Hi everyone,

even though I was very sure I posted this yesterday already (senile at 21, where's that supposed to end? ) I will do it again. If it was deleted by a mod or admin than sorry, don't know what was wrong with it and didn't get a warning:

Yesterday I was driving a few comfy hours through beautiful sunshine until I got rejected at the land border between Indonesia and Timor Leste. They told me I need this magial piece of paper called Letter of Approval. I have not even thought about that Visa as problematic at all, never heard about problems, so that was a massive and unwelcome surprise.

"New Rule, very dumb." was the very comforting thing the Indo-officer told me when I turned around, apparently having to return to Kupang.

With a big 4 Leter word written in red in front of my face I made it back to the first Indo town with Internet and googled for this magic paper.

It actually is true: Tourist & Business Visa | Immigration Service of Timor-Leste

So now I have two options:

- either apply online and get a letter e-mailed after "10 days". (Reports I found online were more settling for 30-40 days, if at all answered.

-or drive back to Kupang and eiher get a visa or the letter (Reports differ greatly on the consulate in Kupang, some say they are helpful, others say they are as corrupt as it gets, and others still said,they just don't do anything at all.

So my question is, does anyone have any experience with the consulate in Kupang, the visa, the letter or an unmarked trail over the border and contacts with a stamp for the carnet ?

Oh and of course, just to make matters worse my Indo Visa will expire, and I have extended it already until the 6 month maximum.


Cheers
Tim