UPDATE: We Are Now Officially Licensed Agents.
After in-depth due diligence and direct engagement with the Citizenship Unit, The Wandering Investor is proud to be a fully licensed agent for the São Tomé and Príncipe CBI program. We process applications directly through official channels with no added third-party fees. Contact us for personalized guidance and fast-track assistance.
The tiny island nation of São Tomé and Principe has launched a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, the cheapest in the world! Find out how to apply on our São Tomé and Príncipe CBI application page.
Table of Contents
How Much Does São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Cost?
The São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment program is now by far the cheapest CBI, taking the spot from the Vanuatu CBI.
Below is the official launch pricing for the donation-based route:
| Application Type | Minimum Contribution | Fee | Total Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Applicant | $90,000 | $5,000 | $95,000 |
| Family of Four | $95,000 | $5,000 | $100,000 |
| Each additional dependent | $5,000 | – | +$5,000 per person |
Dependents include children under the age of 30 and parents over the age of 55.
Where is São Tomé and Príncipe?
São Tomé & Príncipe is mainly composed of two islands, in the Gulf of Guinea, between West and Central Africa. It has a population of less than 250,000 souls and lives off agricultural exports, some tourism (flights to Lisbon) and has the potential for large oil & gas discoveries but there has barely been any exploration yet.
My only experience with São Tomé & Príncipe was having booked a flight there 10 years ago from Ghana where I was working but then having to cancel due to work overload.
Importantly, it is a Lusophone country and member of the CPLP, which means easier immigration to, and faster citizenship in Portugal and Brazil.
However, while Sierra Leone’s CBI grants new citizens market access to the ECOWAS community of 430 million West Africans, the São Tomé CBI really only gives market access to São Tomé.
Who is the São Tomé and Príncipe CBI Program For?
As an initial assessment, I see this program having utility for:
- People who just want any passport as a plan B
- People from developing countries looking for a trampoline into Portugal and Brazil
Key Benefits of São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship Explained (Video)
In the video below I explain the key advantages of this program.
- World’s most affordable CBI program
- Ideal for obtaining any second passport quickly and cheaply
- Extremely low family pricing
- Preferential access to the CPLP (Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries)
- Faster route to citizenship in Portugal or Brazil
- Lowest entry barrier into second passports
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the São Tomé and Príncipe CBI program legitimate in 2026?
Yes! Launched in 2025 with many applications and approvals already processed. As licensed agents, we work directly with the São Tomé and Príncipe CBI Citizenship Unit. For full details and proof, see our São Tomé and Príncipe CBI application page→
What is the minimum cost for a single applicant?
$90,000 donation + $5,000 submission fee. Family options start at $95,000 for up to 4. Check current fees and extras on our application page FAQ →
How long does processing take?
Typically 6–8 weeks (some approvals faster in 2026). No residency or interview required. More on timelines in our full FAQ →
Can I include family members?
Yes, spouse, children under 30, parents over 55, and now unmarried couples (recent update). See eligibility details in the application FAQ →.
Ready to apply?
Following thorough due diligence and direct collaboration with the Citizenship Unit, The Wandering Investor is now a fully licensed agent for the São Tomé and Príncipe CBI program. We handle applications directly through official channels, with no added fees beyond government contributions. As official licensed agents, we offer free consultations with no added fees. Visit our São Tomé CBI application page for the complete FAQ, required documents, and to get started.
Do let us know if we should keep you posted. We will always be ahead of the curve when it comes to opportunities in Africa.
On a personal note I am sitting in Miami airport waiting for our flight to Europe. I hadn’t been back to the US for quite a few years, and it’s always nice to be back for a bit. It’s now time to go enjoy the second half Summer in Europe.
To a World of Opportunities,
The Wandering Investor.
Ways to get Golden Visas and Citizenships by Investment:
- Fastest way to get Permanent Residency in Malta
- Be careful when you buy a passport in the Caribbean
- Best Deal for the Citizenship by Investment in Turkey
- Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
- Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment
- St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment
- Citizenship by Investment in Egypt
- Vanuatu or Caribbean passport? Which to choose, and why?
- How to get Residency / a Golden Visa in Italy
- Nauru Citizenship by Investment
- Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment
- Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment
- El Salvador Freedom Passport by Investment
- Hungarian Golden Visa
- Greek Golden Visa
- São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Program
- Romanian Citizenship by Descent Fraud and How to Avoid Getting Caught in Citizenship Scams
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Transcript of “World’s Cheapest CBI Launched”
LADISLAS MAURICE: Exciting news from São Tomé, the small country off the coast of West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea, they are launching the world’s most affordable citizenship by investment program. We’re talking $90,000 for a single applicant, plus fees, or $95,000 for a family of four, plus fees, and each extra dependent is $5,000. Extremely attractive from a price point of view. It is way more affordable than the now second most affordable CBI, which is Vanuatu.
For people who just want a second passport, any second passport, and this is the market that they’re targeting, São Tomé is now the go-to destination. Obviously, it’s a poor travel document, you don’t buy it for the travel privileges.
São Tomé and Principe access to CPLP community
Having said this, because it is a former Portuguese colony, it is part of the CPLP Agreement, which means that, as a citizen of São Tomé, you have preferential immigration access to Portugal, to Brazil, and to other former Portuguese colonies in Africa. If you want faster citizenship in Portugal, or in Brazil, then applying through your São Tomé citizenship would help you gain a few years.
From that point of view, it’s actually quite interesting. But otherwise, it’s important to remember that it’s a tiny country of 250,000 people. There isn’t really much going on there. It exports mostly agriculture, it exports a little bit of tourism, there are daily flights to Lisbon. And there’s the potential for big oil and gas reserves off the coast, because it’s in the middle of the Gulf of Guinea, which is packed with natural resources, but there just hasn’t been much exploration in its waters.
São Tomé CBI vs. Sierra Leone CBI
I think one of the main questions people have is, does this kill the Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment program, which is priced at $140,000, and then $10,000 per dependent? The reality is no. Why? Because one of the main selling points of the Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment program is the fact that it gives you access to ECOWAS. ECOWAS is a bit like the European Union of West Africa, but a lot weaker, but you can still, as an ECOWAS citizen, easily move to the other countries. This means that with a Sierra Leonian citizenship, you don’t just have the right to live in Sierra Leone, a country of 8.5 million people, which is more than 250,000 people, but you can also live in the rest of West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, which are all relatively large economies. All together, ECOWAS has 430 million people.
From a business point of view, from an access point of view for you and your future generations, a Sierra Leonian passport is, obviously, a lot superior to São Tomé. This being said, São Tomé does have its advantages. One, it’s a lot more affordable, it gets your foot in the door in the world of second passports, and then you have easier access and faster citizenship in Portugal and Brazil. The two are very different. Will there be a little bit of cannibalization? For sure, but expect it to be minimal, ultimately.
How to apply to São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship by investment program
Does São Tomé allow crypto payments like Sierra Leone? We don’t know yet. Does São Tomé allow name changes and remote bank account openings like Sierra Leone? We don’t know yet. We’re busy gathering all that information from the citizenship unit. In any case, we will be licensed agents for this program. There’s a link below. And as we get the information, it’s going to be updated. If you’re interested in this program, we can help you. If you’re interested in the Sierra Leonian Citizenship by Investment program, we can also help you. We are licensed agents for this.
African passports to access Africa’s bright future
And we, increasingly, help people as well invest in Africa. I lived on the continent for most of my twenties. I see the potential, long-term, for Africa. I see a growth story that is completely different in Africa compared to the rest of the world, which is going into gradual demographic decline, but Africa is still seeing a nice demographic surge, and this will be an important part of any investors’ core diversification for the decades ahead. All the links are below.
