Bali’s auto-gates are officially up and running. The newly installed auto-gates can be found in both the international arrival and departure terminals.
Tourists from ASEAN nations and those using the eVoA will be able to speed through the airport.
The new auto-gates have been slowly and steadily installed across Bali Airport since late last year.
The new auto-gates are part of a bigger nationwide effort, but the Directorate General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, is to level up immigration services and digitalize operations as much as possible for both citizens and foreigners.
On average, Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport welcomes 18,000 tourists every day; this increases up to 36,000 during the peak season.
This puts huge pressure on the immigration services at the airport. So when Director General Karim took over the role last year, he vowed to ensure that Indonesia’s immigration services would reach the ‘gold standard’ level across the board.
In total, ninety auto-gates have been installed. Sixty in the arrivals halls and thirty in the departure halls.
These are the same auto-gates that have been up and running in Jakarta Airport for the past few months with huge success.
At the moment, only tourists who tick all the right criteria boxes will be able to use the autogates on Arrival and departure.
Those who are using the eVisa on Arrival, those from ASEAN nations, and only those who have an electronic passport. It’s easy to know if you have an electronic passport; there’s a small golden square beneath the national emblem on the form that has a circle in the middle.
This means that the ID page of the passport can be read by automated scanners like those now installed at Bali Airport.
All tourists visiting Bali, or Indonesian more broadly, are being encouraged to arrange their eVisa on Arrival prior to touching down in the county.
The eVoA costs exactly the same as paying on arrival but can help speed up the arrival process for tourists since everything is already in place before flying.
It should be noted that there is only one official website for arranging the Indonesian eVoA; this is https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/ – tourists should not use any other website that claims to offer an expedited process or that charges more than the IDR 500,000 the eVoA costs.
Unlike the new Love Bali website, the official e-visa website for Indonesia is reliable and easy to use. It seldom crashes, is available to use in English, and is very clear to use.
Tourists who are granted an eVoA for 30 days are also able to extend their visa online by using the same site. For tourists traveling as a couple, family, or group, eVoA applications can be made for up to five people at a time.
The application process is simple; follow the steps on the screen: select the passport country first, the purpose of visiting (general, family, social), follow the sub-purpose (tourism, family visit, and transit), and select B1 Tourism Visa on Arrival.
The next step is to upload the travel documents, follow all the instructions on the screen, and proceed to payment.
Once everything is completed and the visa approved, applicants will receive their eVoA document via email. The PDF document can be printed out or saved as a file on a smartphone.
The QR code for the visa and the corresponding passport must be easily accessible on arrival to put through the scanner if tourists wish to use the auto-gates.
Tourists traveling on ASEAN passports do not need to apply for an eVoA due to the common travel agreement.
The eVoA is separate from the tourism tax voucher, which can also be applied for before arriving in Bali.
However, since the Love Bali app and website have been experiencing technical issues since its launch two weeks ago, officials have recommended tourists pay their tourism tax levy on arrival at the dedicated desk in the arrivals hall.
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.
Peter
Wednesday 6th of March 2024
What a joke that Indonesia / Bali government officials are in promoting the use of the auto gates on arrival but pay the tourist tax in cash on arrival because the love Bal web site has issues. I thought the idea was to make the arrival an easy process. Fix the love Bali web site. How hard could that be?
Dan
Thursday 29th of February 2024
Molina is not as smooth as you might believe. I already used it a couple of times and always were happy however the last time my visa disappeared. You can't find it in my account and therefore i can't extend it online. After a Google search this seems to be a problem for many month now and can bring people who plan to stay longer than 30 days in real trouble. You still can extend at the immigration office however not everybody has one close by. And if you plan to travel you will be stuck for a week waiting for your visa extension.
Exp
Sunday 3rd of March 2024
@Dan, Make screenshots of payment process and visa as a backup.
Russell
Wednesday 28th of February 2024
The new gates are fantastic.Agree with the comment about the baggage...can be up to an hour wait.However, the Customs area and arrival hall are now world class.l worked in International Airport in Melbourne for 13 years, Bali's new Airport is so much better on arrivals and departures.
olli
Thursday 29th of February 2024
@Russell,
Melbourne is way low class, how can you compare?
Randy
Thursday 29th of February 2024
@Russell, I guess so...everyone has different opinions.
John
Wednesday 28th of February 2024
Almost every day on various Bali travel sites people report frustrations with the e-visa process including payment being processed but no visa forthcoming. Huge glitches with the process.
Exp
Thursday 29th of February 2024
@John, People need to complain to immigration, otherwise improvements are not fortcoming. Document application process (video?) And ask for refund.
Randy
Wednesday 28th of February 2024
The auto gates have already been in place in Jakarta way before it was even introduced in Bali. However in Jakarta it was used by returning citizens rather than by foreign tourists and foreign resident arrivals. Probably that has changed now, will have to hear it on the grape vine.
On another pressing note. The Sri Lankan government has scrapped the visa free and extension for Russians and Ukrainians this month. Most of them have dodged the army conscription by traveling abroad to become tourist refugees. Apparently the Sri Lankan government has made the right decision to say enough is enough. Some who have settled down in Sri Lanka started restaurants, bars and transportation services in the country’s Southern coastal resort town of Unawatuna. The Sri Lankan government decision coincided with an infuriated social media backlash against a Russian-run nightclub which had set up a “White-only” party in the Southern coastal resort town. It’s only a matter of time that a similar tendency could be happening in Bali if not already so...perhaps the new appointed central government may soon have to pay a closer attention.
A recent Russian backed city in Ubud has made Balinese locals worry. This new Russian development behind Eat Pray Love House could threaten Ubud’s culture. Lacking cultural sensitivity is not acceptable by any visiting foreigners or foreigners doing business in Bali, Indonesia.
Exp
Thursday 29th of February 2024
@Randy, What you mention about Russians and Sri Lanka is old news in Bali.
Looking postings online it appears that an informal Russian subculture exixts offering all thinkable services for fellow Russians: Vehicle rental, villa rental, hairdresser, psychologist, kinky parties, investing, you name it.
None of this is offered in English so not easy to find.