For a foreign employee with a proposed employment contract and a favourable opinion from the Labour Ministry.
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe sits in Middle Africa. Its immigration system runs 15 distinct routes — led by study, talent & merit and short stay & visit, each set out in official law. 14 of them cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 15across 11 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 14 of 15cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Study3 of the 15 routes — see them under Study below
- Region
- Middle Africa
- Capital
- São Tomé
- Population
- 240,254
- Official language
- Portuguese
- Currency
- STN
- Time zone
- UTC
Immigration routes
All 15 routes, grouped by purpose — 14 of 15 cite an official government source directly. Any route below without one says so on the route.
Work
1 route
Business & self-employment
1 route
For a foreign national who has made a foreign investment or has sufficient funds and legal capacity to begin an independent professional activity.
Talent & merit
2 routes
For a foreign national with an offer to perform a compatible highly qualified activity and means to fund departure if stay becomes irregular.
For a foreign researcher linked to an officially recognised research centre.
Study
3 routes
For a foreign student admitted to higher education in Sao Tome and Principe.
For a foreign secondary-school student accepted under a recognised exchange programme and placed with an approved host family.
For a foreign national accepted as an unpaid intern by an officially recognised company or vocational-training body.
Family
1 route
For qualifying family members of a resident who has held a valid residence certificate for at least one year.
Residence-based status
1 route
For a foreign national who has held temporary residence for at least five consecutive years, meets the criminal-record test and knows Portuguese.
Cultural, religious & volunteer
1 route
For a foreign volunteer admitted by an officially recognised organisation responsible for a programme in Sao Tome and Principe.
Short stay & visit
2 routes
For nationals of the CPLP, European Union, United States or Canada, and for other nationals holding a qualifying Schengen or United States visa.
For tourism, cultural travel or another accepted temporary purpose that does not justify a residence visa.
Humanitarian protection
1 route
For a person seeking international protection who is referred to UNHCR because Sao Tome and Principe has no domestic RSD procedure.
Medical treatment
1 route
For a foreign national whose illness requires prolonged medical assistance and prevents return without risk to their health.
Transit
1 route
For a foreign traveller passing through Sao Tome and Principe to a destination where admission is assured.
Official sources
- [NSO] Instituto Nacional de EstatisticasGovernment
See which São Tomé and Príncipe routes you actually qualify for.
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