SINGAPORE – Singapore passport holders will soon be able to travel to Timor-Leste without needing a visa, according to a new agreement announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Thursday (Jun 27).
The visa waiver agreement was signed by Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas during Mr. Freitas’ introductory visit to Singapore.
Currently, Singapore passport holders must obtain a tourist visa for short-term visits to Timor-Leste. Under the new agreement, holders of diplomatic, official, service, and ordinary passports from Singapore will be exempt from visa requirements for stays of up to 30 days in Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste passport holders will continue to enjoy up to 30 days of visa-free travel in Singapore.
“The agreement will help fulfill the requirements for Timor-Leste’s accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and strengthen the ties between Singapore and Timor-Leste,” the MFA stated.
During his visit, Mr. Freitas was hosted to lunch by Dr. Balakrishnan. Both ministers reaffirmed the “excellent relations” between Singapore and Timor-Leste and celebrated the establishment of the Singapore embassy in Dili in April, which marked a significant milestone in bilateral relations.
“They agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as human resource development, trade and investment, energy, and education,” said the MFA.
Mr. Freitas also met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, where both officials welcomed the longstanding friendly ties between the two nations. Mr. Wong reiterated Singapore’s support for Timor-Leste’s efforts to join ASEAN, including through the Singapore-Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (STARS) package launched in December 2022 and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration.