Bali, an island tourist destination in Indonesia, has something for everyone. Also known as Island of the Gods, it is a perfect mix of Culture, religion, nightlife, beaches, activities, natural beauty, wonderful landscapes. For its small size (about 5700 Sq Kms), it sure packs in a lot for tourists seeking more bang for their buck.
We visited Bali earlier this year and realized that despite being such a popular tourist place, there is a lot of confusing and conflicting information on the Internet about the need and procedure for permission to enter Bali/Indonesia. This post will try to clarify on the same.
First off, a tourist visa is required for most countries. The only countries that are exempt are those in ASEAN which includes, Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore & Vietnam. Please note that you need to have a passport of these countries, residence permit is not enough, and this permission is valid for only 30 days. For most other countries, Visa on Arrival or an e-visa (ITAS) is required, which, once received, is valid for a 30 day stay extendable by another 30 days. Taking an e-visa beforehand helps in avoiding the queues and reducing the wait time on arrival at Bali Airport (Denpasar).
There are a lot of fake websites offering an Indonesia visa and hence it is important that one registers and applies only on the official website of Indonesia immigration which is one of https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id or https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/ . The Molina website may not be working at times, but mentioned it since the response you may get for application may be coming from or indicate a Molina website address.
The visa fee for Indonesia/Bali is IDR 500,000/- per person and there is a processing fee of IDR 19,500 added to the amount. The e-Visa is processed within 3-5 days, however we received the e-visa almost immediately on payment of the fees.
Denpasar airport at Bali, Indonesia has implemented the auto gate system where in you can scan your passport and move without standing in queue for regular visa on arrival. The Auto Gates can only be used by people having a digital passport. We did not have an electronic passport so had to go manual and got a sticker on our passport. However, we had arrived at a lean time and did not take much time for us to go through, especially since we had the e-Visa ready with us, there were others who were busy on their phones applying for e-visa. In all the cases, you get an email stating that your ITAS has been activated.
Customs Declaration – The customs declaration can be done online and needs to be done not more than 3 days in advance i.e. within 72 hours of your arrival in Bali. The website for doing the same is https://ecd.beacukai.go.id . There are no costs applicable for this. The QR code received needs to be shown to the customs official at checkpoints after collecting your luggage.
Tourist Levy – Costing IDR 150,000/- this can be done online or on arrival, but best to do this online to save time on arrival at the airport. The levy needs to be paid at https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/ The confirmation email will have a QR code which will need to be shown at the counter meant for the same, after immigration and customs. Doing this on arrival will mean more time spent at the airport. Also know that the payment on arrival can be made in USD, IDR in cash or by credit card. While it may not be checked at the Airport, it needs to be activated by showing it at the counter where the QR code will be scanned. Keep in mind that hotels may ask for it and it can be checked for, anywhere during your stay in Bali.
In Aug 2024, Indonesia has made it compulsory for all people travelling to Indonesia to complete a Health Declaration called the SSHP (Satu Sehat Health Pass). It can be done online at https://sshp.kemkes.go.id/ not more than 72 hours before arrival in Indonesia. There are no fees involved. The SSHP will have to be shown to staff in arrival area before Immigration.
As you can see, all formalities for entering Bali, Indonesia can be done online before arrival which saves a lot of time at the airport. Enjoy Bali.
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