In November 2008, the Australian Government formally accepted an offer from the East Timor President HE José Ramos-Horta for Australian Defence Force Personnel to formally accept and wear the East Timor Solidarity Medal in relation to service in stability and peace operations in East Timor from 1 May 2006.

The East Timorese Solidarity Medal was introduced by the President of East Timor in recognition of forces involved in the contribution to stability and peace operations in East Timor. The commencement date is 1 May 2006 and qualification for the medal is:

1. Having served a minimum of 180 days continuous or accrued service in East Timor from 1 May 2006; or

2. Nominations will be considered for personnel that have served a minimum of 120 days from 1 May 06; or

3. Nominations will be considered for personnel who served with a start date in May or June 2006 for a period at least 90 days; or

4. The President of the Republic may consider extra-ordinary cases outside the above time-periods. Applications for extra-ordinary cases must be endorsed and submitted through the Directorate of Honours and Awards, to be considered and approved by the President of the Republic. However, service may still only count from 1 May 2006.

The qualifying period is not required in the event of death in service in East Timor.

On 17 June 2009, the Chief of the Defence Force agreed to specific eligibility criteria for members within the Australian Defence Organisation as follows:

• Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel assigned for service as part of the ADF contribution in East Timor;

• ADF personnel involved in Defence Cooperation Program (DCP) activities in East Timor;

• ADF personnel assigned to OP TOWER are already eligible for the United Nations Mission in Timor medal (UNMIT). However, given the policy that two foreign operational awards are not normally approved for acceptance and wearing for the same service, eligible personnel will have the option of choosing which medal they might formally wear on an unrestricted basis; and

• Defence Attaché staff who are awarded the medal will only be able to accept the medal as a memento of their service. Approval will not be given for Defence Attaché staff to formally wear the medal.