The capital city of East Timor is Dili, and all international flights will arrive here.
East Timor (also known as Timor-Leste) is one of the world’s youngest countries, becoming a separate state from Indonesia in 2002.
The islands near the coast of East Timor are evolving as a popular destination for diving and snorkelling trips, with white sand beaches, turquoise water, and amazing coral reefs.
The biodiversity is similar to nearby Indonesia, yet the downside is that the infrastructure to travel in East Timor still needs to be built.
As a result, whilst travelling in East Timor is an adventure, it can be a costly experience if you compare travel around other islands in nearby Indonesia.
One of our favourite islands, the adventurous, lush island of Flores, was fantastic!
What Nationalities Can Get East Timor Visa on Arrival?
To enter Timor East as a tourist or for business, you will require a visa for entry.
Any nationality can get a visa on arrival in East Timor, and the visa price is the same for all: USD 30.
If you need to stay longer, you can also extend this visa or apply in advance for a 90-day visa.
The length of stay for visa on arrival is 30 days. If you need to stay longer, you can also extend this or apply in advance for a 90-day visa.
How To Get an East Timor Visa On Arrival
How to get East Timor Visa on Arrival
Payment for Visa
Important: The visa fee is ONLY payable in cash, US dollars – it’s essential that you have money with you to pay for your East Timor Visa on arrival.
There are no ATMs at Dili airport. Furthermore, ATMs in East Timor are few and far between.
We recommend bringing new USD bills and cash to travel to East Timor if you plan to travel here.
Get Connected with eSIM
Get connected easily on your travels—buy an eSIM! It works like an app: buy it, download it, and get connected in minutes! It’s easy, affordable, and convenient. Keep your original phone number, too!
Once you arrive in East Timor, immigration officers will provide you with an arrival card.
You must complete this before clearing immigration; it requests the standard information such as your name, passport number, flight number, hotel or accommodation address in East Timor, and how long you wish to stay.
They may request additional information from you to prove you have enough funds to cover your time in East Timor, so we recommend having a copy of your current bank statement.
They may also request your reservation details for your hotel/accommodation. Having a copy of this or a screenshot on your phone is a wise idea to provide the officer if questioned.
Dili airport is small, so going through the arrivals process takes no time.
Once you have provided the officer with your completed immigration form and paid the USD 30 visa fee, you can exit the airport and start exploring!
✅ Get Connected with eSIM: Easy and affordable! View eSIM
How To Get To East Timor
The most common way to get to East Timor is to fly into the capital city of Dili, the only international airport in the country.
The airport code for Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport is DIL. We recommend browsing Skyscanner for the cheapest, most direct flights to Dili from your origin.
The two most common routes to fly to Dili are from (DPS) airport in Bali, Indonesia and from (DRW) in Darwin, Australia.
The journey time between these two destinations to Dili (DIL) is approximately 1.5 – 2 hours.
There are limited options for decent hotels in Dili. As mentioned, East Timor isn’t a budget destination for visitors regarding hotels and accommodation options.
We stayed at Sunset INN by Pro-Ema for USD 80 per night, which was a comfortable option in a good location in Dili. Another reliable hotel option in Dili is Hotel Timor.
Furthermore, if you plan to travel long-term (or at least until the money runs out), these 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you make your hard-earned dollars stretch a bit further.
If your travels in Asia are part of a much larger global adventure, then a Global eSIM may be the answer. It connects you in 124 countries, offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text eSIM. The Global eSIM has been a game-changer; we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.
🚌 Transportation: Trainline is the best website to reserve trains. We use Omio to book transport worldwide. For travel in Asia, we use 12Go.
🚘 Car Rental: We use DiscoverCars to book rental cars worldwide.
👫 Group Tours: We now offer Group Trips; view them here! Alternatively, we recommend searching the Tourradar website. For Europe, Expat Explore is a good choice. *Get 5% off when you quote code VERYHUNGRYNOMADS to your Expat reservations agent. (*Valid for new clients only).
📸 Day Tours & Trips: GetYourGuide & Viator are the only two platforms you need.
📚 Lonely Planet: The Best Range of Travel Guides & Ebooks, and FREE Shipping! (use code RACHELDAVEY10 for a 10% discount)
🐶 Become a House Sitter: Join Trusted Housesitters and enjoy FREE accommodation worldwide. Use our invite to receive 25% off your new membership.
💰 Send Money Anywhere:WISE & Revolut are the best online accounts that let you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. Both are so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer.
📶 Stay Connected: Airalo eSIM lets you get connected when you land at your destination. We LOVE this product! Use code MARTIN9009 to get $3 off your first Airalo eSIM (new users only) OR click here to SAVE 15% off your eSIM(valid till 31/12/2025).