Have you ever thought about how confusing visa rules can be? Sometimes, things that should be simple end up being incredibly complicated.
Take Timor-Leste, for example—a small country in Southeast Asia. It enjoys visa-free access to Schengen countries, yet it cannot benefit from the same travel freedom within its own region, Southeast Asia.
But interestingly, Timor-Leste is one of the few Southeast Asian countries to enjoy Schengen visa-free travel, while other Southeast Asian countries do not.
Schengen Travel Freedom
On May 26, 2015, the European Union and Timor-Leste signed a visa waiver agreement for short visits. Under this agreement, Timor-Leste citizens can now travel visa-free to the Schengen Area for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
This privilege applies to holders of valid ordinary, diplomatic, service/official, or special passports. Whether for tourism, family visits, scientific activities, or business purposes, the visa-free travel arrangement provides significant convenience—excluding those traveling for work or paid employment.
In addition to Timor-Leste, three other Southeast Asian countries — Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore — also enjoy visa-free access to the Schengen countries. Passport holders from these countries can enter the Schengen area without a visa for short visits of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Visa-free Access to Schengen, but Not to ASEAN
Timor-Leste citizens still face several restrictions when traveling to Southeast Asian countries. One of the main reasons is their status as a country not yet fully integrated as an ASEAN member. This limits their access to visa-free travel across the region.
As of now, Timor-Leste enjoys visa-free access to several ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Laos, and Malaysia. However, for travel to the Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei Darussalam, visa-free entry is only granted for diplomatic or work visas.
Of note, Timor-Leste's visa-free agreement with Laos was only signed in December 2024.
On the other hand, Timor-Leste has yet to gain visa-free access to Myanmar and Vietnam, highlighting significant challenges in achieving seamless cross-border travel within the ASEAN region.
For context, the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa Exemption, adopted in 2016, facilitates visa-free travel for citizens of ASEAN member states to other member countries.
Under this agreement, holders of valid national passports can visit ASEAN countries for 14 to 30 days, provided the purpose of travel is for visits only. However, the length of stay varies depending on the policies of each country.
But for Timor-Leste, the journey toward visa-free access is far from straightforward. Since it is not directly facilitated by ASEAN, the country must carve its own path. Timor-Leste must establish bilateral visa-waiver agreements with ASEAN countries, relying on more intensive diplomatic efforts and negotiations.
