Bali Airport is committed to leveling up passenger experience across domestic and international terminals.
Since late 2023, new autogates have been installed to help speed up the immigration process, and more are in the pipeline.
Last week, Bali Airport apologized for any upcoming inconvenience caused by the installation of the next 30 autogates at the international arrivals terminal.
However, strict instructions have been given from the top authorities to speed up the process so that everything is up and running before the high season for Australian holidaymakers really kicks off.
The Head of the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Pramella Y Pasaribu, told reporters, “I am giving directions so that the process can be completed more quickly than expected.”
After the Eid festival is over, there are also plans to install 20 autogates at the international departures terminal, bringing the total number of autogates at Bali Airport to 80.
The installation of the autogates has helped speed up the arrivals process for tens of thousands of tourists so far.
The speed of processing through Bali Airport is a serious focus point for airport managers since every year, during the high season, queues and delays build up.
Bottlenecks always form at the immigration counters. Especially since the vast majority of tourists now need to pay for their visas upon arrival.
Before the pandemic, tourists from Australia, New Zealand, most European countries, and the United States were granted visa-free travel. Now, tourists from over 90 countries must apply for a visa on arrival, which costs IDR 500,00 for their 30-day stay.
The new autogates help speed up the arrival and immigration process in just a matter of seconds. The autogates can be used by Indonesian citizens, and foreign nationals who have electronic passports, and those who old the e-Visa on Arrival or any other electronic visa category.
Foreigners entering Bali on a KITAS, KITAP, or BVK who have registered on the Indonesian E-Visa page can also use the autogates at Bali Airport and at Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International Airport.
The autogates use a combination of facial recognition technology and border control management systems to quickly and efficiently process arrivals into the country.
Tourists planning their vacations in Bali during the high season, between late May and early September, are advised to arrange their e-visa on arrival before arriving in Bali.
The electronic visa on Arrival costs the same amount as a normal visa on arrival and can be applied for entirely online.
For families and groups of travelers, it is possible to apply for the e-VoA for up to five passengers at a time, and children need a visa, too.
The visa costs IDR 500,000 per person and must be paid on a debit or credit card in Indonesian Rupiah.
There is only one official website for evisas for Indonesia, and that is https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/ – many sources refer to evisa.imigration.go.id, but the ‘Molina’ site is the one that actually works and the evisa link times out frequently.
Tourists planning to apply for their evisa in the coming days should be aware that the website and visa issuing services may be experiencing some delays due to the Eid al-Fitr holidays.
A statement published by the Immigration Department confirms, “Visa processing will be temporarily closed from the 8th to the 15th April 2024 due to the public holiday and collective leave of the Hari Raya Idul Fitr 1445 Hijriaj.”
“However, visa exemptions and visa-on-arrival services are still accessible. We will resume regular operations on the 16th of April, 2024.”
The statement concludes, “Visa applications received on the 6th (Saturday) and 7th (Sunday) of April 2024 will start to be processed on the 16th of April 2024 (Tuesday).” Immigration offices will also be closed.
Remove All Ads & Unlock All Articles… Sign up for The Bali Sun Premium
Plan Your Bali Holiday:
Book The Best English Speaking Drivers For Airport Transfers & Tours
Choose From Thousands of Bali Hotels, Resorts, and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
Book Cheap Flights To Bali
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance That Covers Medical Expenses In Bali
For the latest Bali News & Debate Join our Facebook Community
SUBSCRIBE TO NEW POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Bali Sun’s latest breaking news, straight to your inbox.
Randy
Monday 8th of April 2024
“However, strict instructions have been given from the top authorities to speed up the process so that everything is up and running before the high season for Australian holidaymakers really kicks off.” Well, it makes perfect sense when it is the dead of winter in Australia. However there are many other nationalities besides Aussies who travel to Bali during the high season when schools are out for the summer. They also contribute to the local tourism economy with paying more for hotels, transportation and meals throughout Indonesia.
Randy
Monday 8th of April 2024
“However, strict instructions have been given from the top authorities to speed up the process so that everything is up and running before the high season for Australian holidaymakers really kicks off.” Apparently Bali is only focused on Aussies. Other foreigners who come and contribute to tourism do NOT matter. Sorry but Australia is NOT the center of this sad universes as we know it. So please no favoritism of who should be prioritized. Good grief.
Shorty
Wednesday 10th of April 2024
@Randy, Australians are the largest group. He's just used that as 'spur'. Many industries, not just government will use their main customer for similar reasons. Not in anyway defending Australians.
Shorty
Saturday 6th of April 2024
So there's some hiccups to be sorted to get them running smoothly and efficiently.
So what. It happens everywhere.
Sydney/Australia, just as an example, had similar ongoing problems across a wide range of electronic data collection and payment systems.
In many cases it takes usage to find out about problems and get solutions.
Instead of smug, I told you so, what do you expect....comments perhaps were should compliment people for taking up the technology then recognising and seeking solutions to the problems.
Shorty
Wednesday 10th of April 2024
@Randy,
My comments apply equally to whingeing Australians and any others
Randy
Tuesday 9th of April 2024
@Harrison, why use love Bali when you can fill out from the customs website directly. LINK
Exp
Monday 8th of April 2024
@Shorty, capisce "Wayan"
Harrison
Monday 8th of April 2024
@Shorty, or they could actually try the system before implementing it
Took my aging parents over an hour to get through immigration and customs.
The customs QR code done in advance from the link from lovebali website was apparently the ‘wrong one’.
Randy
Monday 8th of April 2024
@Shorty, apparently Aussies may complain a whole lot of things that do not run smoothly or not in their favor. Each country is run differently, so don’t sweat it. But Bali is still an Aussie favorite destination...GO FIGURE!!
Robert
Friday 5th of April 2024
Let's hope they can also improve their manners at the airport - no one wanted to help with the QR codes needed. What you don't know, you don't know as we learned about who needs what when trying to get through the airport. We found the staff at the customs section very rude, and not helpful when we were trying hard to sort out what QR codes were needed. We travel to Bali 3 times a year and this last trip a couple of weeks ago will be the last for a long time. Other destinations are more welcoming and Bali is no longer the destination of choice for us.
Randy
Tuesday 9th of April 2024
@Exp, save you from the trouble next time use link below from your phone or a remote computer (lap top or iPad) but have a dissent working up to date phone.
LINK
Customs link...it worked and very straightforward. Save QR code for going through customs.
Randy
Monday 8th of April 2024
@Exp, apparently some Americans obtained online and are computer savvy. And breeze through passport control. You may have to stay on line and be patient to get the VOA. Furthermore the customs and QR code as well is a straight forward process. No problems. No complaints unlike others including YOU who may have no patience or computer knowledge. Do you have the patience though or complaining may be easier because the stars are not in your favor. Sigh.
When you enter Japan or Singapore, you need to fill out online or on your phone before you enter the country and it’s done smoothly.
Exp
Friday 5th of April 2024
@Robert, The customs QR code is best to get online prior arrival and then save it on the phone as an image or screenshot to show customs.
However, I had no luck using their their online site a couple of times. Then you have to line up and use their desktop at the airport to produce the QR code. Tedious with all the input double dipping with data immigration ask for.
Exp
Thursday 4th of April 2024
Quote "Foreigners entering Bali on a KITAS, KITAP, or BVK who have registered on the Indonesian E-Visa page can also use the autogates at Bali Airport and at Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International Airport."
This statement means that KITAS and KITAP holders DO NOT need to register online to use autogates? Only BVK need to register?
Shorty
Monday 8th of April 2024
@Exp,
The 'as well' applies to the BVK countries - those that can enter freely without visa. It simply means they too can get exemption from the TT and use the autogates. It makes or infers no difference to the others.
Exp
Saturday 6th of April 2024
@Shorty, the wording is somewhat different at source with 'or' replaced by 'as well'. Clear as mud.
6 April Immigration web page: -----------------------------
Autogates can be used by Indonesian citizens (all types of passports), foreigners (electronic passports) holders of E-VOA, E-Visa, KITAS, KITAP, as well as BVK subject countries who have registered on the evisa.imigration page
LINK
Shorty
Saturday 6th of April 2024
@Exp,
Read it again. 'or' is interchangeable with 'and'. It clearly means all have to register.