Citizenship

São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment in 2026: Real Costs, Timeline and Pitfalls

São Tomé and Príncipe’s citizenship by investment programme is now one of the most affordable routes to a second passport: a contribution from USD 90,000, no visit to the country and no exams. But the headline figure is not the final bill. Here is what you will actually pay, how long it takes and where applicants most often go wrong.

The legal basis

The programme runs under Decree-Law No. 07/2025, published in the Diário da República on 1 August 2025 under Nationality Law No. 7/2022. Applications have been accepted since September 2025, and the first passports were issued in January 2026.

Applications are reviewed by the Citizenship by Investment and Donation Unit (UCID) at the Ministry of Justice, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office vets each file before a decision. Applications are filed online through the UCID platform, by the applicant or a licensed agent. Marketing the programme without a licence is prohibited and carries fines of up to USD 500,000.

What the passport really costs

The only investment option is a non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund; real estate does not qualify. On top of the contribution there are processing fees and document fees for each family member.

The contribution and the due diligence fee are set by the decree (Annex I). The USD 5,000 fee is non-refundable, even if the application is refused. The citizenship certificate, national ID card and passport cost USD 750 per family member.

Government payments are not the whole picture. You also pay a bank charge and professional services: the licensed agent, lawyers, translations, notarisation, stamp duties and courier. This is what the budget looks like for a family of four — the applicant, a spouse and two children:

Payments are spread over the process, and the largest one — the contribution — is due only after approval:

These figures are estimates: the government may change its fees, and third-party costs such as apostilles in your country are billed separately. We prepare an exact estimate for your family after a short consultation.

Who can be included

• Your spouse, or a de facto partner with proof of cohabitation.
• Children under 18. If a child turns 18 after the application is filed, that is not a problem: the age limit is 19.

No one else can be included. Decree-Law No. 07/2025 defines dependants as the spouse and children of the main applicant. Parents, adult children and siblings cannot be added — they need their own application. For each dependant other than the spouse, the applicant signs a declaration of financial support.

Applicant requirements

The main applicant must be at least 18. Under the decree the file must include:

• a medical certificate confirming good health and no communicable diseases;
• police clearance certificates from your countries of nationality and residence for the last five years, issued within three months before filing;
• a declaration of the lawful source of funds, with bank documents;
• certified passport copies and proof of address.

Documents are accepted in Portuguese or English; anything else needs a certified translation and an apostille. UCID may hold an interview in person or by video. No Portuguese, visit or residence is required. The government may exclude nationals of countries under international sanctions or without effective judicial cooperation, under a list approved by the Council of Ministers.

The most common cause of delay is not the vetting itself but a weak source-of-funds file. A business sale, dividends, inheritance or crypto are all acceptable if the trail can be documented, and the payment itself is made in US dollars. Build your source-of-funds dossier before filing, not on request.

Timeline and steps

1. Filing. The application is submitted online through the UCID platform together with the USD 5,000 fee. Within 15 days UCID completes a preliminary review and may ask for more documents.
2. Due diligence. Independent specialists check the applicant and the source of funds. Doubtful cases go to a Review Committee of the Public Prosecutor, the migration service, the Ministry of Finance, the registries and the Financial Intelligence Unit.
3. Decision. The Public Prosecutor issues a prior opinion (visto prévio), after which the UCID Director approves or refuses the application within 15 days.
4. Contribution. The contribution to the National Transformation Fund must be paid within 90 days of approval, or the process lapses. You pay only after the decision — an important safeguard.
5. Oath and registration. You take the oath in São Tomé or at a consulate. Within five days the file goes to the Central Registry to record your citizenship, and your documents are issued.

Allow 4–6 months from starting your documents to holding the passport. According to one licensed agent, by September 2026 the programme had received 548 applications and refused 12.

What the passport gives you

• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 90–100 countries, including South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
• A passport of a Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) member, which makes it easier to move to Portugal and Brazil.
• Validity of 7 years for adults and 3 years for children under 16.
• Lifelong exemption from compulsory military service for citizens under the programme.

A São Tomé passport and moving to Portugal

São Tomé and Príncipe is a member of the CPLP and part of the CPLP Mobility Agreement, in force in Portugal since 2022. That makes a São Tomé passport more than a back-up document: it is a short route to living and working in Portugal, and through Portugal, in Europe.

Three steps to Portugal

1. A CPLP visa from the consulate. You apply at a Portuguese consulate and pay a €110 fee. The decision is due within 60 days, with no prior opinion from the AIMA migration agency. The file is lighter than usual: no travel insurance or return ticket is required.
2. Work. With an employment contract from a Portuguese company you can choose the CPLP visa or the standard D1 work visa — both lead to a residence permit.
3. A CPLP residence permit on arrival. In Portugal the visa is converted into a residence permit valid for two years and renewable. The permit card lets you travel in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180.

Risks that are rarely mentioned

• The programme is new. Fees, requirements and timelines may change — the decree expressly allows the government to revise the amounts. Applications already filed are not affected.
• Your taxes do not change. A second passport does not change your tax residence, and under the CRS banks will still ask where you are tax resident.
• Check your own country. Some countries prohibit dual citizenship or require you to report it.
• Work only with a licensed agent. Ask for proof of the UCID licence — the Ministry of Justice publishes the list of licensed agents — and never pay the contribution before the approval letter.

Two more points from the decree itself. The Public Prosecutor may challenge an acquisition of citizenship in court within six months. And citizenship can be revoked for breaching the programme rules, including for false information. A complete and honest file is the best insurance.

Who the programme suits

People who want a back-up passport with a modest investment and no relocation — and people looking at Europe: a São Tomé passport opens the simplified CPLP visa for living and working in Portugal, followed by a residence permit with Schengen travel. Planning to live or run a business in São Tomé itself? It often makes more sense to start with a company and a residence permit.

How we work. Applications are filed through our partner Passport Legacy DMCC, a licensed agent of the programme (UCID licence No. STP-26/27-1, valid until 1 September 2027). MARSF manages the process on the ground in São Tomé — from checking the current terms and preparing your file to the delivery of your documents.

This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Laws and fees may change — check the current terms before you decide.