Sao Tome and Principe entry requirements, by passport
Sao Tome and Principe visa requirements at a glance: 58 of the 198 passports VisaRadar tracks can enter Sao Tome and Principe without arranging a visa beforehand: visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an electronic travel authorisation. The other 140 must obtain a visa before they travel.
Which passport do you hold?
We'll take you straight to the entry requirements for Sao Tome and Principe for your nationality.
What we've verified for Sao Tome and Principe
Beyond the yes/no matrix, we've checked these against an official primary source (last checked 3 October 2026). The specifics depend on your nationality: open your passport's row in the table for the detail that applies to you.
- Typical processing time
- Required documents (4)
- Required vaccinations
- Customs limits (cash, alcohol, tobacco)
- Overstay penalties
- Stay and transit rules
Sources: exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for São Tomé and Príncipe, updated 1 June 2026: 15 days visa- free, eVisa, passport validity, yellow fever, currency, air safety); smf.st (Migration and Borders Service: eVisa, seven working days, funds, payment at the border); gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sao-tome- and-principe (UK Government: entry fee for British nationals); data.unesco.org (World Heritage List). All checked on 3 October 2026.
This table summarises the exact entry mechanism for every passport we track. The difference between entering visa-free, with an electronic authorisation, with an e-Visa, or with a traditional visa is explained in visa, e-Visa, and electronic authorisation: what's the difference. How we verify every row before publishing it is on methodology.
Base entry rules refreshed 12 October 2026. Published: 3 October 2026.
| Passport | Requirement | Max. stay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | ||
| Andorra | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Angola | Visa-free | — |
| Austria | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Brazil | Visa-free | — |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Canada | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Cape Verde | Visa-free | — |
| China | Visa on arrival | — |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Cyprus | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Czech Republic | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Equatorial Guinea | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Estonia | Visa-free | — |
| Finland | Visa-free | 15 days |
| France | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Gabon | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Germany | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Ghana | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Greece | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Guinea-Bissau | Visa-free | — |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Japan | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Kuwait | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Latvia | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Liechtenstein | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Lithuania | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Luxembourg | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Malta | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Monaco | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Morocco | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Mozambique | Visa-free | — |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Norway | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Poland | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Qatar | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Romania | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Russia | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Rwanda | Visa-free | 15 days |
| San Marino | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Slovakia | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Slovenia | Visa-free | 15 days |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Spain | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Timor-Leste | Visa-free | — |
| Togo | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Turkey | Visa-free | 15 days |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 15 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 15 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Vatican | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Visa required | ||
| Afghanistan | e-Visa | — |
| Albania | e-Visa | — |
| Algeria | e-Visa | — |
| Antigua and Barbuda | e-Visa | — |
| Argentina | e-Visa | — |
| Armenia | e-Visa | — |
| Australia | e-Visa | — |
| Azerbaijan | e-Visa | — |
| Bahamas | e-Visa | — |
| Bahrain | e-Visa | — |
| Bangladesh | e-Visa | — |
| Barbados | e-Visa | — |
| Belarus | e-Visa | — |
| Belize | e-Visa | — |
| Benin | e-Visa | — |
| Bhutan | e-Visa | — |
| Bolivia | e-Visa | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | e-Visa | — |
| Botswana | e-Visa | — |
| Brunei | e-Visa | — |
| Burkina Faso | e-Visa | — |
| Burundi | e-Visa | — |
| Cambodia | e-Visa | — |
| Cameroon | e-Visa | — |
| Central African Republic | e-Visa | — |
| Chad | e-Visa | — |
| Chile | e-Visa | — |
| Colombia | e-Visa | — |
| Comoros | e-Visa | — |
| Costa Rica | e-Visa | — |
| Cuba | e-Visa | — |
| Djibouti | e-Visa | — |
| Dominica | e-Visa | — |
| Dominican Republic | e-Visa | — |
| DR Congo | e-Visa | — |
| Ecuador | e-Visa | — |
| Egypt | e-Visa | — |
| El Salvador | e-Visa | — |
| Eritrea | e-Visa | — |
| Eswatini | e-Visa | — |
| Ethiopia | e-Visa | — |
| Fiji | e-Visa | — |
| Gambia | e-Visa | — |
| Georgia | e-Visa | — |
| Grenada | e-Visa | — |
| Guatemala | e-Visa | — |
| Guinea | e-Visa | — |
| Guyana | e-Visa | — |
| Haiti | e-Visa | — |
| Honduras | e-Visa | — |
| Hong Kong | e-Visa | — |
| India | e-Visa | — |
| Indonesia | e-Visa | — |
| Iran | e-Visa | — |
| Iraq | e-Visa | — |
| Israel | e-Visa | — |
| Ivory Coast | e-Visa | — |
| Jamaica | e-Visa | — |
| Jordan | e-Visa | — |
| Kazakhstan | e-Visa | — |
| Kenya | e-Visa | — |
| Kiribati | e-Visa | — |
| Kosovo | e-Visa | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | e-Visa | — |
| Laos | e-Visa | — |
| Lebanon | e-Visa | — |
| Lesotho | e-Visa | — |
| Liberia | e-Visa | — |
| Libya | e-Visa | — |
| Macao | e-Visa | — |
| Madagascar | e-Visa | — |
| Malawi | e-Visa | — |
| Malaysia | e-Visa | — |
| Maldives | e-Visa | — |
| Mali | e-Visa | — |
| Marshall Islands | e-Visa | — |
| Mauritania | e-Visa | — |
| Mauritius | e-Visa | — |
| Mexico | e-Visa | — |
| Micronesia | e-Visa | — |
| Moldova | e-Visa | — |
| Mongolia | e-Visa | — |
| Montenegro | e-Visa | — |
| Myanmar | e-Visa | — |
| Namibia | e-Visa | — |
| Nauru | e-Visa | — |
| Nepal | e-Visa | — |
| New Zealand | e-Visa | — |
| Nicaragua | e-Visa | — |
| Niger | e-Visa | — |
| Nigeria | e-Visa | — |
| North Korea | e-Visa | — |
| North Macedonia | e-Visa | — |
| Oman | e-Visa | — |
| Pakistan | e-Visa | — |
| Palau | e-Visa | — |
| Palestine | e-Visa | — |
| Panama | e-Visa | — |
| Papua New Guinea | e-Visa | — |
| Paraguay | e-Visa | — |
| Peru | e-Visa | — |
| Philippines | e-Visa | — |
| Republic of the Congo | e-Visa | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | e-Visa | — |
| Saint Lucia | e-Visa | — |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | e-Visa | — |
| Samoa | e-Visa | — |
| Saudi Arabia | e-Visa | — |
| Senegal | e-Visa | — |
| Serbia | e-Visa | — |
| Seychelles | e-Visa | — |
| Sierra Leone | e-Visa | — |
| Singapore | e-Visa | — |
| Solomon Islands | e-Visa | — |
| Somalia | e-Visa | — |
| South Africa | e-Visa | — |
| South Sudan | e-Visa | — |
| Sri Lanka | e-Visa | — |
| Sudan | e-Visa | — |
| Suriname | e-Visa | — |
| Syria | e-Visa | — |
| Taiwan | e-Visa | — |
| Tajikistan | e-Visa | — |
| Tanzania | e-Visa | — |
| Thailand | e-Visa | — |
| Tonga | e-Visa | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | e-Visa | — |
| Tunisia | e-Visa | — |
| Turkmenistan | e-Visa | — |
| Tuvalu | e-Visa | — |
| Uganda | e-Visa | — |
| Ukraine | e-Visa | — |
| Uruguay | e-Visa | — |
| Uzbekistan | e-Visa | — |
| Vanuatu | e-Visa | — |
| Venezuela | e-Visa | — |
| Vietnam | e-Visa | — |
| Yemen | e-Visa | — |
| Zambia | e-Visa | — |
| Zimbabwe | e-Visa | — |
Sao Tome and Principe rules for every passport
Vaccinations, customs limits and penalties are the same for every traveller.
Vaccinations
- Yellow fever: travellers on direct flights from Europe are exempt. It is required from those coming from other African countries or risk countries, with the vaccine given at least 10 days before entry.
Customs limits
- Cash
- The euro is the most widely accepted currency and the new dobra has a fixed rate to it: 1 euro = 24.5 dobras. There are few ATMs and cards are hardly accepted.
Overstay penalties
The penalty for staying longer than authorised could not be confirmed against an official São Tomé source.
Grounds for refusal
- Being unable to show 100 euros per day of stay at the border.
- Having no return ticket.
- Not carrying the yellow fever certificate when arriving from another African country.
Travel insurance
Each destination decides whether to require insurance, and some check it at the border. If yours does, make sure the policy covers the whole trip.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.
This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Do you need a different visa for São Tomé, Santo António, or Neves?
No. Sao Tome and Principe sets the requirements, so entering through São Tomé asks for the same as entering through Santo António or Neves. If you're arriving overland or through a small border post, check that separately: some countries apply their own rules to specific crossings.
What does change is where you file the application when a visa is needed, and that depends on the country you live in rather than the city you're travelling to.
What draws travellers to Sao Tome and Principe
The Roças of São Tomé and Príncipe joined the World Heritage List in 2026. They are six Portuguese colonial coffee and cocoa plantations (Monte Café, Agua Izé, Diogo Vaz, São João, Sundy and Belo Monte), with their land, industrial buildings and housing, and they tell of a system built on forced migration and labour from the late 19th century. Spain's Foreign Ministry describes the country as usually calm with no particularly dangerous areas, but asks travellers not to walk alone at night and to take care on beaches, where there have been robberies and sexual assaults. Malaria risk is high nationwide.
Sources for this section: data.unesco.org (World Heritage List: The Roças of Sao Tome and Principe, 2026); Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel advice for São Tomé and Príncipe. Accessed 3 October 2026.
Things to see and do in Sao Tome and Principe
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Seeing the featured activities here needs advertising cookies. In the meantime, you can open them directly:
Browse activities on GetYourGuide →This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where can Sao Tome and Principe passport holders travel visa-free? →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.