Bali Visa on Arrival – Everything you Need to Know

If you are planning a trip to the lovely island of Bali in Indonesia you are in for a treat. From beautiful beaches to friendly locals, jungles, temples, waterfalls and shopping – Bali has something for everyone. However, unlike travelling to some other overseas destinations, you are going to need a valid visa to enter Bali. The good news is that you can obtain a visa relatively easily on your arrival to Denpasar International Airport if you meet some basic requirements.  This is called the Visa on Arrival (VoA) program and it is open to visitors with passports from more than 80 countries – including Australia. Here is everything you need to know about obtaining a Visa on Arrival in Bali.

What is a Visa on Arrival for Bali?

Regular international travellers will know that to enter some countries – like the Untied States – you need to ensure you obtain a visa before you depart on a flight from Australia. Other countries – including New Zealand – make it easy for Australian citizens to visit, with no visa being required for entry. Indonesia does things a little differently. If you hold an Australian passport, you can travel to Bali – among other Indonesian airports and ports – and obtain a Visa on Arrival. This visa will grant you a 30-day stay in Indonesia for the purposes of tourism, official government duties, business meetings or to transit through Indonesia at certain places. Visas can be granted on the spot for a fee upon your arrival to Denpasar International Airport.

Bali Visa on Arrival for Australians

Visitors to Bali who hold an Australian passport are eligible for the Visa on Arrival program. The program is also open to tourists from more than 80 other countries. Residents of countries which are not covered under the Visa on Arrival program are required to apply for a visa before they board a plane to Bali.

Bali visitors from other countries who can obtain a Visa on Arrival

As of October 2022, the Visa on Arrival program for Bali and the rest of Indonesia applies to visitors holding passports from the following countries: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei , Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chille, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United State of America, Uzbekistan, Vatican and Vietnam.

How much does a Bali Visa on Arrival cost?

To obtain a Visa on Arrival in Bali you will need to pay a fee of IDR500,000. As of October 2022, this is equivalent to about $50 Australian dollars. Credit and debit cards can be used to pay this fee at Denpasar International Airport in Bali, but some other Indonesian airports including Jakarta International Airport require payment to be made in cash. If you are transiting to Bali via Jakarta or another Indonesian airport, it is recommended you obtain cash to make this payment before leaving Australia.

How long can I stay in Bali with a Visa on Arrival?

Obtaining a Visa on Arrival in Bali allows you to stay in Indonesia for a period of 30 days. Overstaying your visa could see you penalised in the form of a hefty fine and deportation.

Other Bali Visa on Arrival requirements

To be granted a Visa on Arrival in Bali, you must do more than just pay the visa processing fee.

There are a couple of other requirements that must be met. You must show your ordinary passport on arrival and it must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you plan to enter and the date you plan to leave Indonesia. This means if you enter Indonesia on January 1 and plan to leave on January 10 but have a passport that expires on July 3, you will not be granted the visa. You also must have a return flight booked to Australia or a confirmed onward flight booking to another country before you arrive in Bali. Holding a one-way flight to Bali with no set plans to leave Indonesia could see you turned back around at Denpasar International Airport.

Can my Bali Visa on Arrival be extended?

If 30 days is not long enough for you to explore and enjoy all that Bali has to offer, you may be able to extend your visa by a further 30 days. This allows you a maximum stay of 60 days in beautiful Bali.

However, the process to extend your Visa on Arrival is not quite as straightforward. To extend your visa by 30 days, it is recommended that you start the process at least 7 to 10 days before your initial 30-day Visa on Arrival expires. You can engage an agent to help with this process, or do it yourself.

If you do it yourself, you must go to visit Kantor Immigrasi, south of Denpasar International Airport in Bali. You need to have photos and fingerprints taken and then go back to pick up your passport a few days later. Using an agent for a small fee can save time and means you only have to visit the immigration office once. The cost of extending your Visa on Arrival by 30 days without agent fees is IDR800,000. As of October 2022, this is equivalent to about $80 Australian dollars.

What am I allowed to do with a Bali Visa on Arrival?

Indonesia’s Visa on Arrival program is intended only for tourism, official government duties, business meetings or to transit through Indonesia at certain places. You are not allowed to work in Indonesia on a Visa on Arrival, nor permanently stay in the country.

What if I am planning an extended trip to Bali?

If you expect to be travelling in Indonesia for more than 30 days, it may be easier to apply for a B211A Visitor Visa in the first place rather than using the Visa on Arrival service. Australians are able to apply for this visa while offshore before travel. The B211A Visitor Visa is valid for 60 days on a single-visit basis and can be extended twice for a total maximum stay of 180 days. These visas allow for tourism, visiting family, business meetings, government business, transport and non-commercial sports activities. There are some different requirements attached to this visa, including proof of available funds to support an extended visit to Indonesia and holding a passport which is valid for at least 12 months. The processing time is about a week after payment is made. The B211A Visitor Visa costs IDR2,000,000. As of October 2022, this is equivalent to about $200 Australian dollars.

Which other Indonesian international airports provide the Visa on Arrival service?

If you are transiting to Bali via another part of Indonesia, you can be granted a Visa on Arrival at airports other than Denpasar International Airport in Bali. The program is also available at Jakarta, Medan, Makassar, Yogykarta and Manado international airports.

Staying safe in Bali

Bali is considered to be a relatively safe travel destination for most people, however the Australian Government recommends exercising a high degree of caution when travelling to Indonesia due to overall security risks. There is an ongoing risk of terrorist attack in Indonesia and both petty and violent crime do occur. It is important to be careful of drinks being spiked or mixed with toxic substances, while crimes involving taxis and taxi drivers are also somewhat common. There is also a risk of natural disasters in Bali including floods, earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis which could interrupt your travel plans.

Bali Travel Insurance

If you are planning a trip to Bali under the Visa on Arrival program – or any other tourist visa for travel to Indonesia – it is important to take out a suitable travel insurance policy. As with any international trip, the Australian Government highly recommends taking out travel insurance before you depart Australia. Ideally, it is best to take out travel insurance as soon as you have booked flights for your trip. At a minimum, travel insurance policies need to cover all overseas medical costs including evacuation as the Australian Government will not pay for these costs. If you are not insured, you could find yourself thousands of dollars out of pocket for medical care during your trip to Bali if something goes wrong.

Travel insurance can cover you for not only medical expenses incurred overseas and medical evacuation, but comprehensive policies may also cover cancellation fees, lost deposits and lost, delayed, damaged or stolen luggage and other personal effects. Things like alternative transport arrangements and personal liability cover are also included in many policies. Be sure to thoroughly check what your policy includes and what exclusions apply before you travel.

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