São Tomé Citizenship by Investment: The New Frontier for North American Investors

Overview of the São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Program

Today, we are proud to present the Sao Tome CBI program, an option that stands out for its simplicity, straightforwardness, and accessibility. Of all the countries involved in the CBI industry today, this small island right off the shore of Africa might be the most underrated, yet it may constitute the right solution, especially for families.

Benefits of São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship

Enhanced mobility 

With a second passport, perpetual travelers, business people, and investors can travel to several countries to conduct business studies or simply visit. Since Sao Tome is a former Portuguese colony, it maintains close ties to Portugal and the Latin American giant, Brazil. This makes it a CPLP member (Community of Portuguese Language Countries), providing easier entries to Portuguese-speaking countries and friendlier conditions when it comes to residency and naturalization. Other countries/regions that become more accessible for visits are Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Qatar.

Investment Safety

Probably the safest investment is the one that doesn't exist. Since the Sao Tome program doesn't include an investment, the applicant shouldn't have to worry about returns or the funds’ safety.

Contributions will be made to a national fund destined to develop social projects, as we will explain further.

Dual Citizenship Allowed

Those who are not ready to relinquish their previous nationality can apply to the CBI program in São Tomé free of worries, as the island country allows dual nationality. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best advantages offered by CBI schemes. 

Fast Application Processing

Once all the documents are duly gathered and submitted, the applicant can expect to have his/her nationality in as little as two months. This is a competitive advantage when we compare it with its counterparts in the Caribbean, where many nations are still dealing with backlogs. 

Confidentiality

Applicants will find their data treated with maximum confidentiality, according to the local law and international standards.

Most affordable program

The program itself is the most affordable in the world, even when compared to the Caribbean, Turkey, and Vanuatu. The main requirement is a contribution of $90,000 to the national transformation fund. To this, the applicant must add a $5000 application fee and a document fee of $750*.

* Disclaimer: the information, the fees, and the numbers provided in this article may be outdated at the time of reading and must be confirmed with certified professionals. The herein published fees don't include legal fees or costs.

Ideal for large families

While for a single applicant the donation starts at $90,000, you can add three more people by throwing in an extra 5000. For a family of four, the minimum donation is $95,000, and the requirement for adding additional dependents is $5000. This means that, for a family of five, the contribution will be $100,000, and for a family of six, it will be $105,000, which is far less than what you get in the Caribbean. 

Investment Options for Citizenship: Sao Tome vs Similar Programs

The typical CBI approach encompasses one to four different entries. In general, applicants can choose between an investment or a non-refundable contribution. This is a general rule that has some exceptions, as we can see in the following list. 

• Sao Tome CBI (government contribution)
• Vanuatu (government contribution)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis (real estate/government contribution/public benefit option)
• Grenada (Real estate/government contribution)
• Antigua and Barbuda (real estate/government contribution)
• Dominica (real estate/government contribution)
• Saint Lucia (real estate/government contribution/government bonds) 
• Panama Residency (real estate/stocks/fixed deposit/reforestation)
• Greece Golden Visa (real estate)
• Portugal Golden Visa (Investment in business)
• US EB5 Visa (Investment in business)

To sum up, the island countries of Vanuatu and São Tomé are the only ones offering only a donation option, thus proposing a simpler and more affordable path. 

Non-refundable Contribution

As we can see in the decree 07/2025, the only way to Sao Tome nationality is through a government contribution. It reads “Regulamentação da Nacionalidade por Investimento ou Doação” which means “Regulation of nationality by investment or donation”.

Thus, the applicant donates an estimated amount (see above) to the country's national fund. It may be called in different ways (In São Tomé, it’s “national transformation fund”), but it all comes down to the applicant making a donation that will be used for the nation. With Sao Tome’s CBI, the funds are destined to renewable energy initiatives, education, the development of eco-tourism, and general infrastructure.

Family Inclusion

Applicants can include the following family members: Spouse, the facto partner, children up to 30 years of age, parents from 55 years of age, grandparents from 55 years of age, and newborn children. 

Additional Costs

Adding each of the above will entail additional costs of 5,000 dollars for children, parents and grandparents, 10,000 USD for the spouse, and 500USD for newborns.

Eligibility Requirements

One of the best advantages is the absence of banned nations. Any person in the world can apply to São Tomé’s CBI except for North Koreans. Nevertheless, the only reason for this is that the Sao Tomean government can't perform due diligence because the reports of the country are locked, and not because of a specific ban.

More information about citizenship

Application Process

Step 1: Initial Submission

The initial submission will be through Mundo. Our experts will discuss the goals together with the applicant and provide a preliminary assessment of the case. 

Step 2: Collecting the Documents

With the help of your Mundo expert, you will collect all the information, documents and fill out all the forms. This includes certifying, translating, and apostilling if necessary. 

Step 3: Submit the documents

Your Mundo expert will submit the documents to the corresponding unit.

Step 4: Due diligence

The unit will carry out due diligence in order to ensure that the applicant has impeccable character, no criminal record, and that all information provided is correct and true. 

Step 5: approval

The applicant will be either rejected or approved. If approved, the applicants will receive an approval letter and can proceed with issuing the passport. 

Reasons for rejections

If the funds come from legal sources and you can prove it, and if you have no diseases or criminal records, there are no reasons for rejection, unless you lie in the application. If any untrue information is provided, it will be evident during the due diligence process, and the application will likely be rejected. 

Contact our experts

Timeline for Citizenship Approval

• Talk to your Mundo expert: 2-3 days
• Collect the documents: 1-3 weeks (depends on the applicant and the case)
• Submit the application: 2-3 days
• Due diligence: 2 months
• Approval: Two months after submitting the application and documentation

São Tomé vs Other Programs 

Before moving on to the FAQ section of this article, here is a useful chart to compare São Tomé with other alternatives of its kind. We don’t add spouses and children because it is understood that all programs include them.

*All numbers and info must be confirmed with certified professionals and don’t include costs and fees. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum investment required?

The minimum donation requirement is $90,000 for a single applicant. 

How long does it take to obtain citizenship?

Two months after the application has been submitted.

What family members can be included in the application?

Spouse, the facto partner, children up to 30 years of age, parents, and grandparents from 55 years. They all have to be financially dependent on the main applicant and unmarried. 

Is there a minimum stay requirement?

No. 

Are there any restricted nationalities?

No nationalities are restricted except for North Koreans, as the government can't apply due diligence. 

Final thoughts: Sao Tome’s program as an outstanding opportunity for Americans

By reading this article, we can conclude that the African country’s program has been underrated. When compared to the Caribbean and even the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, we can clearly see its advantages in terms of flexibility, affordability, and accessibility. 

Luckily, the Mundo team can help you obtain CBI in this African island that awaits in the heart of the Gulf of Guinea. 

Write to us and start the process now