Visa policy of Timor-Leste
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Visitors to Timor-Leste must obtain a visa, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
All other countries that are not exempt must obtain a visa upon arrival or prior to arrival.[1]
In April 2019, the Interior Minister adopted an Order number 470 to be applied from 1 May 2019, requiring all non-visa-exempt visitors to obtain a visa from one of the Timor-Leste diplomatic missions before arrival. However, this decision was subsequently suspended.[2][3]
Visa policy map
[edit]
Visa exemption
[edit]Citizens of the following countries and territories may enter Timor-Leste without a visa for stays up to the duration listed:
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90 days within any 180 days
30 days |
| Date of visa changes |
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- Citizens of Brunei, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, mainland China and Philippines holding a diplomatic, official or service passport may enter Timor-Leste without a valid visa for up to 30 days.[15]
- Citizens of mainland China holding a passport endorsed for “public affairs” may enter Timor-Leste without a valid visa for up to 30 days.
- Timor-Leste has signed visa-waiver agreements with Angola and Vietnam (for diplomatic passport holders). However, these visa-waiver agreements have yet to enter into force.[21][22][23][24]
- In addition, all holders of a United Nations Passport or Interpol Passport may enter Timor-Leste without a valid visa for up to 90 days.
Land border arrivals
[edit]Visitors and long-term visa holders are able to enter (and exit) Timor-Leste through the land border in Batugade. This includes Visas on Arrival, which are USD30 per person and valid for 30 days (extendable one time in-country). Batugade is accessible by air through the airport in Atambua or by land with buses from other destinations in West Timor, such as Kupang. Visitors who are exempt from a visa (such as citizens from a Schengen country) do not need a visa at any land border crossing.
Visa on arrival
[edit]Citizens of all other countries which are not visa-exempt may apply for a visa on arrival at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport or at the Dili Sea Port. If other conditions are met a single entry visa valid for up to 30 days is granted for fee of USD30. Transit visas are available for stays less than 3 days for fee of USD20. There is no visa-free transit option.[25]
Prior application
[edit]A visa application may be submitted at one of the Timor-Leste diplomatic missions prior to arrival.
Requirements on arrival
[edit]Aside from holding a passport valid for not less than 6 months from the date of entry all travellers also must meet strict conditions to be allowed entry to Timor-Leste:
- Intention of a genuine visit (as tourist or business trip).
- Accommodation arrangements and a return or onward ticket.
- US$150 per day expected to remain in the country (for tourist or business visas).
- US$100 plus US$50 per day (for transit visas).
Visa extension
[edit]All nationals with a visa may extend their stay to a total cumulative stay of 90 days by submitting their application to the Immigration Department. The fees are US$35 for a 30-day extension, or US$75 for an extension between 30 and 60 days.[25]
Statistics
[edit]Most visitors arriving to Timor-Leste by air were from the following countries of nationality:[26]
| Rank | Country | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Indonesia |
15,180 | 17,520 | 15,303 | 11,179 |
| 2 |  Australia |
13,429 | 12,817 | 12,138 | 12,419 |
| 3 |  Portugal |
6,185 | 5,894 | 6,130 | 5,916 |
| 4 |  Philippines |
4,157 | 3,936 | 3,842 | 2,413 |
| 5 |  China |
3,717 | 4,346 | 4,972 | 3,464 |
| 6 |  United States |
1,666 | 2,130 | 2,211 | 2,207 |
| 7 |  Malaysia |
1,665 | 1,455 | 1,944 | 1,829 |
| 8 |  Singapore |
1,465 | 1,457 | 1,381 | 1,519 |
| 9 |  Japan |
1,458 | 1,438 | 1,211 | 1,232 |
| 10 |  New Zealand |
896 | 737 | 815 | 711 |
| Total | 59,811 | 77,135 | 57,517 | 50,590 |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Tourist & Business Visa". Immigration Service of Timor-Leste. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Tourist Visa and Requirements". Immigration Service of Timor-Leste. Archived from the original on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2019-05-08.
- ^ "Timor-Leste suspende novas regras para vistos de turismo e negócio". 8 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2019-05-08.
- ^ https://laotiantimes.com/2025/09/22/laos-timor-leste-implement-30-day-visa-free-travel/
- ^ "Timor-Leste - Travel Page". www.mfa.gov.sg. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore). 6 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Agreements on visa extensions updated table-standardized 2018 - Latin America and the Caribbean" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-12-20.
- ^ "Timor-Leste signs Agreements with Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe « Government of Timor-Leste". timor-leste.gov.tl. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24. Retrieved 2017-08-28.
- ^ "Cabo Verde approves waiver agreement for ordinary visas with Timor-Leste". 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Agreement between the European Union and the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste on the short-stay visa waiver". Archived from the original on 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
- ^ "Timor-Leste signs visa exemption agreement with the European Union « Government of Timor-Leste". timor-leste.gov.tl. Government of Timor-Leste. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ 中外互免签证协议一览表（英文版） [List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption Between the People’s Republic of China and Foreign Countries]. cs.mfa.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-07-08. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ^ "List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption Between the People's Republic of China and Foreign Countries" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-11-12.
- ^ "Resolução do Governo N.º 25 /2019 de 18 de Setembro - Dispensa de Visto de Turismo a Cidadãos da Indonésia" (PDF). Jornal da República - Ministério da Justiça (in Portuguese). 2019-09-18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-05-08. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
- ^ "Visa Exemption". Royal Embassy of Cambodia to the Republic of Singapore. 13 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Meeting of the Council of Ministers on July 3rd, 2024 « Government of Timor-Leste". timor-leste.gov.tl. Government of Timor-Leste. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Philippines, Timor-Leste sign limited visa waiver deal". The Philippine Star. Manila. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ^ "Visa exemption – ກົມຕຳຫຼວດກວດຄົນເຂົ້າ-ອອກເມືອງ". The Department of Immigration of Lao PDR. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ https://laotiantimes.com/2025/09/22/laos-timor-leste-implement-30-day-visa-free-travel/
- ^ https://en.tatoli.tl/2025/05/13/parliament-approves-visa-waiver-agreements-between-tl-and-lao-dpr/13/
- ^ "Notice on Visa-Free Social Visits to Timor-Leste for Malaysian Passport Holders". Embassy of Malaysia, Dili. Dili. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ^ "Timor-Leste and Angola Strengthen Diplomatic and Cooperation Ties « Government of Timor-Leste". timor-leste.gov.tl. Government of Timor-Leste. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ "Timor-Leste and Angola sign Visa Free Agreement for Diplomatic Service Passport". 10 July 2024.
- ^ "TL and Vietnam sign Visa Waiver Agreement for Services and Diplomatic Passports". 2 August 2024.
- ^ Philippines, Timor-Leste sign limited visa waiver deal
- ^ a b "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ "Data" (PDF). www.statistics.gov.tl. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-10-18. Retrieved 2016-10-16.