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South Africa
Sao Tome and PrincipeSouth AfricaNo visa needed

Do citizens of Sao Tome and Principe need a visa for South Africa?

Citizens of Sao Tome and Principe don’t need a visa for South Africa and can stay up to 90 days. You need a valid passport; border officers may ask for a return ticket and accommodation. For a longer stay you need a visa or an extension.

For citizens of Sao Tome and Principe: the passport opens 28 countries visa-free; São Tomé — Pretoria: ≈ 3,700 km, about 5 hours of flying.

Checked by visa analyst Albert Brown, 13 years of experience · September 26, 2026

At a glance

No visa needed

Stay: 90 days

Can I travel to South Africa without a visa on a Sao Tome and Principe passport?

Yes, citizens of Sao Tome and Principe don’t need a visa for South Africa for up to 90 days. A valid passport is enough.

South Africa visa rules at a glance

  • With a Sao Tome and Principe passport you can visit 28 countries visa-free, 29 with a visa on arrival and 45 with an e-visa; 96 more require an embassy visa.
  • By the number of visa-free destinations, the Sao Tome and Principe passport ranks 150th of 199.
  • Sao Tome and Principe passport: visa-free access to 28 countries; South Africa passport: 60.
  • Citizens of Sao Tome and Principe and South Africa can travel together visa-free to 26 countries, for example: Benin, Ghana, Angola, Rwanda, Zambia, Gambia, Kenya, Palestine, Seychelles, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Haiti, Bahamas, and Ecuador.
  • Citizens of South Africa, in turn, need an e-visa to travel to Sao Tome and Principe. Sao Tome and Principe visa for citizens of South Africa

Travelling to South Africa: good to know

  • São Tomé — Pretoria: about 3,700 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 5 hours.
  • Time difference with your country’s capital: +2 hours.
  • Local time: São Tomé 12:00 — Pretoria 14:00.
  • Local currency: South African Rand.
  • Languages: Afrikaans, English, South Ndebele, and Northern Sotho.
  • Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ ZAR 16.
  • South Africa is the 39th closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of Sao Tome and Principe.
Sao Tome and Principe → South Africa

Combine your trip

Neighbouring countries and their visa rules for citizens of Sao Tome and Principe:

How citizens of neighbouring countries travel to South Africa

Visa rules for South Africa for citizens of countries bordering Sao Tome and Principe:

Frequently asked questions

How long is the flight: São Tomé — Pretoria?

About 5 hours on a direct flight: the capitals are roughly 3,700 km apart. With a connection it takes longer.

What is the time difference with South Africa?

Time difference with your country’s capital: +2 hours.

Do citizens of South Africa need a visa for Sao Tome and Principe?

Citizens of South Africa, in turn, need an e-visa to travel to Sao Tome and Principe.

The cheapest e-visas for citizens of Sao Tome and Principe

More destinations for citizens of Sao Tome and Principe

Where you can travel with a passport of: Sao Tome and Principe

Facts checked: · Government fees