanctions
• Good character and no criminal background across national and international databases
• Lawful source of funds with supporting bank documentation
• All nationalities eligible except North Korean citizens
• No education, language proficiency, or professional experience requirements
• No residency or physical presence requirement at any stage

• Single applicant: USD 90,000 donation to the National Transformation Fund
• Family of up to 4: USD 95,000
• Each additional dependant beyond 4: USD 5,000
• Post-approval additions: USD 10,000 (spouse), USD 5,000 (child/parent/grandparent), USD 500 (newborn before final approval)

All contributions are non-refundable regardless of application outcome. Cryptocurrency may be accepted as proof of source of funds, provided the actual payment is made in US dollars with full documentation of lawful source and traceability.

• Fully completed application form
• Certified copies of valid passports (minimum 6 months validity)
• Criminal record certificates from every country of residence in the past 5 years (for applicants over 16)
• Proof of residence
• Declaration of lawful source of funds with supporting bank documentation
• Proof of application fee payment
• Due diligence report from a CIU-recognized entity
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates (if applicable)
• Passport-sized photographs
• Oath of Allegiance form
• Passport application forms
• Documents in languages other than English or Portuguese must be translated by a certified translator

The following family members can be included in the application:

• Spouse or civil partner (civil partners must provide proof of cohabitation and shared financial obligations)
• Unmarried dependent children under 30
• Financially dependent parents and grandparents aged 55 or older
• Legally adopted children (treated identically to biological children)

All dependants over 16 undergo criminal background checks and due diligence.

In April 2026, the CIU issued a memorandum (dated 10 April 2026) announcing three operational changes:

• Remote passport and national-ID issuance through video verification with the Civil Registry and Notary Office, removing the need to travel to São Tomé, Lisbon, or Brussels for biometrics — the process can now be completed entirely remotely.
• A hold on new applications from individuals holding three or more foreign passports, because Nationality Law No. 07/2022 prohibits granting São Toméan nationality to such persons. A parliamentary amendment is expected but had not been finalized as of mid-2026.
• A temporary suspension of passport issuance for adult dependants over 18 while a revised dependency framework is finalized.

The donation amounts and government service fees were not changed by this memorandum. By April 2026 the programme had received over 200 applications, with the first passports issued in January 2026.

Citizenship alone does not establish tax residency. Tax residency is triggered by spending more than 183 days per year in the country or having primary economic ties there. Residents are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates up to approximately 25%, while non-residents are taxed only on local-source income. There is no wealth tax, inheritance tax, or capital gains tax. The corporate tax rate is 25%.

Applications must be submitted through a licensed marketing agent authorized by the CIU — direct applications to the government are not accepted. The process follows five steps:

1. Preliminary screening — The licensed agent conducts initial due diligence
2. Document submission — Complete application package submitted to the CIU, which issues an Application Invoice
3. Due diligence review — The CIU and Public Ministry conduct comprehensive checks, taking up to 2 months, resulting in approval or rejection
4. Investment contribution — Upon approval in principle, the applicant makes the donation to the National Transformation Fund within 90 days, pays document fees, and submits the Oath of Allegiance
5. Document issuance — The CIU processes and delivers the certificate of registration, national ID card, and passport

Application fee: USD 5,000 non-refundable due diligence fee (regardless of family size)

Document fees: USD 350 per person (passport), USD 250 per person (certificate of registration), USD 150 per person (national ID card)

Processing time: Approximately 6 weeks from complete submission, up to 2 months maximum

The Oath of Allegiance can be administered either in São Tomé and Príncipe or at an accredited diplomatic or consular post abroad. The entire process can be completed remotely without visiting the country.