Immigration
Visa-light entry with residence permits under the foreign nationals regime
São Tomé and Príncipe operates a liberal entry policy, with visa exemption or visa-on-arrival for many nationalities to support tourism. Residence and work permits are issued by the Serviço de Migração e Fronteiras, and CPLP nationals benefit from facilitated arrangements under the Lusophone community framework.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Serviço de Migração e Fronteiras decides; the courts review.
- Deadline — Short stays commonly up to 15 days visa-free for many nationalities
- Deadline — Residence permit: applied for before expiry of the entry authorisation
Governing law
- Lei de Estrangeiros
- Lei da NacionalidadeLei 6/90
- CPLP Mobility Agreement2021
In practice
The CPLP mobility framework is the meaningful route for Portuguese-speaking nationals, and the country's small administrative capacity means practice is often more permissive than the statutory text suggests.