If you’re travelling to Indonesia on a non-ASEAN passport, like many Permanent Residents and Long Term Pass Holders escaping Singapore for Bali trips lately, one snag remains the requirement to obtain a Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) when you land at the airport, costing IDR 500,000 (~S$45).
While this requirement doesn’t apply to Singapore citizens, who enjoy visa-free entry once again since April this year, it does impact many of our readers who don’t have the luxury of a red passport (or ASEAN passport) to fall back on when heading to Indonesia.
In this case there’s a need to queue separately to obtain a VoA in your passport on arrival at the airport, before proceeding to the immigration counter itself, by which time Singapore citizens and ASEAN nationals deplaning your flight have probably formed a significant queue ahead of you!
You can now obtain a VoA in advance
There’s good news if you’re in this traveller category, with nationals of 26 out of 86 VoA countries now eligible to apply online in advance for a an “e-VoA”, skipping that first queue on arrival.
Each traveller must hold a separate e-VoA, including infants and children (even if they are included on their parent’s passports).
This new e-VoA is only applicable to those arriving by air on international flights into:
- Bali Denpasar Ngurah Rai Airport, or
- Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport
Immigration officers at these airports can verify your e-VoA in their computer system, but this functionality has not yet been rolled out to other VoA entry points.
If you are entering Indonesia via another airport, such as Surabaya or Lombok, and you require a VoA, you will not be able to apply for an e-VoA at this stage, but can continue to have one issued at the manual counter on arrival.
Even if you are travelling to Bali or Jakarta, the manual counter option on arrival remains, e-VoA is optional.
How much?
The e-VoA fee is IDR 500,000 (~S$45), the same as it is for in-person VoA applications at the airport on arrival. Payment online can be made by Mastercard, Visa or JCB card (the cardholder does not have to be the VoA applicant).
While the cost is the same, it’s definitely worth getting an e-VoA in advance if you can, to avoid the additional queues and waiting time once you land at Bali or Jakarta airport.
Eligible nationalities
Here’s the list of 26 eligible nationalities for e-VoA application to enter Indonesia.
- Australia
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Belgium
- Canada
- China
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Japan
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Timor Leste
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
As you can see, this will benefit many Singapore residents who travel regularly to Indonesia (Bali in particular), including Australian, British, Dutch, French and US citizens.
The full list of 86 VoA-eligible nationalities for those obtaining their VoA the traditional way at the airport counter is provided below (click to expand).
Indonesia VoA-eligible countries
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Many of these nationals did not need a visa to enter Indonesia before the pandemic, including Australian, British and Dutch citizens, but this concession has unfortunately not yet returned, like it has for ASEAN nationals.
What you’ll need to apply
In order to apply for your e-VoA, you’ll need to register an account, and receive a verification email.
You can apply for your e-VoA by clicking “Apply” and then proceeding to supply the following documents and information:
- The full photo page of your passport, with at least six months validity from the date of your arrival to Indonesia (a format of JPG/JPEG/PNG is required, with a restrictive maximum file size of 200 Kb)
- A passport-size photograph (a format of JPG/JPEG/PNG is required, with a restrictive maximum file size of 200 Kb)
- Your email address
- Visa type and arrival information
- Accommodation details in Indonesia
- A valid Mastercard, Visa card, or JCB credit card for payment (does not have to be in your name, but must have a “3D Secure System”)
After completing the payment step, your e-VoA will be available in your account.
Despite its electronic nature, your e-VoA should be kept as a soft copy on your computer or smartphone, or as a printed hard copy, in case the immigration system at Bali or Jakarta airport suffers any failure on the day of your arrival.
Do note that once your e-VoA is processed, none of the information can be changed.
The information on your e-VoA must be exactly the same as the information on your passport, otherwise it may be deemed invalid, in which case entry may be refused and there will be no refund.
For full details , see the FAQ for e-VoA application.
e-VoA validity
The e-VoA is valid for entry into Indonesia during a period of 90 days starting from the date of your application.
This then allows you to make a single entry into Indonesia via Bali Airport or Jakarta Airport, for a stay of up to 30 days, provided you arrive within that 90-day window.
For example, if you apply for your e-VoA on 15th November 2022:
- You must enter Indonesia via Bali or Jakarta airport between 15th November 2022 and 13th February 2023 (i.e. within the 90-day window).
- On entry, your stay is then limited to 30 further days (e.g. entry on 13th February 2023, stay until 15th March 2023 is permitted).
You can extend your stay by a further 30 days if you wish, just like the current VoA system, by making an application to an immigration office once you are in the country. You must extend your visa within the initial 30 days, to avoid an overstay fine.
The purpose of your stay must be one of the following:
- Tourism
- Government Visit
- Business Meeting
- Goods Purchasing
- Transit (after clearing immigration)
If you hold a VoA-required nationality and are transiting between flights in Indonesia without clearing immigration, a VoA is not required.
Generally speaking, this will require you to be travelling on a single ticket, with any luggage checked through to your final destination, and all boarding passes issued at your origin airport.
Singaporeans and other ASEAN nationals don’t need a VoA
Since early April 2022, those holding one of nine ASEAN passports, including Singaporeans, no longer need a Visa on Arrival (VoA) to visit Indonesia, meaning a nice cash saving compared to the country’s original reopening process, where a VoA was a requirement.
Here are the approved ASEAN visa-free nationalities, for those arriving in Indonesia as tourists.
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Just to reiterate, this e-VoA process does not apply to travellers entering Indonesia with one of these passports.
Visa-free ASEAN tourist arrivals are limited to a 30 day stay in Indonesia, which cannot be extended (you’ll have to leave the country and re-enter again to get a ‘fresh’ 30 days stay allowance).
As for all visitors (ASEAN or non-ASEAN), your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive to be eligible for entry to Indonesia.
Current requirements when flying to Indonesia
Back in May this year, Indonesia scrapped pre-departure COVID-19 testing for fully vaccinated visitors, having also removed on-arrival testing the month before.
You must still be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to visit Indonesia quarantine-free, which means you must have:
- a COVID-19 vaccination certificate (physical or digital) showing that you were fully vaccinated at least 14 days before departure.
The certificate must be issued in both English and the local language of the country where you were vaccinated, if different.
The vaccination requirement does not apply to passengers younger than 18 years, who are able to follow the entry requirements of their accompanying parents, guardians or travel companions.
Those aged 18 or over who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons are allowed to travel test-free and quarantine-free to Indonesia, but they must carry a supporting doctor’s certificate from the country of departure.
Summary
Bali trips (and Jakarta ones for that matter) are now easier for many Singapore residents who don’t hold an ASEAN passport, but are on the list of 26 nationalities now eligible for an e-VoA, including Australian, British, Dutch, French and US citizens.
This new service allows you to obtain your VoA in advance and head straight to the immigration queue on arrival at Bali or Jakarta airport, without the need to make a separate trip to the VoA desk to process the visa and make payment.
On busier days this could significantly speed up the arrival process, allowing you to get on with your trip much sooner.
Hat-tip to Loyalty Lobby
Thanks for this article.
Do you know whether APEC Business Travel Card holders with non-ASEAN passports would still require the VoA?
This is rather useless – the last 3 times I landed at DPS payment for the on-arrival visa took no more than 2 min – the real limiting factor to leave the airport is clearing immigration.
Took at least 15 mins for me to get the VOA arriving at a busy peak in Bali with Singapore and Qatar flights both landing same time last month so I’d do the online one in future but yes immigration was a further hour that’s the killer
Is it nessasary to fill in the seatnumber or is it enough to fill in the flight number??