Visa-free countries with a Sao Tome and Principe passport in 2026
59 destinations without a prior visa, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, Kenya and some Caribbean islands. Schengen, the UK, the USA, Canada and Russia require a visa.
In short
A Sao Tome and Principe passport gives entry without a prior visa to 59 of 227 countries and territories: Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, Kenya, Panama, Costa Rica and the Bahamas, with a visa on arrival in Egypt, Jordan and the Maldives. Schengen, the UK, the USA, Canada, Russia, China and Japan require a visa.
| Without a prior visa | 59 of 227: 27 visa-free, 29 on arrival, 3 with an electronic travel authorisation |
|---|---|
| Visa needed in advance | 167, of which 43 by e-visa |
| Schengen and the UK | Schengen area - visa required, United Kingdom - e-visa |
| USA and Canada | USA - visa required, Canada - visa required |
| How to get it | citizenship for a contribution from $90,000, about 6 months |
| Checked | October 2026 |
A Sao Tome and Principe passport opens 59 of 227 destinations without a prior visa: 27 fully visa-free, 29 with a visa on arrival and 3 with an electronic travel authorisation. By destination count it is one of the weakest passports sold for a contribution, but also one of the cheapest.
The programme has run since August 2025, and the first passport was issued in January 2026. It is not a passport for travel to Europe, the UK or North America: its value lies in Asia, Africa and Central America, and in a backup citizenship if your main passport causes difficulties.
We will calculate online the full cost for your family: the contribution, fees for each member and due diligence.
Where you can go visa-free with a Sao Tome and Principe passport
Entry regimes differ in how much preparation the trip needs. Visa-free means the passport is enough and the permitted stay is set at the border. A visa on arrival means a fee and a stamp at the airport or checkpoint. An electronic travel authorisation is a short online form and fee before departure. An e-visa is also online but involves a check and a consular decision. A regular visa means a form, documents, often a personal visit to the consulate and waiting for a decision.
| Region | Visa-free or with an electronic authorisation | Visa on arrival or e-visa | Visa needed in advance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | - | United Kingdom, Moldova, Turkey, Albania | Schengen area, Ireland, Cyprus, Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia |
| Caucasus and Central Asia | - | Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan | Armenia, Uzbekistan |
| Asia | Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines | Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Maldives | China, Japan, South Korea, India |
| Middle East and Africa | South Africa, Kenya | UAE, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Tanzania | Israel, Saudi Arabia, Morocco |
| Americas | Panama | Colombia | USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Uruguay |
| Oceania | - | - | Australia, New Zealand |
The passport is strongest in Asia, southern and eastern Africa and Central America: Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Angola, the Gambia, Togo, Benin, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Suriname, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Kosovo are visa-free. Egypt, Jordan, the Maldives, Mauritius, Cambodia, Nepal, Tanzania and Mozambique give a visa on arrival. Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Ghana need an electronic travel authorisation, and Turkey, the UAE, Georgia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Colombia and the UK an e-visa. It is weak for Schengen, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and almost all of South America, which require a visa in advance.
The table shows the main destinations for travel, living and business, not all 227 countries and territories. An electronic travel authorisation is issued online within minutes or days; an e-visa is also applied for online, but it is a separate consular decision. Entry rules change several times a year: check with an expert for your trip.
Schengen, the UK, the USA and Canada
Schengen. A Schengen visa is required, issued by the consulate or visa centre of the country you travel to.
United Kingdom. A visa is required; you apply online and give biometrics at a visa centre.
USA. A visa is required after a consular interview. Sao Tome and Principe is not on the US entry restriction lists in force from 1 January 2026.
Canada. A visa is required, issued at a visa centre with biometrics.
Russia and Asia. Russia, China and Japan require a visa; Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines do not.
What else a Sao Tome and Principe passport gives
The Portuguese-speaking world. Sao Tome and Principe is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, and Portuguese is the official language.
Dual citizenship. The country allows dual citizenship, so you keep your existing passport.
Family. The application can include a spouse, children, parents and grandparents: a family of up to 4 fits within the $95,000 contribution, and each additional member adds $5,000.
Taxes. The passport does not make you a tax resident of Sao Tome and Principe: taxes depend on where you live, not on citizenship.
How to get a Sao Tome and Principe passport
A Sao Tome and Principe passport is granted for a non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund: from $90,000 for one applicant and $95,000 for a family of up to 4, plus a $5,000 fee. A decision takes 1.5-2 months and the whole path to a passport about 6 months. You do not need to live in the country or speak Portuguese.
Applications go only through a licensed programme agent, and every applicant aged 16 and over is checked. The family total is in our article on how much Sao Tome and Principe citizenship costs.
Requirements, timelines and documents are on the page Sao Tome and Principe citizenship.
A $90,000 passport, but Schengen and the USA stay visa-only
You cannot apply for Sao Tome and Principe citizenship on your own: applications are accepted only through a licensed programme agent. But even with an agent, mistakes cost more than the contribution: a passport that does not solve your travel needs, a source of funds without documents, a relative left out of the application in time. We match your routes against entry rules, prepare source-of-funds documents and handle the application up to the passport.
The cost of support depends on your family; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
This topic in other countries
Visa-free travel with other passports:
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- Visa-free countries with a Serbian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Romanian passport in 2026
- Visa-free countries with a Bulgarian passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a Moldovan passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with an Armenian passport in 2026
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- Where you can travel visa-free with a Greek passport in 2026
- Where you can travel visa-free with a Latvian passport in 2026
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- Visa-free countries with a Nauru passport in 2026
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More on this country:
Compare passports of different countries in our 2026 passport overview.
FAQ
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