São Tomé CBI: Source of Funds and Sponsored Applications
MFG Consultants | Sources checked on 28 October 2026.
A useful source-of-funds file connects three things: the activity that generated the money, the person entitled to it and the records explaining its proposed use. Organising those connections early helps a family ask precise questions before committing to a citizenship application.
The CIU requires legitimate funds, complete documentation and due diligence. The preparation framework below is practical guidance, not an official document checklist.
Official eligibility requirements
Start with a one-page funding summary
Write down how much you intend to contribute, who will provide the funds, where the money is currently held and how it was accumulated. Add the dates and currencies relevant to the main transactions. Identify any part of the money that has not yet been received.
For a business owner, distinguish personal funds from money still belonging to a company. For a family-supported application, identify the person providing support at the outset. These distinctions help the authorised programme team decide which questions and documents are relevant.
Match the explanation to the available evidence
Use the actual funding history to organise the records you already have. The following examples are prompts for discussion; they do not determine which documents the programme or a bank will accept.
Accumulated earnings: identify the income history and the records showing how savings built up.
Business distributions: connect the ownership interest, distribution decision and amount received personally.
Asset sale: connect ownership, the completed transaction and the proceeds actually received. Keep deferred amounts separate.
Inheritance or family support: explain the relationship, the event or arrangement and who now owns the funds.
A useful working table has five columns: source or event, date, amount and currency, supporting record, and question still to resolve. Preserve the original records. Explain differences rather than changing information to make documents appear consistent.
What changes when someone sponsors the application?
The official FAQ permits sponsorship, requires benefactor documentation and lists a US$5,000 benefactor due-diligence fee.
CIU FAQ: sponsored applications
Ask for the sponsor's role and the treatment of that charge in your individual quotation. Our existing family-budget guide explains the standard MFG Consultants planning estimates. A sponsor-related charge should be added only where applicable and not already included in the agreed package.
Clarify the relationship between the applicant, sponsor, account holder and proposed payer before any transfer. Request written instructions from the authorised programme team for the specific case.
Keep cross-border records understandable
If records come from several countries, keep a simple chronology and identify any differences in names or transliteration. List the original language of each document and ask which translations or certifications are needed before ordering them.
Keep the original currency visible. If you prepare a converted figure for discussion, record the date and conversion basis. Separate the agreed sale price from net proceeds, deductions and amounts still outstanding.
Explain the actual payment route and ask the receiving parties to confirm their requirements. Living abroad or holding another passport should not be treated as confirmation that a payment will be accepted.
Bring these questions to the first assessment
Which part of the proposed funds is already available?
Who owns the funds and who would make the payment?
Which records explain the main source and transfers?
Is a sponsor involved, and what information is needed from them?
Which costs are included in the written proposal?
What must be resolved before the application is ready for submission?
Does a bank balance explain the source of funds?
It can show money held at a particular time. Use it alongside the records that explain the funding history, and ask the authorised team what evidence is appropriate.
Is this a universal document checklist?
No. It is a way to organise a first discussion. The evidence required depends on the actual circumstances and the instructions applicable to the application.
Plan the next step with MFG Consultants
Start with a concise family and funding overview. MFG Consultants can help organise the assessment and coordinate the agreed application work with authorised programme representation. Confirm the service scope, costs and document-sharing arrangements in your written proposal.
For the wider plan, read our family-budget guide and the explanation of approval, citizenship and passport milestones.
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