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.
Processing Time for a Sao Tome and Principe visa
Standard Processing Time: Your document can be obtained in 7 days for $25.00. You can acquire your document in 6 days for $40.00 expedited processing. For a fee of $50.00, you can have your paperwork in 5 days with Super Rush Processing.
Appointment Waiting Times
Appointment waiting times can vary. Please visit the Embassy page to book your appointment.
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.
Visa Options For Sao Tome & Principe
The visa options available are as follows:
E-visa eligibility for Sao Tome and Principe is open to all nationalities and citizens of all countries (visa required). There are currently only two types of E-visa:
- Tourist visa
- Business 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.
People Also Asked...
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.
However, be advised that Sao Tome is not a budget-friendly vacation. It is, in fact, one of the most expensive places I’ve ever visited. Additionally, it is home to some of the finest and most exclusive chocolate and coffee in the world.
The primary tourist attractions in Sao Tome and Principe include beach vacations, scuba diving, trekking on mountain trails or to extinct volcanoes, snorkelling, and fishing. Regardless, obtaining a Sao Tome and Principe visa and travelling there is well worth it. The locals are extremely respectful and considerate of tourists.