Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Portugal

If you need to handle paperwork connected to São Tomé and Príncipe while in Portugal — a visa, a document legalisation, a birth or marriage registration, or simply an official contact — the Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Lisbon is the main reference. It is the country's only full diplomatic mission in Portugal, so it handles almost every consular service for people living in or travelling from the country.

Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Lisbon: address and contacts

The embassy is located at Rua Laura Alves, 12, 3rd floor, 1050-138 Lisbon. You can reach it by phone on +351 218 461 917 or by email at embaixada@emb-saotomeprincipe.pt. Public hours usually run from 9:30am to 1pm on weekdays, but since they can vary with the diplomatic calendar, it is safest to confirm by phone or email before visiting. There is also a consulate of São Tomé and Príncipe in Porto, useful for residents of northern Portugal who would rather not travel to Lisbon for simpler matters.

What the embassy can help with

The embassy handles visa applications, passport renewals and other travel documents for São Toméan citizens living in Portugal, document legalisation, birth and marriage registration, and general consular support. If you are simply planning a tourist trip, it is fair to ask whether you actually need to visit the embassy first — and for most travellers, the answer is no.

Do you need a visa? You may not need to visit an embassy at all

Portuguese citizens are exempt from a visa for short tourist stays in São Tomé and Príncipe, and the country also runs an online eVisa system that lets most other travellers sort everything out remotely, with no embassy visit required. We cover the current exemptions, timeframes and eVisa process in a dedicated guide — worth checking before assuming you need an appointment.

What about the rest of Europe? São Tomé and Príncipe's other embassies

São Tomé and Príncipe is a small country, and its diplomatic network reflects that: outside Lisbon, it keeps very few official missions in Europe. Depending on where you live, you may need to rely on the embassy in Portugal or on another European mission. Here is a short summary of the situation in Spain, France and the United Kingdom, each covered in more detail in its own article.

Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Spain

Unlike Portugal, Spain currently has no working embassy or consulate of São Tomé and Príncipe. A few old directories still list contacts in Madrid, but we could not confirm they are still active. In practice, residents of Spain usually turn to the Embassy in Lisbon, a short trip away, or apply directly through the eVisa system for tourism purposes. We go into more detail in our article on the Embajada de Santo Tomé y Príncipe en España.

Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in France

France doesn't have a full embassy either. There is an honorary consulate in Paris, in the Boulogne-Billancourt area, with limited functions — mainly registering São Toméan residents in France — while more complex administrative services, such as passports and ID documents, are handled by the Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Brussels, Belgium. Full addresses and contacts are in our article on the ambassade de São Tomé-et-Príncipe en France.

Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in the United Kingdom

The UK is the simplest case: there is currently no embassy or consulate of São Tomé and Príncipe on British soil. Anyone needing consular support from the UK has to rely on the Embassy in Lisbon or the Embassy in Brussels, or, for tourism purposes, on the online eVisa. We cover this in detail in our article on the Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in the United Kingdom.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an appointment at the embassy in Lisbon? There is no known public online booking system; it's best to call or email before visiting, especially since opening hours can vary.

Does the embassy issue tourist visas? Yes, but most travellers with a Portuguese or other EU passport can sort out a tourist visa online through the eVisa system, without needing to visit the embassy.

Where is the nearest embassy if I live in Spain, France or the UK? None of these three countries has a full embassy — the nearest reference is usually Lisbon or, for France and the UK, also the Embassy in Brussels.

Follow us
Stay up to date with our trips and news on Facebook and Instagram.