Visa & Immigration

1. Hau presiza hanaruk tan hau nia vistu.

   Hau pre-si-za ha-na-ruk tan hau ni-a vis-tu.

   I need to extend my visa.

   Usage

   Used when applying for a visa extension

   Grammar Note

   There is no dedicated verb for extending a visa. "Hatutan" means joining long items end to end (hence voo hatutan viajen "connecting flight") and cannot be reused here. To lengthen a period, Tetun uses hanaruk, derived from naruk "long". Example: "hanaruk tan misaun Nasoens Unidas ba fulan rua" (extend the UN mission by two months). "Lengthen" can also be halo naruk.

2. Hau presiza dokumentu saida?

   Hau pre-si-za do-ku-men-tu sai-da?

   What documents do I need?

   Usage

   Used to ask which documents are required

   Grammar Note

   Tetun is head-initial, so the question word saida follows the noun it questions. "Noun + saida" means "what kind of", as in Ita servisu saida? ("What work do you do?"). Do not front it English-style as Saida dokumentu.

3. Departamentu imigrasaun iha ne'ebé?

   De-par-ta-men-tu i-mi-gra-saun i-ha ne-e-be?

   Where is the immigration office?

   Usage

   Used to find the immigration office

   Grammar Note

   "Immigration department" is departamentu imigrasaun. The question phrase iha ne'ebé goes at the end of the clause. Do not use eskritóriu for "office": it means "office desk".

4. Hau iha vistu turista.

   Hau i-ha vis-tu tu-ris-ta.

   I have a tourist visa.

   Usage

   Used to state the type of visa held

   Grammar Note

   The form is vistu turista, not vistu turístiku. The same series includes vistu tránzitu, vistu serbisu, vistu estudante and vistu komun. Iha covers both "have" and "there is / be located".

5. Hau bele hela loron hira?

   Hau be-le he-la lo-ron hi-ra?

   How long can I stay?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the permitted length of stay

   Grammar Note

   The length of a permitted stay is asked with "verb (+ place) + unit + hira". An example is Senhór hela iha Suai tinan hira? ("How many years did you live in Suai?"). "Stay" is hela; hein means "wait for, guard" and cannot be used. For a number of nights, use kalan hira. Tempu hira belongs to a different set phrase, haan tempu hira? ("how long does it take?"), and is not used for a permitted period of stay.

6. Hau hakarak husu vistu.

   Hau ha-ka-rak hu-su vis-tu.

   I would like to apply for a visa.

   Usage

   Used when wanting to apply for a visa

   Grammar Note

   Husu means "ask for, request"; it takes a bare noun object, as in husu opiniaun ("ask for an opinion"). Aplika also means "apply", but its object pattern is uncertain, so husu is used here. Hakarak + verb expresses "want to".

7. Vistu nia folin hira?

   Vis-tu ni-a fo-lin hi-ra?

   What is the visa fee?

   Usage

   Used to inquire about visa fees

   Grammar Note

   Prices are asked with "X folin hira?" (example: Hudi ne'e folin hira? "How much are these bananas?"). Taxa means "tax", not "fee", and barak hira is not an expression. Possession is written as two words, X nia Y.

8. Hau nia pasaporte nia prazu iha [data].

   Hau ni-a pa-sa-por-te ni-a pra-zu i-ha [da-ta].

   My passport expires on [date].

   Usage

   Used to communicate passport expiry date

   Grammar Note

   Prazu means "expiry date, used-by date". Mate means "die, go out (of a fire), stop working" and is not used for a document lapsing. The possessive X nia Y can be stacked: hau nia pasaporte nia prazu = "my passport's expiry date".

9. Hau presiza vistu tránzitu.

   Hau pre-si-za vis-tu tran-zi-tu.

   I need a transit visa.

   Usage

   Used when a transit visa is required

   Grammar Note

   Vistu tránzitu is a fixed form, used as is. The accent only marks the stressed syllable but is part of the spelling. Presiza ("need") takes a direct object.

10. Hau prenxe formuláriu imigrasaun iha ne'ebé?

    Hau pren-xe for-mu-la-riu i-mi-gra-saun i-ha ne-e-be?

    Where do I fill in the arrival card?

    Usage

    Used to ask where to complete the arrival card

    Grammar Note

    Prenxe means "fill in (a form)", as in ita prenxe lai formuláriu ("first fill in the form"). Xegada is untranslated Portuguese chegada, so it is avoided here ("arrive" is too).

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