Crossing from Indonesia (Kupang) to East Timor

[TengaiPilot]

I am an Australian citizen planning to cross border towards East Timor from the west (Kupang - Atambua).

I will ride an Indonesian motorcycle so carnet is non issue.

However getting an East Timor Visa has been very difficult. Even their embassy in Canberra could not issue Visa and they advised to simply apply at Kupang or Atambua.

Is this the case and had anyone crossed recently?

Thank you.

[Snakeboy]

Its a while since but from what I heard its still valid - You need to go to the East Timor consulate in Kupang and get a «Letter of recognition» or whatever it was called. A document of some kind. I got in in 10 minutes as I waited in the office and its free. Bring your passport there of course. When you come to the border you hand in over this document and your passport and get your visa. Quite simple it is.

Im a norwegian passport holder and this was in september 2015 so it could be different for other passportholders and and things could have changed but I heard that this was valid a few months back.

[TengaiPilot]

Thank you very much!!

[TengaiPilot]

OK I've successfully obtained my visa and crossed the border.

What a place to visit. Magnificent.

For the visa, I was directed by the canberra embassy to apply for 'Visa Application Authorization' by mail to Darwin Consulate (yes even Canberra embassy could not issue this). Their email is cgrdtl.drw@gmail.com (yes, gmail). It was quite fast and they issue the VAA within 3 days by mail. You need to be very specific on the border crossing point (in my case Batugade Montaai) as it is on the VAA. Other checkpoint would not let you in.

I exit Indonesia at Batugade Montaai and the East Timor immigration is only about 50m away. Filled in some usual immigration and customs paperworks, pay $30 and show my VAA. For the motorbikes (indonesian plate) just go to the other building behind and get some other paperworks done. Not difficult but takes time. It took me 2.5hrs from arriving to Indonesian immigration to exiting East Timor immigration. So plan to arrive early

Small clip of our ride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imbt6x1acUY