A guide to citizenship of São Tomé andPríncipe: terms, cost and risks

The government costs for a single applicant are $95 750: a contribution to the National Transformation Fund of $90 000, an application fee of $5 000 and state-issue documents of $750. For a family of two to 4 the contribution is a single $95 000, so a family of four comes to $103 000 in government costs. The BRIDGES GLOBAL fee, translations, the notary and the apostille are paid separately and fixed by the agreement before the start.

That is how the official tariff works: the contribution to the National Transformation Fund for a family of two to 4 is a single $95 000. The only thing charged per person is the state-issue documents at $750. From the fifth person the contribution grows by $5 000 for each.

No. It is a non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund — the country’s state development fund. The application fee of $5 000 is likewise not returned whatever the decision, which is why we assess the chances before filing.

The spouse or de facto partner, children up to 30 — unmarried and financially dependent on the applicant — and parents and grandparents aged 55 and over. Brothers and sisters are not provided for by the programme. We check the right to include a particular relative and the supporting documents before filing.

Neither travel nor residence in the country is required, during the process or after citizenship is obtained: the process is built remotely and the biometrics are taken remotely. We confirm in writing how the biometrics are taken as at the date of filing — the procedure is young and may be adjusted.

The check and the decision take around two months, and another four months or so pass from approval to the issue of the passport. A realistic total is around six months from the date of filing. There is no official processing standard, so we do not promise an exact period: the state authority may request further information and postpone its decision.

No. The passport gives no visa-free entry to the Schengen area, the United Kingdom or the United States. If European visa-free travel is needed right now, the Caribbean programmes are the ones to consider, and we say so at the first consultation. If the task is an accessible second document, access to African markets or the prospect of Portugal, the programme fits.

The CPLP is the Community of Portuguese Language Countries: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Timor-Leste and São Tomé and Príncipe. Portugal grants citizens of CPLP countries naturalisation after 7 years of lawful residence against 10 for other foreigners — that is set by Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026. But the clock runs from a residence permit in Portugal: first you have to obtain a Portuguese residence permit, actually live under it for seven years and pass the language exam. The São Tomé passport shortens the period; it does not replace the move.

That is the validity set in the country: the passport is issued for 7 years, whereas most programmes issue documents for 10. It will have to be replaced more often, with the fee paid each time. The citizenship itself has no expiry, passes to children by descent and needs no renewal.

Yes, the programme allows dual citizenship and there is no need to renounce your current passport. What obtaining a second citizenship entails is determined by the law of your own country, including any duty to notify — we check that separately.

Yes, and they have changed. In 2026 intake was suspended for people holding three or more current citizenships, and separate rules apply to certain countries. No current official list exists in the public domain, so we do not publish a list of countries: we confirm in writing with the authorised agent that the programme is available in your situation before the agreement is signed.

The programme rests on Decreto-Lei n.º 07/2025, has run since August 2025 and issued its first passports in January 2026. No queue and quick procedures are the advantage. The short history and the practice still taking shape are the disadvantage, and we name it plainly. If predictability and a long track record are the priority, it is fairer to compare the programme with the Caribbean ones.

The calculation covers the contribution to the fund, the application fee and the state-issue documents at $750 per person. Paid separately are the BRIDGES GLOBAL fee, bank charges and the transfer of funds, the notary, the apostille and legalisation, translations of documents, police and medical certificates, and courier delivery. Every item is discussed before the agreement, and we do not add charges along the way.

The set depends on where the capital came from. Usually it is the contracts for the sale of a stake or an asset, dividend resolutions and statements, income certificates and tax returns, documents on an inheritance or a gift, bank statements for the period required with explanations of large transactions, a bank reference letter and evidence of the ownership structure of the business. The first consultation takes place without handing over any documents.