This page is a dated log of changes that affect visitors to Timor-Leste, newest first. Each entry gives the date of the change, a one-sentence summary and a link to the guide we updated, and every fact comes from an official source or a report by the national news agency Tatoli or by Lusa quoting officials (listed under Sources).
October 2026
- 26 October 2026: ASEAN chairmanship in 2029. Timor-Leste is due to chair ASEAN in 2029; formal preparations began on 23 February 2026 and the government is coordinating work on hotels, a convention centre and Dili airport. See Timor-Leste in the region.
- 26 October 2026: arrival e-Declaration timing. The Immigration Service says the free e-Declaration can be filed up to three days before you travel; when we checked, the customs form accepted arrival dates up to four days ahead. See visa and immigration and Dili airport.
- 26 October 2026: public holidays calendar. The 2026–2027 national public holidays, based on Law No. 10/2005 as amended, can now be subscribed to as a calendar in four languages. See public holidays.
- 19 October 2026: Dili airport works. The government asked Indonesia to speed up the runway extension (1,850 to 2,150 metres) at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, due for completion in 2028 with a new passenger terminal; no flight disruption was reported. See Dili airport.
- 15 October 2026: smoke haze closes schools. Smoke from forest fires in Indonesia gave Dili poor air quality from 6 October, and schools nationwide closed from 15 to 17 October; the meteorology service said the air had improved by 19–20 October, and no flights were reported disrupted. See health and safety and weather and seasons.
- 14 October 2026: no work on a tourist visa. The Interior Minister said 19 foreigners working on tourist visas had been detained in Dili since September and would be expelled. See visa and immigration and living and working in Timor-Leste.
- 5 June 2026 (added in October 2026): first UNESCO biosphere reserve. UNESCO approved the Nino Konis Santana Biosphere Reserve in Lautém; the status brings no new visitor rules or fees. See Nino Konis Santana National Park.
- February 2026 (added in October 2026): ASEAN visa exemption not yet applied. The National Parliament approved joining the ASEAN Visa Exemption Framework, but as of October 2026 the Immigration Service still lists only Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand as visa-exempt. See visa and immigration.
- Late 2025 (added in October 2026): Dragon Star fast boat out of service. The weekend Dili–Atauro fast boat has not run since late 2025; use the ferry, the Beloi water taxi or MAF flights instead. See Dili–Atauro ferry.
Sources
- Tatoli: Timor-Leste begins formal preparations to chair ASEAN in 2029 (23 February 2026)
- Lusa via Observador: Timor-Leste prepares its 2029 ASEAN chairmanship (26 October 2026, Portuguese)
- Immigration Service of Timor-Leste: At the border (arrival and departure declarations)
- Customs Authority of Timor-Leste: e-Passenger Declaration
- Law No. 10/2023, second amendment to the national holidays law (Jornal da República, PDF)
- Lusa via Observador: Timor-Leste asks Indonesia to speed up Dili airport runway works (19 October 2026, Portuguese)
- Lusa via Observador: Timor-Leste to expel foreigners working on tourist visas (14 October 2026, Portuguese)
- Immigration Service of Timor-Leste: Tourist Visa
- UNESCO: Nino Konis Santana Biosphere Reserve
- Tatoli: Parliament approves accession to the ASEAN Visa Exemption Framework (24 February 2026)
- Immigration Service of Timor-Leste: Visa exemptions
- Timor-Leste official tourism site: Ferries, Dili to Atauro and Oecusse
- Tatoli: Timor-Leste haze, air quality improves as pollution levels fall (20 October 2026)
- Lusa via Observador: Timorese meteorology service warns of poor air quality from fires in Indonesia (12 October 2026, Portuguese)
- Lusa via RTP: Timorese government suspends classes over poor air quality (October 2026, Portuguese)