Visa for Timor-Leste

How the system works

• US$30 VOA fee, paid in cash
• 30 days Initial stay on arrival
• ~120 Nationalities eligible for VOA
• 6 mo. Passport validity required

Timor-Leste runs one of the more generous visa systems in Southeast Asia. Most visitors — including all Schengen, UK, US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese and ASEAN passport-holders — simply land at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili, fill in an arrival card, hand over USD 30 in cash, and walk out with a 30-day visa stamped in their passport. No paperwork required before flying.

A short list of Lusophone partner countries (Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea) plus Indonesia are visa-exempt for 90 days. A separate small list of nationalities must apply online via the official eVisa portal before flight, and a handful must obtain the visa from a Timor-Leste embassy beforehand. Use the table below to check yours.

If your passport is on the visa-on-arrival list, you don't need to do anything before arrival — just bring USD 30 cash and one passport photo.

Find your country

Search the list of around 120 nationalities for the rule that applies to your passport. Filter by visa type from the dropdown.

What to bring

Whichever visa applies, you'll need the four items below at the immigration counter. Border officers can refuse entry if any are missing.

• Valid passport

  Must be valid 6+ months from your date of entry and have at least one blank page for the entry stamp.

• USD 30 cash

  Crisp, clean US dollars. Exact change preferred. No torn or marked notes — they will be refused.

• Onward ticket

  Printed or digital proof of a flight, ferry, or land-border departure within 30 days of arrival.

• Passport photo

  One 35×45 mm photo. Not always asked for, but bring one — getting one printed at Dili airport is slow.

Where to apply

Visa on arrival

The visa-on-arrival counter is at two official ports of entry:

• Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport (Dili) — all international flights from Bali, Darwin, Singapore.
• Batugade land border with Indonesia (West Timor) — open during daylight hours; cash USD only.

There is no VOA counter at any seaport — yacht arrivals must coordinate with Migration Services in Dili before docking.

eVisa portal

The official eVisa portal is at evisa.gov.tl. Allow 5–10 business days for processing. Print the approval letter and bring it to the airport — you still need to present it at the immigration counter.

Embassies and consulates

Timor-Leste maintains embassies and consulates that issue visas in the following cities (most relevant for travelers):

• Jakarta, Indonesia — busiest consulate; same-day processing common.
• Bali (Denpasar), Indonesia — handy if flying via Bali.
• Lisbon, Portugal — primary European mission.
• Brussels, Belgium — covers EU and NATO matters.
• Canberra and Sydney, Australia.
• Washington DC, United States.
• Tokyo, Japan.
• Beijing, China and Hong Kong SAR.
• Singapore.
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Manila, Philippines.
• Bangkok, Thailand.
• Pretoria, South Africa.
• Maputo, Mozambique.
• Brasília, Brazil.

Extensions and overstays

The 30-day visa-on-arrival is extendable for an additional 60 days, in two 30-day blocks, by visiting Migration Services in Dili before the original visa expires. Bring the same passport, your existing arrival stamp, and USD 35 cash per extension.

Migration Services office

Serviço de Migração — Avenida Bispo Medeiros, Caicoli, Dili. Open Monday–Friday 09:00–15:00. Bring photocopies of your passport bio page and the visa stamp. Allow 2–5 business days for processing.

Overstays are fined USD 10 per day on departure, paid in cash at the airport before boarding. Long overstays (30+ days) can result in entry bans of up to 5 years — extend on time.

Rules change. Always confirm with the Timor-Leste embassy/consulate in your country or the official eVisa portal before booking flights.