Thailand and Timor-Leste have agreed to waive visas for tourists with ordinary passports to boost tourism between the two countries. This agreement allows citizens of both nations to stay for up to 30 days for tourism, shopping, and educational activities without a visa, effective after ratification by their respective national parliaments.
The government of Timor-Leste stated that previously, only holders of official and diplomatic passports were granted visa-free privileges between Thailand and Timor-Leste. However, with this new policy, ordinary passport holders from both countries are now allowed to enter without a visa for tourism purposes, with a maximum stay of 30 days.
The government of Thailand disclosed that visitors entering through air, land, or sea checkpoints under the Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme are allowed to enter only twice within a calendar year. Travelers utilizing this scheme must possess a minimum of $546 (20,000 Baht) per person or $1,092 (40,000 Baht) per family.
In addition to promoting tourism, this policy also aims to support Timor-Leste's full membership in ASEAN by 2025, according to VisaGuide.World. Timor-Leste needs to sign 66 agreements, including the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement and the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement, to meet the roadmap for full membership.
The agreement was reached following a visit by Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, to Thailand on June 20-21, 2024, to strengthen bilateral relations.
During his visit, Freitas met with Thailand's Foreign Minister, Maris Sangiampongsa. In their meeting, they discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in military affairs, UN peacekeeping operations, and military education, as well as promoting tourism with a focus on health, agriculture, education, and human resource development.
