Timor-Leste Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Timor-Leste.
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Guide
Timor-Leste keeps its visa on arrival simple and cash only, 30 US dollars for a single entry visa valid up to 30 days, issued at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili or at the Dili Sea Port. Guides are specific that there may be no ATM or currency exchange facility right there, so travelers are told to arrive with the 30 dollars already in hand rather than expecting to sort out cash on the spot. EU and Schengen Area citizens get a better deal under a 2015 visa waiver agreement, along with Indonesian and Cabo Verdean citizens, all entering visa free for up to 90 days.
The financial bar to entry is notably high for a country of this size: visitors are expected to have around 150 US dollars per day available for the length of their stay, a detail worth budgeting for specifically since it is a stated entry expectation, not just general travel advice.
Border crossings
- Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, Dili
The main air gateway, and one of the two places, along with the Dili Sea Port, where the visa on arrival is actually issued.
- Dili Sea Port
The other listed entry point for the same visa on arrival process, relevant for anyone arriving by ferry or boat rather than flying.
Transit routes
- Bring exactly the cash you need, in US dollars
The 30 dollar visa fee is cash only, and the lack of reliable ATM or exchange access at the border is specifically flagged, so do not count on sorting it out after arrival.
- Extend before day 30 if you need to
A further 30 days is available, with extension fees quoted between 35 and 75 dollars depending on the specifics.
Entry point notes
- EU, Schengen, Indonesian, and Cabo Verdean citizens skip the fee entirely
All four groups get 90 days visa free under the relevant agreements, a better deal than the standard visa on arrival.
- Budget around 150 dollars a day
This is described as an expectation tied to entry, not just a loose recommendation, worth having proof of funds or a card that supports it.