Timor-Leste

Government advisories

• ☐ United States: level 2/4 — Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
• ☐ Canada: level 2/4 — Exercise a high degree of caution

Health notices

• ☐ Global Measles (level 1)
• ☐ Tap water: avoid — bottled/filtered only

Entry requirements

☐ Visitors to Timor-Leste must obtain a visa, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.

Practical

• ☐ Drives on the left
• ☐ Emergency (police): 112
• ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 112
• ☐ Emergency (fire): 112
• ☐ SIM: 4G signal is widely available in populated areas. Local prepaid SIM cards can be picked up for as little as $1. Data plans are $1 for 24 hours of unlimited data, but since connection speeds are abysmal at all times, it's not such a bargain. Roaming with a foreign SIM card may be a viable option, especially if you have an Indonesian SIM card.
• ☐ Money: The U.S. dollar is the legal tender currency in Timor-Leste and all transactions are in dollars. U.S. banknotes issued before 2000 are not accepted. $5, $10 and $20 notes are the most common and useful. They do not need to be in great condition but may be difficult to use if torn - the exception is $1 notes, which get torn and filthy within a few months of arriving in Dili and can be easily spent
• ☐ Tipping: Bills presented in Timor-Leste restaurants do not have a service charge added to them. If you feel like tipping, recognise that even a 10% tip is a lot of money to a local. In any case, the service is typically so comically bad that you should not be rushing to tip.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Timor-Leste — the same short list applies anywhere.

• ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
• ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
• ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
• ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
• ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
• ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM