Skip to content The São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship by investment programme was established in 2025 and carries a minimum investment of $90,000, making it the most affordable citizenship by investment programme in the world. Investments in this programme are funneled into the São Tomé & Príncipe National Transformation Fund, and will contribute to initiatives in renewable energy, infrastructure, education, affordable housing and eco-tourism, meaning investors will be directly making a positive impact to São Toméan society.
São Tomé & Príncipe is a small island nation located in the Gulf of Guinea, roughly 200km’s West of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. It is made up of two main islands (the first being São Tomé and the second being Príncipe) and then several smaller islets not big enough to register as official islands. It has a total land mass of 1,000KM², making it one of the smallest countries on the continent of Africa.
The capital is officially São Tomé, and the islands enjoy a warm and tropical climate year-round. Whilst Creole dialects are widely spoken throughout the islands, the officially recognized language is Portuguese. The economy of São Tomé is primarily driven by agriculture (primarily coca), fishing and a rapidly growing tourism sector too. All in all, São Tomé & Principe is a steadily growing and attractive destination for investors and families alike.
There are many benefits to obtaining an São Tomé & Príncipe passport, such as visa-free access to over 93 countries (including South Africa, Singapore, and Hong Kong, while enjoying an e-visa to the UAE or Qatar). São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship also carries tax benefits, as citizens don’t pay tax on wealth/inheritance, and personal income tax rates are very low.
There are also no minimum stay requirements, which means investors won’t need to physically reside in São Tomé & Príncipe in order to keep their citizenship. The programme also carries no language test requirement (as is standard with some other programmes). Applicants for São Tomé & Príncipe also benefit from being able to include their family in the application, with parents over the age of 55, spouses, and children under the age of 30 all allowed to form part of one application.
Contribution to the National Transformation Fund
Minimum Investment in Real Estate
Time to
Citizenship
Visa -
Free Access
Visa-Free or e-visa access to over 93 countries, including South Africa, Singapore & Hong Kong.
With a processing time of just 1-2 months, the São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship by Investment programme is one of the fastest in the world.
All the citizenship rights of a São Toméan.
São Tomé & Príncipe passport holders can hold dual citizenship.
A single applicant can apply for their family members, such as the main applicant’s spouse, dependent children under 30, and parents aged 55 and over.
Visa-free access to 150 countries, including the UK, the Schengen area, and Russia. The only Caribbean passport that grants visa-free access to South Africa.
Antigua offers exemptions from paying taxes on capital gains, inheritance, wealth, gifts, and foreign income.
A British Commonwealth country.
Antigua passport holders can hold dual citizenship.
A single applicant can apply for their family members, such as the main applicant’s spouse, children (biological or adopted) under the age of 30, parents aged 55 years or over, and siblings of any age.
The São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship by investment programme was established in 2024 and carries a minimum investment of $90,000, making it one of the most affordable citizenship by investment programmes in the world. Investments in this programme are funneled into the São Tomé & Príncipe National Transformation Fund, and will contribute to initiatives in renewable energy, infrastructure, education, affordable housing and eco-tourism, meaning investors will be directly making a positive impact to São Toméan society.
The application process for São Tomé & Príncipe is straightforward, and applications are currently being processed in 1-2 months. The application process can be divided into the following stages:
01
Discover everything you need to know about purchasing premium real estate in Antigua and Barbuda. Please see our government-approved listings that qualify you for the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship By Investment Program.
Minimum Real Estate Investment (in $USD)
ROI or Rental Income Opportunity
Minimum Real Estate Holding Period
Ownership
Type
São Tomé and Príncipe’s Citizenship by Investment and Donation Program is established under the Decree-Law, which came into effect on 1 August 2025. The program is governed by the Regulation on Nationality by Investment and Donation, and provides a legal pathway for foreign nationals to acquire São Toméan citizenship through naturalisation.
Applicants must meet the requirements outlined in Decree Law No. 07/2022 and make a qualifying contribution to the country’s National Transformation Fund. This initiative supports national development while offering investors the opportunity to become citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe through a transparent and structured process.
While processing times can’t be guaranteed, typically applications are processed and citizenship is achieved within just 1-2 months.
To obtain citizenship in São Tomé & Príncipe, applicants must invest into the National Transformational fund: $90,000 for a single applicant, $95,000 for a family of 2-4 and $5,000 for each dependant thereafter.
Yes, applications can include the main applicant’s spouse, children under 30, and parents over the age of 55.
There are no residence requirements for the São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship; applicants do not need to stay or reside in the country in order to keep their citizenship. On top of that, dual citizenship is allowed, meaning the applicant will not need to give up their existing passport to hold one from São Tomé & Príncipe.
There are a few documents applicants will need in order to qualify for São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship:
The process for applying for São Tomé & Príncipe Citizenship is fairly simple. First, applicants will go through the assessment and onboarding process, consulting with Passport Legacy advisors and passing the due diligence checks.
Next comes the application submission phase, where the client is fully onboarded, and retainer fees are paid. Documents are meticulously prepared before an application is submitted.
Once submitted, the application will be processed. This is followed by government pre-approval, at which point the investment requirements must be fulfilled.
Following this step, applications will be approved, after which a São Tomé & Príncipe passport will be issues within 1-2 months.
Yes, it is possible to gain São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship by marriage. When applicants fulfil the investment requirements, the main applicant’s spouse can be included.
Yes, São Tomé & Príncipe recognizes dual citizenship. Investors can retain their original nationality whilst holding São Tomé & Príncipe citizenship. The country’s laws do not require new citizens to renounce their existing citizenship.
São Tomé & Príncipe is a small island nation located in the Gulf of Guinea, roughly 200km’s West of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. It is made up of two main islands (the first being São Tomé and the second being Príncipe) and then several smaller islets not big enough to register as official islands. It has a total land mass of 1,000KM², making it the second smallest country on the continent of Africa, with only the Seychelles being smaller.
The capital and largest city of São Tomé & Príncipe is São Tomé.
Whilst creole is widely spoken across São Tomé & Príncipe, the official language of the country is Portuguese, due to its discovery by Portuguese explorers João de Santarém and Pedro Escobar in roughly 1470.
São Tomé & Príncipe’s economy is mainly driven by agriculture (primarily the growing and selling of coca), fishing and a rapidly growing tourism sector, which is predicted to keep growing at large scale.
Malta passport’s strength lies in its being highly effective travel documentation with various perks such as visa-free travelling, business ventures, and better living standards for passport holders. Although it isn’t globally ranked as number one, it has a good reputation due to its ease of entry to key destinations and a connection with the Malta Individual Investor Program (MIIP), allowing investors to build their passport power.If you are an aspiring traveller craving worldwide flexibility or an entrepreneur searching for broader horizons, Malta’s passport stays solid in 2023. But we should know about the rules and expenses before going forward to get this valuable Travel Document. Eventually, the power behind the Malta passport could unlock the gates to new frontiers and possibilities in a progressively connected world. Passport Legacy can guide you through the Malta Citizenship Program from start to finish. Get started today!
Malta passport’s strength lies in its being highly effective travel documentation with various perks such as visa-free travelling, business ventures, and better living standards for passport holders. Although it isn’t globally ranked as number one, it has a good reputation due to its ease of entry to key destinations and a connection with the Malta Individual Investor Program (MIIP), allowing investors to build their passport power.If you are an aspiring traveller craving worldwide flexibility or an entrepreneur searching for broader horizons, Malta’s passport stays solid in 2023. But we should know about the rules and expenses before going forward to get this valuable Travel Document. Eventually, the power behind the Malta passport could unlock the gates to new frontiers and possibilities in a progressively connected world. Passport Legacy can guide you through the Malta Citizenship Program from start to finish. Get started today!
Malta passport’s strength lies in its being highly effective travel documentation with various perks such as visa-free travelling, business ventures, and better living standards for passport holders. Although it isn’t globally ranked as number one, it has a good reputation due to its ease of entry to key destinations and a connection with the Malta Individual Investor Program (MIIP), allowing investors to build their passport power.If you are an aspiring traveller craving worldwide flexibility or an entrepreneur searching for broader horizons, Malta’s passport stays solid in 2023. But we should know about the rules and expenses before going forward to get this valuable Travel Document. Eventually, the power behind the Malta passport could unlock the gates to new frontiers and possibilities in a progressively connected world. Passport Legacy can guide you through the Malta Citizenship Program from start to finish. Get started today!
Malta passport’s strength lies in its being highly effective travel documentation with various perks such as visa-free travelling, business ventures, and better living standards for passport holders. Although it isn’t globally ranked as number one, it has a good reputation due to its ease of entry to key destinations and a connection with the Malta Individual Investor Program (MIIP), allowing investors to build their passport power.If you are an aspiring traveller craving worldwide flexibility or an entrepreneur searching for broader horizons, Malta’s passport stays solid in 2023. But we should know about the rules and expenses before going forward to get this valuable Travel Document. Eventually, the power behind the Malta passport could unlock the gates to new frontiers and possibilities in a progressively connected world. Passport Legacy can guide you through the Malta Citizenship Program from start to finish. Get started today!
Malta passport’s strength lies in its being highly effective travel documentation with various perks such as visa-free travelling, business ventures, and better living standards for passport holders. Although it isn’t globally ranked as number one, it has a good reputation due to its ease of entry to key destinations and a connection with the Malta Individual Investor Program (MIIP), allowing investors to build their passport power.If you are an aspiring traveller craving worldwide flexibility or an entrepreneur searching for broader horizons, Malta’s passport stays solid in 2023. But we should know about the rules and expenses before going forward to get this valuable Travel Document. Eventually, the power behind the Malta passport could unlock the gates to new frontiers and possibilities in a progressively connected world. Passport Legacy can guide you through the Malta Citizenship Program from start to finish. Get started today!
We offer a diverse range of Citizenship by Investment programs – Citizenship By Investment Grenada, Citizenship By Investment Malta, Citizenship By Investment Nauru, Citizenship By Investment St. Kittis & Nevis, Citizenship By Investment St. Lucia, Citizenship By Investment Turkey, and Citizenship By Investment Vanuatu.
We provide Residence by Investment programs in sought-after destinations such as – Residence By Investment Canada, Residence By Investment Portugal, Residence By Investment Greece, Residence By Investment Cyprus, Residence By Investment Hungary, Residence By Investment Latvia, Residence By Investment Switzerland, Residence By Investment Thailand, Residence By Investment UAE, Residence By Investment United Kingdom, Residence By Investment USA.
Invest in your future with Passport Legacy and unlock a world of possibilities. Connect with one of our client advisors today to book a private consultation and discover bespoke residence and citizenship by investment solutions that cater to your unique needs.
Know more about Passport Legacy through our blogs
