How to Get Timor-Leste CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 10 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- Required, no test specified
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Asia
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
Residence in Timor-Leste is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. Timor-Leste allows authorities to refuse an application, even where conditions have been met.
- Residence
- 10 years
Person has been habitually and legally resident in Timor-Leste for at least 10 years counted before 7 December 1975 or after 20 May 2002.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Ability to speak one of the official languages required.
- Civic knowledge
- Required, no test specified
Moral and civic guarantees of integration into Timorese society required, knowledge of the history and culture of Timor-Leste required.
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
One of the grounds for opposition is conviction for crime punishable with prison sentence of more than 8 years or for crime against the internal and external security of the state.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Capacity to govern oneself and to provide for own subsistence required.
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of Timor-Leste is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. Timor-Leste requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.
Person has been married for more than 5 years with a citizen. Other requirements: residence in Timor-Leste for at least 2 years, ability to speak one of the official languages. If the previous citizenship is lost as a consequence of the marriage, Timorese citizenship is acquired automatically. Note: a Ministerial Decree from 2018 made naturalisation on the basis of marriage a discretionary decision, even in cases where the foreign spouse lost his/her citizenship as a consequence of the marriage. This MD's legality is highly questionable. Grounds for opposition: clear inexistence of any effective ties to the Timorese society, conviction for crime punishable with prison sentence of more than 8 years or for crime against the internal and external security of the state, unauthorised exercise of sovereign functions for a foreign state, rendering of military service to a foreign state outside of cases explicitly authorised.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of Timor-Leste, the rules below set out how this route works. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of Timor-Leste.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Timor-Leste to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen and the birth is registered with the Timorese Civil Registry.
Birth in the country
This route concerns people born in Timor-Leste, and only in the situations described below.
Birth in country (two generations)
Person is born in Timor-Leste to a person also born there.
Birth in country (acquisition after birth)
Person is born in Timor-Leste to foreign parents and declares, of his/her own accord and after reaching the age of 17 years, that he/she wishes to acquire citizenship.
Child of a new citizen
This route covers children of a person who becomes a citizen of Timor-Leste, subject to the conditions below. Timor-Leste requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.
Person is the minor child of a parent who acquires Timorese citizenship by naturalisation, provided that the parent requests for the child to also acquire citizenship. Grounds for opposition: clear inexistence of any effective ties to the Timorese society, conviction for crime punishable with prison sentence of more than 8 years or for crime against the internal and external security of the state.
Adoption
For people adopted by citizens of Timor-Leste, the rules below set out what applies. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of Timor-Leste.
Person is a minor who is adopted by a citizen. Grounds for opposition: clear inexistence of any effective ties to the Timorese society, conviction for crime punishable with prison sentence of more than 8 years or for crime against the internal and external security of the state.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
This route covers people who previously held citizenship of Timor-Leste, subject to the conditions below.
Person lost citizenship by declaration of his/her parents when he/she was a minor. Person must have reached the age of majority and must have established residence in Timor-Leste for at least 1 year.
Person voluntarily renounced citizenship and has established residence in Timor-Leste for at least 5 years. Grounds for opposition: clear inexistence of any effective ties to the Timorese society, conviction for crime punishable with prison sentence of more than 8 years or for crime against the internal and external security of the state, unauthorised exercise of sovereign functions for a foreign state, rendering of military service to a foreign state outside of cases explicitly authorised.
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in Timor-Leste. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of Timor-Leste.
Person is born in Timor-Leste to unknown parents or to parents who are stateless or of unknown citizenship.
Special achievements
For people whose achievements or contributions are recognised by Timor-Leste, the rules below set out what applies. Timor-Leste allows authorities to refuse an application, even where conditions have been met.
Person is granted citizenship, by the National Parliament, for having rendered high and relevant services to the country.
Not available in Timor-Leste: Other family members of citizens, Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Public or military service, Investment. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Both groups can hold a second citizenship under the law of Timor-Leste: new citizens, and citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Under the law of Timor-Leste, 10 years applies, in line with the usual requirement across South-eastern Asia.
See how Timor-Leste compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cambodia | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Indonesia | 5 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Laos | 10 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Malaysia | 10 years | Required, no test | New citizens only |
 Philippines | 10 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Singapore | 10 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 12, 16, NR 12-14.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Timor-Leste Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/timor-leste/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/timor-leste/">How to Get Timor-Leste Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Timorese citizen?
The law of Timor-Leste sets 10 years of residence for ordinary naturalisation. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does Timor-Leste allow dual citizenship?
Yes, in both directions: new citizens and citizens who naturalise abroad can hold another citizenship.
Do I need a language test for Timorese citizenship?
The law of Timor-Leste mentions a language requirement without pointing to a specific exam.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Timorese citizenship?
Applicants are expected to have civic knowledge, though Timor-Leste sets out no particular test.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Timorese citizenship?
Timor-Leste does not require you to give up your current citizenship for Timorese citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Timor-Leste citizenship by marriage?
Yes, Timor-Leste provides a marriage route. Procedure: entitlement.
Can I get Timor-Leste citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of Timor-Leste provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Timor-Leste citizenship by investment?
The data shows no investment route for Timor-Leste.
Related pages
Also see: Timor-Leste passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.