Getting ready to go on vacation to Bali can be both super fun and super stressful. Sadly, for one recent traveler, things got pretty stressful pretty quickly.
Married At First Sight contestant Evelyn Ellis was recently denied boarding her flight from Australia to Bali after officials found a small tear in her passport.
To make matters worse, her new photos were later rejected by the Passport Office, which made the saga roll on.
The 28-year-old was denied entry to her Bali-bound flight on Monday 21st October. In a social media post, Ellis explained, “Had a terrible day yesterday. I was denied boarding because of a small tear on my passport.”
She went on to explain that she visited an Officeworks store to have new passport photos taken so that she could apply for an emergency passport. She noted, “Got my passport photos done at Officeworks, but apparently that was not good enough.”
Things were quickly rectified; however, by Tuesday afternoon, Ellis had posted to her Instagram on her way to Bali. Though for most people caught up in a saga like this the outcomes are far more devastating, and costly.
Ellis’ woes are an all too common story for Bali-bound tourists. Immigration officials in Bali are notoriously strict when it comes to passport inspections.
While anywhere in the world, a damaged passport will result in denied entry to a flight, in Bali, officials are stricter than most and, most notably, specifically look for damage.
Damage can include tears, even those only a few millimeters in length, page rips, notable bends and folds, ink stains, and watermarks all count as damage.
Over the last few years, dozens of tourists have been caught out by these strict rules, so much so that airlines have also become as strict as immigration officials when it comes to Bali-bound flights because airline staff knows all too well what tourists face if they land in Bali with a damaged passport.
Tourists who arrive in Bali with a passport that is deemed to be damaged will be detained by immigration officials at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport until they can board a flight home.
The flight home must be paid for and arranged by the traveler in question and be directly taken to their home nation.
Tourists with damaged passports will stay under the supervision of an immigration officer for the duration of their time in Bali Airport and be escorted throughout the terminal buildings.
As tourists are preparing to travel to Bali, whether in the coming weeks or for the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays, it is vitally important to thoroughly check the condition of your passport long before you travel.
Although emergency and quick turnaround passports are available from most passport offices, it’s always best to be prepared.
If in doubt, it is best to call the local passport office or reach out with photos of the condition of your passport to see whether there are any issues.
The issue of a passport with minor damage cannot be avoided by using the e-visa on arrival for Bali either. The e-visa on arrival for Indonesia allows tourists to use the newly installed autogates at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
While having an e-visa on arrival makes passengers eligible to use the autogates, passports will still be checked in person by airport and airline staff throughout the journey.
If the gates are not in use or the queues are too long, passengers may also be directed to a stated counter where a full passport inspection will take place.
Tourists planning a visit to Bali, or any destination across Indonesia, should also note that it is a requirement to have at least two completely empty pages available in the passport on arrival in Indonesia. The passport should also have a minimum of 6-month validity available.
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Thommo
Friday 25th of October 2024
Just more ridiculous examples of stupid over bureaucratic idiocy and process entering Bali. Imagine travellers with 10 year visas that have extensive travel and have no problems with entering any other countries. Their passports have been handled multiple times and are years old yet immigrasi officials in Bali have been told by some muppet above them to check for minor defects/damage and deny entry. Yet Immigrasi here are renowned for holding passports for months on longer term visa applications and people have to use external independent visa agents because the processes are so inept, slow and overcomplicated. And everyone knows that immigrasi have corrupt practices accepting or setting bribes and sliding doors in their behaviours and practice. So a minor tear or other minor damage to a passport is indicative of what? It's false or the holder is an undesirable tourist? So tourists all over the world coming to Bali have the added anxiety of will my passport get me there but this anxiety doesn't happen going anywhere else.Ridiculous.
Randy
Sunday 27th of October 2024
@Exp, ask your own backyard before jumping on the wagon. And why are you still here in Bali??
Randy
Sunday 27th of October 2024
@Thommo, Indonesia is NOT alone when tracking damaged passports, other countries are doing the same BS. Airlines can be fined if they let passengers with less than 6 months left or damaged passports. Off shore visa applicants have no problems and also with extension. You PEOPLE are always generalizing things without concrete proofs.
Shorty
Sunday 27th of October 2024
@Thommo Their country, their rules. When you consider the number of tourists against rejections the number is extremely low. I'd suggest it's been blown way out of proportion.
Exp
Saturday 26th of October 2024
@Thommo, "Yet Imigrasi here are renowned for holding passports for months on longer."
Agree, a major issue if sudden need to get out due to medical or family emergency. These people have no respect for other peoples personal documents, need for free movements and safety.
Shorty
Thursday 24th of October 2024
I don't believe her. Any damage would have been detected at the unnamed airline check in, not by unnamed or unspecified 'Officials'. I don't believe the photo saga. Those regularly taking the pics have strict guidelines and templates they follow. Immigration states 2+ days for fast track processing. DM and others running the story have been had for her social media sought boost.
Firechef
Thursday 24th of October 2024
This is crazy! Most of the time passport damage is done by mishandling by the passport inspector who wants to get recognition from their superior for a job well done. Watch those people like an Eagle and report them immediately to their supervisor, do not leave their station.
Peter
Thursday 24th of October 2024
Yes immigration officials get a large bonus for spotting a dodgy passport and turning around a tourist who would probably spend thousands of dollars on holidays in bali good thinking guys
Randy
Sunday 27th of October 2024
@Thommo, which part of English that YOU do NOT understand, a damaged page or a tear would not make you clear to fly. And Airlines can be fined for overlooking a simple problem and let the passenger in question to fly.
Exp
Saturday 26th of October 2024
@Thommo, I would think that passports with undamaged photos that can be read electronically are fit for purpose.
Thommo
Friday 25th of October 2024
@Peter, A dodgy passport would suggest it's fake which would be a justifiable exclusion. But small tear or minor damage to a genuine passport that is micro chipped and encrypted is ridiculous criteria for denying entry when it's not an issue for that traveller anywhere else. As you say it's costing them.
WAYAN BO
Thursday 24th of October 2024
Avoiding such problems could be very easy, just don’t travel to such countries, 🤣r if she want to apply for Indonesian passports by tearing her Australian in advance, should look at the list of worlds best passports first and where Indonesian passport is placed, really unused and without tears and fears 🤣