Dili, Sept. 17, 2026 (Lusa) - More than 282,000 foreign nationals entered Timor-Leste between January and August this year, the majority of whom came from Indonesia, China, Australia, Portugal and the Philippines, the Migration Service reported on Thursday.
«Between January and August 2026, a total of 282,351 foreign nationals from 186 countries entered Timor-Leste,» said the director of the Timorese Migration Service, an assistant police commissioner, at a press conference.
According to the official, 278,124 people left the country during the same period.
The five countries with the highest number of foreign nationals entering the country were Indonesia, with 82,193 people; China, with 11,340; Australia, with 7,312; Portugal, with 6,236; and the Philippines, with 1,682.
The United States, with 1,640 people; Malaysia, with 1,499; India, with 1,439; Japan, with 1,247; and Singapore, with 1,083, complete the list of the top 10 countries with the most citizens entering Timor-Leste.
Among the other countries featured in the top 20 countries of origin are the United Kingdom, with 886 people, Vietnam, with 728, South Korea, with 600, New Zealand, with 428, Germany, with 405, France, with 402, Russia, with 184, Israel, with 60, Iran, with 12, and Turkey, with 11.
The director of the Migration Service also said that during that period, revenue totalled $2,945 (around €2.5 million).
Data from the Migration Service indicates that, between January and August this year, 135,170 tourist visas were issued.
«Foreign nationals entered Timor-Leste on a tourist visa, work visa, permanent residence permit or business visa. However, the majority entered on a tourist visa,» clarified the director of the Migration Service.
Jorge Monteiro also explained that the Migration Service had received orders from the Court of First Instance to prevent 132 foreign nationals suspected of involvement in computer fraud from leaving the country.
«Of these, 75 are Chinese nationals and 53 are Indonesian nationals, as well as others from various countries. I have therefore also instructed the Immigration Service to keep these individuals under surveillance, as they are facing ongoing legal proceedings,» he stated.
The figures show that 82 people were prevented from entering the country for failing to meet the necessary requirements, and 311 were deported, mainly because they were working on tourist visas.
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