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Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste · residence general · Leads to settlement

Permanent Residence Permit

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 14 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

A separate indefinite residence permit for applicants meeting an article 64 family or residence-history ground and the applicable additional conditions.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyIndefinite validity, multiple entries and no work, business or study limitation on the current procedure. Article 63 requires the card to be updated when its recorded details change; indefinite status does not remove the applicable cancellation rules. Under article 66 an unjustified absence of at least 24 consecutive months or 30 months in three years risks cancellation, subject to the statutory qualifications including certain family/humanitarian decisions.
Processing time
Lodge the completed signed residence application within Timor-Leste at Migration Service headquarters in Vila Verde, Dili. No overall current permanent-permit decision standard was verified. Provide evidence of the actual qualifying history or family ground and the applicable additional conditions; obtain the separate grant before treating the status as permanent.
Government fees
Permanent-permit grant US$150; replacement resident card US$25 in the current procedure and law. These do not include medical, conduct, translation or certification costs; confirm any applicable exemption and the actual assessment. There is no published ordinary recurring US$100 temporary-renewal fee for indefinite permanent status.
Typical duration
Indefinite validity, multiple entries and no work, business or study limitation on the current procedure. Article 63 requires the card to be updated when its recorded details change; indefinite status does not remove the applicable cancellation rules. Under article 66 an unjustified absence of at least 24 consecutive months or 30 months in three years risks cancellation, subject to the statutory qualifications including certain family/humanitarian decisions.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Migration Service of Timor-Leste ↗

In short

A separate indefinite residence permit for applicants meeting an article 64 family or residence-history ground and the applicable additional conditions. Guidance updated 14 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/timor-leste/permanent-residence-permit#answer

What is the Permanent Residence Permit in Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste?

Permanent Residence Permit is an unsponsored Timor-Leste route. Indicative government fees are Permanent-permit grant US$150; replacement resident card US$25 in the current procedure and law. These do not include medical, conduct, translation or certification costs; confirm any applicable exemption and the actual assessment. There is no published ordinary recurring US$100 temporary-renewal fee for indefinite permanent status; indicative processing time is Lodge the completed signed residence application within Timor-Leste at Migration Service headquarters in Vila Verde, Dili. No overall current permanent-permit decision standard was verified. Provide evidence of the actual qualifying history or family ground and the applicable additional conditions; obtain the separate grant before treating the status as permanent; typical duration is Indefinite validity, multiple entries and no work, business or study limitation on the current procedure. Article 63 requires the card to be updated when its recorded details change; indefinite status does not remove the applicable cancellation rules. Under article 66 an unjustified absence of at least 24 consecutive months or 30 months in three years risks cancellation, subject to the statutory qualifications including certain family/humanitarian decisions. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Migration Service of Timor-Leste on 14 November 2026.

Overview

Article 64 provides alternative qualifying grounds: at least ten consecutive years as a lawful resident; minor or dependent children of Timorese citizens; marriage to a Timorese citizen for more than five years; or at least six years holding temporary residence permits. These are alternatives, not one cumulative ten-plus-six-year wait. Additional criminal-history, continuing accommodation/support, consistent-purpose and positive-contribution conditions generally apply, with the stated exemption for minor dependants of citizens. Confirm the exact child/dependency category and the qualifying residence record with the Migration Service. Reaching a period alone does not convert an existing visa or permit automatically.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

  • ✓Meet one article 64(a) ground: ten consecutive years as a lawful resident, the qualifying child/dependency ground, marriage for more than five years, or six years holding temporary residence permits.Migration Service of Timor-Leste ↗
  • ✓Normally satisfy the article 64(b–e) intentional-offence/actual-imprisonment condition, maintained and continuing accommodation/subsistence, consistency of the stated permanent-residence purpose with the evidence, and positive contribution to the economy or social welfare.Migration Service of Timor-Leste ↗
  • ✓Article 64(2) exempts minor dependants of Timorese citizens from the further conditions in(b–e); it is not a blanket exemption for every adult family member.Migration Service of Timor-Leste ↗

Common blockers

Typical evidence

  • ·Current signed residence form; passport copy; qualifying residence history and previous residence card; marriage/Timorese birth and other family documents where relevant; and evidence of the required contribution where applicable.Migration Service of Timor-Leste ↗
  • ·The current checklist lists the Chefe do Suco declaration, original HNGV medical certificate, good-conduct/police certificate, applicable baptism/spouse electoral documents, two 3x4cm and one 2x3cm white-background photographs. Apply family-specific items and statutory minor exemptions to the actual case.Migration Service of Timor-Leste ↗
  • ·Article 65 requests means, accommodation and purpose/basis evidence and the relevant criminal record, exempting under 16s from that criminal-record item. The June 2026 residence PDF and webpage differ on folder colour and some certification wording. The webpage permits officers to certify copies when originals are presented; the PDF checklist refers to legalised criminal-record and tax documents. Confirm the branch-specific certification and packaging instructions rather than assuming a copy or original removes every legalisation requirement. These are not eligibility changes.Migration Service of Timor-Leste ↗

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Identify the actual alternative qualifying ground and any minor-dependent exemption, and verify the authority will count the claimed residence history.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Complete the permanent-permit option in the current residence form and assemble the applicable identity, family/history, support and contribution evidence.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Apply within Timor-Leste through the Migration Service, pay the applicable assessed fee and obtain the actual permanent grant.

  4. After approval

    Keep card details current and observe the absence and other statutory cancellation conditions; permanent residence is separate from nationality.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Permanent Residence Permit, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Permanent Residence Permit instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Timor-Leste

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read the permanent residence procedure ↗

    Review the alternative criteria, current checklist, fees and indefinite status.

    Migration Service of Timor-Leste · verified

  2. Official guidanceApplicant
    Get the permanent residence application ↗

    Use the residence form and select the permanent-permit application, with the appropriate evidence.

    Migration Service of Timor-Leste · verified

  3. Official guidanceApplicant
    Check permanent residence and cancellation law ↗

    See articles 63–66 and fee annexes; the PDF also contains unrelated legislation.

    Jornal da Republica / Ministry of Justice of Timor-Leste · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Must I wait ten years and then another six years?+

No. Article 64(a) states alternative residence-history or family grounds. Each applicant still needs the applicable further conditions and a separate permanent-permit decision.

Does the status expire after two years?+

The permanent permit has no validity limit. Article 63 requires updating the card when recorded details change, and article 66 contains cancellation rules including unjustified long absence.

Can I work on this status?+

The current official procedure states no work, business or study limitation for permanent residence. This is different from the activity-specific conditions of a business or entry visa.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Timor-Leste

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Migration Service of Timor-Leste

Last checked: 14 November 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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