A summary of VISA application. Information for non-required VISA travellers* as of Sep 2023.
* for instance Japan.
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Considering about length of stay based on VISA conditions
According to information from São Tomé’s embassy, Japanese passport holders do not need a VISA for stays of less than 15 days.
If you meet the above requirements, there is nothing you need to bring when leaving my own country.
However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate (yellow card) is required.
Therefore, I would like to make sure to plan staying within 15 days.
All travellers want to limit your stay to 14 days or less
Please our schedule within 14 days at local.
You will enter Sao Tome from Gabon, but you will often use an airline named “ASKY inc.” (or Kiwi inc., etc.). Even if you purchase the entire itinerary from the Ethiopian Airlines website, the itinerary between “Gabon and Sao Tome” should read something like “ET XXX Operated By ASKY”. The same goes for the “São Tomé island. – Principe island.” route, which will be described later, but this itinerary is quite complicated.
We must keep in mind that there is a high possibility of flight cancellations. My flight from Gabon to Sao Tome was canceled (I was told it was a “Technical Issue” or “Machine Problem”, but the details are a mystery).
Even if the plane doesn’t fly on the 14th day, I think I’ll be able to go the next day. If it exceeds 15 days, you will not be allowed to enter the country under any circumstances, so in the worst case scenario, you will have to sleep at the airport. Online VISA application is expected to take about 12 business days.
So, Use the 15th day as a backup day and plan to leave the country on the 14th day.
However, I would like to add that I feel that ASKY is a decent airline. It was late at night when the flight was canceled, but they hurriedly arranged accommodation in Gabon for me. This may be a problem due to the weather, the age of the aircraft, or the fact that it is a small airline.
Don’t be fooled by uncertain information before leaving your nation
It may be unique to Japan, but the following information is “Consulado Honorário da República Democrática de
São Tomé e Príncipe, Tóquio”.
Due to the current worldwide outbreak of the new coronavirus, there are some things to keep in mind when entering Japan.
If you are planning to travel, please contact us individually so we can provide you with the latest information.
Japanese nationals who intend to visit Japan for up to 15 days are exempt from visa requirements for entry. However, you must have a passport with a validity of at least 3 months. As each institution is not fully informed, we recommend that you print out a certificate issued by our museum and carry it with you.
Thank you for your inquiry.
The government release “Decreenº8 of 2017- on Visa-free 15 days” allows Japanese nationals to stay in Sao Tome for up to 15 days without a visa. If your stay is longer, you will need to apply for an e-visa online, print it out and bring it to São Tomé, and pay the required amount for the visa on arrival.
However, all foreigners must obtain an entry permit (e-Visa Entry Permit), which is basically the same as applying for an online visa.
The name e-Visa is very confusing, but Japanese nationals do not need a visa, but now they have to apply for an entry permit online. This entry permit indicates that your stay in Sao Tome will not exceed 10 days. We also recommend that you bring your return e-ticket with you as proof.
Entry permit and online visa application: http://evisa.st/ or new site http://www.smf.st/evisa/index.php
http://www.smf.st/evisa/index.php#EN-lang
http://www.smf.st/evisa/index.php#content-info-detalhes
Please apply at least 12 business days before your departure date.
It may take some time, so please complete the procedure as soon as possible.
If you are having trouble connecting to this site, please send us an email.
EVISA SAO TOME saotomeevisa@gmail.com <- [note] If you need an online VISA, please contact the local travel agency and coordinator this.
This is the standard email that they usually send :
The processing fee for a Tourism Visa (up to 30 days) is 28 euro per applicant.
In order to finalize our service, we need the following (if not sent already):
-Payment of service (see Paypal link: https://paypal.me/saotomeevisa?locale.x=en_US)
-Copy of Flight ticket (or pre-booking)
-Copy of Hotel reservation (day of arrival in São Tomé)
-Copy of Passport (of applicants)
Once received, we will send you the official “Authorization of Entry”.
The Authorization of Entry (Autorização de Entrada) will enable you to board a plane and enter São Tomé and Principe territory. Then you will get your visa upon arrival (20 euro payment at the immigration desk for tourism visa. Please prepare notes in Euro or USD) .
(Prices listed may increase, so please check the latest price before applying on the website)
Just in case, please print out “Decree nº 8 of 2017- on Visa-free 15 days” and bring it with you. This document will be sent to you as a file. It is written in Portuguese that Japanese nationals do not need a visa unless their stay in Sao Tome and Principe exceeds 15 days. In some cases, airport staff may not be familiar with the matter, so if you have a printed version of this law, they can help you quickly. <- [note] unnecessary
Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned return date.
[Note] Although it was not required until now, it is now necessary to present a vaccination certificate (yellow card) regarding yellow fever when entering the country. You must get the shot and obtain proof of vaccination at least 10 days before entering the country.We also recommend vaccination against tuberculosis and, for long-term stays, vaccination against hepatitis B. However, it is not required.
There is currently no need for a coronavirus vaccine or PCR test.
Of course, regulations may change.
If you still have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
The important point above is that “all foreigners must obtain an e-Visa Entry Permit, which is basically the same as applying for an online visa.”
I tried my best to apply for an online VISA before leaving the country, but all I could do was get rejected. I’ll write about that in another article.
Anyway, it is correct the embassy’s information, neither a VISA nor an entry permit (e-Visa Entry Permit) was required.
Aggressive plans require leeway
Sao Tome is structured around large roads. Most of the road is paved, so taxis (shared yellow taxis) operate there.
Conversely, if you go to a place where there are no major roads, the routes you can take, including transportation options, are quite limited. It often feels like the destination is further away than it looks on the map, or the taxi time is unstable and you arrive later than you expected.
Also, be careful if you go to Principe Island. I use local airlines such as STP AIRWAYS, but they seem to have a lot of cancellations. Principe Island is not only a small island, but there are also limited ways to stay overnight. Also, STP Airways seems to be suspended on Tuesdays.
Check the entry/exit conditions of the country you will be transiting through
The most surprising thing this time was that there are no transfer desks in Gabon. Therefore, in order to enter Sao Tome, it is essential to at least enter and exit Gabon. And it is necessary to check in advance whether Gabon’s VISA requirements are required.
By the way, before leaving Japan, I had asked the Gabonese embassy on the phone.
