Global Mobility / Citizenship by Investment / São Tomé & Príncipe

Citizenship by Investment · Central Africa

São Tomé & Príncipe

One of the newest citizenship programs in the world, with the lowest entry point and a unit headquartered in Dubai. Because it is new, we review it with particular care, so you can weigh it with a clear view of what it offers.

Last reviewed September 1, 2026

Advisory note · Current as of September 2026

A program in its second year, and what that means for you.

São Tomé & Príncipe launched its citizenship by investment program on August 1, 2025 under Decree-Law 07/2025, and issued its first passports in January 2026. It has now completed its first full year of operation and is still building the settled administrative practice that longer-established programs have developed over decades.

That brings both opportunity and adjustment. The program has already refined its requirements in the applicant’s favor: biometric verification can now be completed remotely, and civil partners can be included on an application. Processing times have varied as the program scales, so we confirm the current timeline before you commit. Further adjustment should be expected as the program matures.

One change matters immediately: applications from individuals who already hold three or more citizenships are currently suspended. We establish this at the very start of any conversation about the program.

For Gulf-based clients, the program is unusually close at hand. Its Citizenship by Investment Unit is headquartered in Dubai, and São Tomé & Príncipe opened an embassy in Abu Dhabi in April 2026.

We include São Tomé & Príncipe on this site because, for the right circumstances, it is genuinely the best answer: an accessible entry point to a second citizenship, held as long-term security. We will set it alongside the other programs we advise on, so you can weigh it on its merits.

The country

About São Tomé & Príncipe

São Tomé & Príncipe is a two-island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, some 250 kilometers off the west coast of Central Africa. With a population of around a quarter of a million, it is the second-smallest African state by area and one of the least populous countries in the world.

A Portuguese colony until independence in 1975, it remains Portuguese-speaking and is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. That membership carries a specific and often misunderstood consequence, addressed below.

The economy has historically rested on cocoa, with tourism and fisheries growing in significance. The country has held regular multi-party elections since the transition from single-party rule in 1990.

For applicants, the practical geography is less relevant than it might appear: the program is administered through a Citizenship by Investment Unit headquartered in Dubai, and no travel to the islands is currently required at any stage.

Capital

São Tomé

Population

Approximately 230,000

Language

Portuguese (official)

Currency

Dobra, pegged to the euro

Government

Multi-party republic; independent from Portugal since 1975

Membership

United Nations, African Union, CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries)

Program since

August 1, 2025, under Decree-Law 07/2025

Unit location

Citizenship by Investment Unit headquartered in Dubai

At a glance

The program in outline

Minimum contribution

US$90,000

National Transformation Fund, single applicant; US$95,000 for up to four. The lowest entry point of the programs we advise on

Government charges

Additional

A non-refundable submission fee, due diligence and passport charges apply above the contribution

Indicative processing

2 to 8 months

Timelines have varied as the program scales; we confirm the current position before you commit

Status conferred

Full citizenship

Dual citizenship permitted

Family inclusion

Broad

Spouse or civil partner, children, parents and grandparents

Interview

Not required

No interview, language or history test

Payment sequence

After approval

The main contribution falls due only once approval in principle is issued

Program maturity

Second year

Launched August 2025; first passports issued January 2026

Physical presence

None required

Fully remote; identity verification conducted remotely

Eligibility restriction

Three or more

Applications from holders of three or more citizenships are currently suspended

The contribution

A single qualifying route

Unlike the Caribbean programs, which offer a choice of routes, São Tomé & Príncipe has one: a contribution to the National Transformation Fund. That makes the decision simpler and leaves fewer variables to assess.

Sole qualifying route · Contribution

National Transformation Fund

US$90,000

A non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund, directed by government toward national development priorities including renewable energy, infrastructure, healthcare, housing, education and sustainable tourism. The applicant does not select the recipient area.

US$90,000 for a single applicant; US$95,000 for a family of up to four
A separate non-refundable submission fee applies at filing
The contribution falls due only after approval in principle has been issued
No asset is acquired, held or subsequently disposed of
Due diligence, passport and professional fees apply in addition

As with the Caribbean programs we advise on, the contribution falls due only after approval in principle. You are not committing the contribution before knowing whether the application will succeed.

We do not publish a government fee schedule. Charges are set by government, and this program’s framework is still settling, so a figure published here would be out of date before it was useful to you.

We model the complete figure against your circumstances before you commit to anything.

Eligibility

Who can apply, and one restriction to check first

Standard requirements apply: applicants must be at least 18, hold a clean criminal record, and demonstrate the lawful source of their funds. One restriction is specific to this program and should be confirmed before anything else.

Requirement

Position

Existing citizenships

Applications from individuals holding three or more citizenships are currently suspended. This is the first thing to establish.

Age

Principal applicant must be at least 18.

Criminal record

Clean record required; enhanced due diligence is conducted by international agencies.

Source of funds

Lawful origin must be documented and traceable. Digital assets have been accepted as evidence of origin, with settlement made in US dollars.

Family

Spouse or civil partner, children, parents and grandparents may be included. In some circumstances, dependents may be added after the initial grant.

Travel

No travel to São Tomé & Príncipe is currently required at any stage.

Family inclusion terms and dependent definitions have been adjusted since launch. We confirm the current position for your specific family composition before anything is filed.

Suitability

Who this program serves — and who it does not

We would rather tell you at the outset that a program is a poor fit than take a file we do not believe in.

Well suited to

Applicants for whom the entry point matters most, and for whom the Caribbean programs require more capital than is within reach.
Gulf-based applicants who value a program administered from Dubai, with an embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Applicants unable or unwilling to travel, given that the process is currently conducted entirely remotely.
Individuals for whom a second citizenship is a contingency held in reserve rather than a travel instrument.
Applicants with one or two existing nationalities who fall within the current eligibility position.

Less well suited to

Anyone holding three or more citizenships, since applications are currently suspended for this group.
Applicants whose primary objective is broad visa-free travel, since the passport’s access is narrower than that of the Caribbean programs.
Those who would be uncomfortable holding a citizenship from a program still establishing its administrative practice.
Applicants for whom a Caribbean program’s capital requirement is within reach and who value a longer operating record.
Applicants seeking European Union access or a route to EU status, including through Portugal.

Process

How an application proceeds

Applications are accepted only through authorized agents; the Citizenship by Investment Unit does not accept direct submissions. Files are submitted through an authorized agent, and our role is to establish whether this program is genuinely right for you, to prepare a file that will survive scrutiny, and to remain accountable to you throughout.

Eligibility check

Before anything else, we confirm your existing nationality position against the current restriction and review your objectives. Where a Caribbean program is within reach and may suit you better, we set it alongside São Tomé & Príncipe so you can weigh them.
GLI Advisory conducts this review directly.

File preparation

Assembly of documents, which must be certified, apostilled and translated, together with source of funds evidence. Documentation standards are demanding and in line with international practice.
We manage collection, review and sequencing.

Submission and due diligence

The file is submitted through an authorized agent to the Citizenship by Investment Unit in Dubai, with the submission fee. Background and source of funds checks are conducted by international agencies.
We track the file and respond to queries.

Approval in principle

Where the Unit is satisfied, approval in principle is issued. Only at this point does the qualifying contribution fall due, so you are not committing it before knowing the outcome.
We confirm settlement instructions and timing.

Contribution and verification

The contribution is remitted, and identity verification is completed remotely. No travel is currently required.
We coordinate scheduling.

Citizenship and passport

Citizenship is granted and passports are issued through official channels.
We remain engaged until documents are in hand.

Considerations

What we would want you to weigh

Travel access is narrower than the Caribbean passports

São Tomé & Príncipe’s travel access reflects the country’s own bilateral arrangements, which are narrower than those of the Caribbean programs. If travel is your primary objective, weigh the specific destinations that matter to you rather than relying on a headline figure. We can map them against your plans at assessment.

The rules are still being refined

Since launch, the program has introduced remote identity verification, extended inclusion to civil partners, and suspended applications from holders of three or more citizenships. Each was a sensible adjustment, and together they show a framework that is still settling. Anyone applying should expect further refinement rather than a fixed set of rules.

Portuguese-speaking is not a route to Portugal

São Tomé & Príncipe belongs to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, and under Portugal’s 2026 nationality law, CPLP nationals qualify for naturalization after seven years of legal residence rather than ten. Those seven years must be spent living lawfully in Portugal, counted from the date the first residence card is issued, and the Portuguese language requirement still applies. It is a genuine advantage for someone already planning to move there, but not a shortcut, and it is sometimes overstated.

Questions

São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship by investment: common questions

How much does São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship cost?

The qualifying contribution to the National Transformation Fund is US$90,000 for a single applicant and US$95,000 for a family of up to four, the lowest entry point of the programs we advise on. A separate non-refundable submission fee is payable at filing, and due diligence charges, passport fees and professional fees sit above that, so the qualifying figure alone is not the total. We model the complete figure against your circumstances before you commit to anything.

Is the São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship program legitimate?

Yes. It operates under the country’s Nationality Law No. 7/2022 and Decree-Law 07/2025, and launched on August 1, 2025. It is administered by a Citizenship by Investment Unit headquartered in Dubai, with due diligence conducted through international agencies, and São Tomé & Príncipe opened an embassy in Abu Dhabi in April 2026. The program is now in its second year, having issued its first passports in January 2026, and is still building the settled administrative practice of longer-established programs.

Can I apply if I already hold several passports?

If you hold one or two citizenships, yes. If you hold three or more, applications are currently suspended. We confirm this at the outset of any inquiry, so it is established before anything else proceeds.

Do I need to travel to São Tomé & Príncipe?

Not currently. The process is conducted entirely remotely, including identity verification, and the Citizenship by Investment Unit is headquartered in Dubai rather than on the islands, which is convenient for applicants based in the Gulf.

How long does the application take?

Some applications have been approved in a matter of weeks, while others have taken considerably longer as the program has scaled. We confirm the current timeline before you commit, and we would allow for a longer timeline in planning.

When do I pay the contribution?

After approval in principle has been issued. A submission fee is payable at filing, but the main contribution falls due only once the government has approved the application, so you are not committing it before knowing the outcome.

Does this passport give access to Europe?

Not visa-free. São Tomé & Príncipe nationals need a visa to visit the Schengen Area, and the citizenship confers no European Union residence or work rights. São Tomé & Príncipe’s membership of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries shortens the Portuguese naturalization period from ten years to seven, but those seven years must be spent living lawfully in Portugal, counted from the first residence card. It is not a route into the European Union.

Should I choose this over a Caribbean program?

It depends on what you are solving for. The Caribbean programs require more capital, and in return offer broader travel access and longer operating records, though they are also working through the European Commission’s request regarding their programs. São Tomé & Príncipe offers the lowest entry point of the programs we advise on, a unit headquartered in Dubai, and a straightforward single route. Where the Caribbean programs are within reach and travel access is a priority, they often suit better; where the entry point matters most, or the citizenship is held as long-term security, São Tomé & Príncipe is a legitimate choice in its own right. We set them side by side at assessment so you can weigh them.

A conversation
before a commitment.

We begin every engagement with a confidential assessment: your existing nationality position, your objectives, and an honest view of whether this program or a longer-established alternative better serves them. It is held in confidence, and there is no obligation to proceed.

Figures and requirements reflect information current as of September 2026 and are subject to change by the Government of São Tomé & Príncipe without notice. This program was established in 2025 and its operating framework continues to develop; requirements have been amended since launch. Travel access reflects the position of third-country governments and may change at any time. Nothing on this page constitutes legal, tax or investment advice, or an offer of citizenship. Eligibility is determined solely by the Citizenship by Investment Unit.
GLI International Advisory FZCO · Unit No: 3501–D07, Swiss Tower, JLT, Dubai, UAE