São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Unit has published its 1st annual report for the period from September 2025 to September 2026.
Lyle Julien, an investment migration expert at Immigrant Invest, analysed the statistics.
Official statistics
548 citizenship applications were submitted by investors in the 1st year of the programme. Of these, 350 have already been approved, 12 rejected, and another 186 are under review.
117 applicants and their family members have been granted citizenship. At present, 29 passports have been issued.
26 days was the fastest application processing time. On average, a decision was made in 2 months, while the whole process from application submission to obtaining a passport took 4 months.
Lyle Julien,
Investment programmes expert
Around 47% of applications were submitted by families of 2—4 people. Another 43% of applications came from single applicants, and 10% from families of 5—8 people.
Families of 3—4 people became the largest family groups and together accounted for 35% of all applications.
Who obtained citizenship most often
Applications came from citizens and residents of 72 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
5 largest applicant groups:
- China — 159 applications, or 29.01%.
- Russia — 122 applications, or 22.26%.
- Iran — 50 applications, or 9.12%.
- Germany — 28 applications, or 5.11%.
- Stateless persons— 10 applications, or 1.82%.
Another 179 applications, or 32.66%, came from other countries and applicant groups.
Programme attracted more than $9.8 million
Around half of applicants with approved applications have fully paid the investment contribution. The National Transformation Fund received more than $9.8 million.
The fund allocates money to infrastructure and government projects for the long-term development of São Tomé and Príncipe. The investments have already financed the installation of new generators to strengthen the energy system and IT equipment for ministries and other government institutions.
Where do the offices operate?
São Tomé and Príncipe became the first country to place the head office of its citizenship by investment programme abroad.
The Dubai Head Office is responsible for the programme’s international operations: it processes applications, checks applicants and documents, monitors compliance with requirements, and coordinates work with licensed marketing agents.
The São Tomé and Príncipe Head Office interacts with government institutions and national authorities.
How to obtain São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship
The minimum investment is $90,000. The application processing fee is $5,000. Investors make a non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund, which supports projects in renewable energy, education, and infrastructure.
A spouse or partner, children under 18, parents, and grandparents over 55 can be included in the application. You can obtain a São Tomé and Príncipe passport together with Immigrant Invest experts.
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