Sao Tome and Principe visas
Whether you need a visa for São Tomé and Príncipe depends on your nationality and the purpose and length of your visit: many travellers are exempt for short stays, others apply online for an entry authorisation (e-Visa), and longer stays for work, study, family or residence require a residence permit. Immigration is administered by the Serviço de Migração e Fronteiras (SMF), the national Migration and Border Service, which runs the official e-Visa (eVisaST) and e-Cidadão residence platforms. Always confirm the current rules for your nationality directly with the SMF before you travel.
São Toméan visa categories
Explore visa categories by the purpose of your trip.
- Visitor & short-stay visasShort stays in Sao Tome and Principe — tourism, visiting family or friends, business visits and transit, plus any visa-free or e-visa options.4 visas
- Work visasComing to Sao Tome and Principe to work — the employment and skilled-worker routes and the permits they require.1 visa
- Study visasStudying in Sao Tome and Principe — student visas and permits for accepted students.1 visa
- Family visasJoining or sponsoring a partner, child or other relative in Sao Tome and Principe.1 visa
- Business & investor visasInvesting, doing business or coming to Sao Tome and Principe as a highly skilled individual.1 visa
- Residence & citizenshipLiving in Sao Tome and Principe long term — residence routes and, where available, the path to citizenship.2 visas
São Toméan visa application at a glance
From start to finish in five simple steps.
- 01Choose the right visa
- 02Check eligibility & documents
- 03Apply online
- 04Provide biometrics
- 05Wait for a decision
Sao Tome and Principe Visa
Visitors to So Tomé and Prncipe must get a visa before to arrival, either online or via one of the countrys diplomatic offices. Unless they come from one of the visa-exempt nations, all visitors are required to obtain a visa.
Who needs a visa to visit Sao Tome & Principe?
The visa upon arrival permits a 15-day stay in the country. This is a visa for tourists entering the island nation. According to the current guidelines, only Chinese citizens can apply for a visa on arrival in Sao Tome and Principe.
Entry into Sao Tome and Principe
Travellers who are fully vaccinated may enter Sao Tomé and Principe without quarantine or a negative test result. Non-immunized travellers must submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result acquired within 72 hours prior to departure. Those who arrive unvaccinated and lack a negative PCR test result may be subject to quarantine. Children under the age of three are exempt from these entrance restrictions, providing their accompanying parent or guardian is fully vaccinated or possesses a negative test result acquired within 72 hours before to travel.
Eligibility / Criteria to apply for a Sao Tome & Principe Visa
The following are the requirements:
- Possess a passport valid for at least six months upon entry, with at least one visa page remaining blank.
- Maintain evidence of sufficient funds.
- Hold documentation of your onward and return flights.
- Hold all necessary travel paperwork for your future destination.
Who Can Visit Sao Tome & Principe Without a Visa?
Here is the list of countries that do not require a visa for citizens of Sao Tome and Principe.
- Bahamas
- Benin
- Bermuda
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Dominicana
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Gambia
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Kosovo
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- Panama
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Singapore
- South Africa
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines If you are part of one of these countries, you can travel without a visa.
What To Do If Your Sao Tome & Principe Visa is Refused
You have the right to contest this verdict. The embassy of the Member State that opted to deny the visa distributes a standard form to notify the applicant of the decision to deny a Schengen visa and the reasons for the suspension.
Sao Tome and Principe — key facts
- Visa authority
- Serviço de Migração e Fronteiras (SMF) — Migration and Border Service
- Application
- Online (in most cases)
- Biometrics
- Usually required
- Currency
- São Tomé and Príncipe dobra (STN)
- Time zone
- Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+00:00)
São Toméan visas — people also ask
Sao Tome & Principe may be visited year-round, but our favourite months are February, August, and December, when the weather is warm, scuba and snorkelling conditions are ideal, and the trekking paths through the beautiful rainforests are clear.
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.