How to get an Indonesian Visa on Arrival at Denpasar in Bali.
I will tell you how to get an Indonesian Visa on arrival in Denpasar Airport in Bali, I’ll come to it in a bit. But first up – I’ll tell my story about my latest trip to Bali in Indonesia and why I ended up getting 2 visas for the country despite being in transit twice recently. I first visited Bali in 2012, flying in from Jakarta. On that occasion myself and my Brazilian mate Rodrigo toured a load of the sites and enjoyed it.
Touring Bali in 2012 – at Ulun Danu.
I’ve officially been to Bali three times now, but I didn’t always plan in that way, in fact two of those times I was in transit and didn’t expect to have to get a visa but alas you do. The other time I didn’t need a visa, as I already had a 30 day Indonesian Visa from my time touring Java. In fact I recently was forced to get an Indonesian Visa for a 20 minute stay in the country! I kid you not! I noticed a sign for “Visa on Arrival” and “Non Visa on Arrival” as well as the Transit and Transfer section so I headed there in a rush as I had a connecting flight to catch.
Arrival in Bali in Indonesia for 20 minutes.
I arrived off a flight from Hong Kong direct to Denpasar in Bali, had about an hour and 20 minutes to make my connection from Denpasar to Dili in East Timor and had NO baggage except my hand luggage backpack. But after 20 minutes of arguing that I should go straight to my next flight or at the very least just get a quick transit visa, I was told I needed a full 30 day visa. One of the guys said to me “Nobody passes through Bali in transit – why don’t you want to see Bali?” – The cheek of it – I’ve been to Bali before and it ain’t that great – I was heading to East Timor this time!
Nobody goes to the transit and transfer in Bali apparently – they expect all travellers to stay in Bali.
My questions on the visa form were easily answered:
Place of Stay: Airport
Length of Stay: 0 Days
So I paid my $25 US and got my Indonesian Visa stamped as entering the country. Exactly 20 minutes later I had paid my departure tax and got my exit stamp!
I have three Indonesian Visas in my passport but I’ve really only been once!
What Nationalities Need a Visa for Indonesia?
I actually found that most nationalities will require a visa, here’s a photo of the countries that need one, I’ve travelled there on an Irish and British passport and both require a visa:
What nationalities need a visa for Indonesia?
How to get an Indonesian Visa in Denpasar Airport, Bali
OK it’s an easy one to get, as much as it pained me to part with the $25 US for 20 minutes in the country, so here’s a guide in step by step form:
1. Get off the plane (standard)
2. Head to Arrivals – Visas and Immigration
Arrivals on route to immigration in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
3. Pay $25 US at the first desk for the Visa – you will be issued with 2 receipts. You don’t have to pay in US Dollars – you can pay in any one of the currencies listed below in the photo:
Paying for your Indonesian Visa
4. Join the queue for immigration (it can be long – so if you haven’t filled in your immigration forms yet – just do it in the queue, always carry a pen). The form is very easy to fill in and similar to the Malaysia one (though Malaysia doesn’t require a visa or payment – you just get a stamp on an Irish/British passport).
The front of the visa form for Indonesia in Denpasar, Bali
The main part of the visa form for Indonesia in Denpasar, Bali
5. Get your visa stamped on your passport
Once you get to the immigration counter, the official will check the details, take your payment receipt and stamp your visa onto your passport. You will be given your departure card back to keep and also one of the 2 payment slips you got.
Keep these receipts for leaving the country.
You will need to keep these for leaving the country. I’ve been to Bali 3 times, in 2014 the visa is purple, in 2012 it was brown.
Indonesian Visa on arrival in Denpasar, Bali
6. Customs Form
You should also pick up the customs form and fill it in ready to hand in to the next desk after getting your visa. They just take it off you, check your bags (put them through the scanner) and that’s it. You’re now in Bali!
Arrival in Bali, Indonesia
What Next Once I’m Through Immigration?
Collect your baggage if you have any, I didn’t on my recent trip and either stay in the airport in transit or head out to explore! Like I said before, I was in Bali during 2012, so here are some of the places I checked out on that trip:
Ulun Danu Temple on the Lake, Bali, Indonesia
Munduk Coffee (the world’s rarest), Bali, Indonesia
Lovina, Bali, Indonesia
Singaraja, Bali, Indonesia
Git Git Waterfalls, Bali, Indonesia
On my recent trip through Indonesia, I had to get a visa on both my stop overs. The first time I just spent 20 minutes in the airport on the visa, before boarding my flight to East Timor, on the second occasion I had about 6-7 hours in the country and made it out to Ubud. Bali can be manic, but it can also be rewarding. Bali can be toruisty, but it can also be remote. It is worth a trip, even if I preferred touring Java:
Top 7 sights in Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
Top 5 sights in Jakarta, Java, Indonesia
Thirsty Thursdays in Jakarta, Java, Indonesia
Touring Prambanan, Java, Indonesia
Touring Kota Gede Silver Factory, Java, Indonesia
Touring Borobudur, Java, Indonesia
Touring Tamansari, Java, Indonesia
Friday’s Featured Food: Buffet Lunch in Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
Good luck and safe travels!
Backpacking in Singaraja, Bali, Indonesia
I cannot fathom why an Indian national gets visa-on-arrival in Indonesia for free, and a British/Irish national cannot. It is worth noting that the information I obtained from credible sources on the internet before I travelled to Indonesia last year did mention the fee of USD25.
Your webpage says that you are in Mumbai now and heading to Goa next. I am from Mumbai. Please let me know if you seek any information about the city. Thanking You!
Hi Jeetendra, if you get visa on arrival that’s great! Irish and British are Christian countries and India has Islam and Hindu mostly, so perhaps the closeness of the two countries histories is the reason – it’s a good thing though, right? Safe travels. Jonny
Hey Jonny,
I am planning to travel to East timor via bali. Its a short trip wherein I will stay over in bali for a day and within the same week come back from timor and stay again in Bali. My question is can we get two transit visas/visa on arrival within the same week since I am assuming each visa on arrival granted to me would be single entry only.
Thank in advance!
Hi Prakhar, What nationality are you? I travel and Irish and British passports and both were fine for this. Please check with your own nationality. Safe travels. Jonny
How long was the flight to East Timor? I am looking into a potential trip to Bali in 2017 for 2 – 3 weeks and potentially thinking of adding either a visit to East Timor or Komodo Island to the mix while I am there. Read that Komodo Island is about a 2 hour flight from Denpasar, but not sure about the flight to East Timor from there.
Ray recently posted…Rio da Prata – Brazil’s Real Life Aquarium
Hi Ray, I can’t remember exactly but it was only a few hours at most. Denpasar to Dili. If you have time I would try to squeeze both of those in, even if you only get to see Dili. Atauro Island in East Timor was also ace though. So far, I haven’t made it to Komodo but like many places it’s on the list! Safe travels. Jonny
Hello,
First of all, thank you for sharing your experience and all the details.
Therefore I’m a little bit confused. Do we make the visa on arrival when we get off the plane or it’s only people who enter the airport and has been to Bali (which I find stupid because they are already in Bali so basically they already have the visa). Moreover, the visa on the arrival is also available for others nationalities who are not mentioned ? And why the countries mentioned for the VOA need a visa whereas they can come to Bali with just their passports without a visa if they want to stay less or max than 30 days ?
Sorry for all these questions ^^
Thank you 🙂
Hi Wendy, thanks for your comment. I am also a little bit confused with what you say, and bear in mind I am only a tourist like you and was in Bali and Java in 2012 and 2014 (so things will probably have changed since – please check with relevant authorities). BUT when I was there, this was the situation:
1.Yes I made the visa application when I got off the plane. I could not get into the country without doing that.
2.No idea about what you mean “already in Bali”. When you get off the plane for the first time, yes you are officially on LAND and in Bali/Java/etc. but you cannot go THROUGH immigration without the visa.
3. It probably applies to other countries other than Irish and British too but I only write about my journey in 2012 and 2014, this was the situation. Like I say, there are probably updates, so please check.
4. Last point, I don’t understand what you mean? I got 30 day visas on both trips to Indonesia. I got one of them in Jakarta and one of them in Bali. The Jakarta post is here – https://dontstopliving.net/how-to-get-an-indonesian-visa-on-arrival-in-jakarta-airport-java/ . I hope you get sorted, best wishes and safe travels. Jonny