The Indonesian Immigration Department has just announced an adjustment of its visa prices; some permits have been reduced, and others increased.
Ranging from the 30-day tourist visa on arrival to the permanent stay permit for an unlimited period, the new payment system puts the visa costs at an incrementally increasing rate based on the length of stay.
The new visa costing system does not impact the cost of the tourist visa on arrival, also known as the VOA or the eVOA.
This 30-day visa, as with all 30-day visas, is staying at IDR 500,000.
Earlier this year, there was a public discussion focused on whether or not the visa on arrival should be scrapped for Bali’s most frequent international arrivals, including Australia, India, China, the UK, the US, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Though the idea was tabled, no policy changes were confirmed in that regard.
It remains the case that the 30-day visa on arrival, or e-visa on arrival, is the most appropriate visit stay permit for holidaymakers and short-stay visitors to Bali and the Indonesian islands.
The eVisa on Arrival can be applied entirely online through the official Indonesia eVisa website. Up to five applications can be made simultaneously, making it easier for couples, groups of friends, and families who are traveling to Bali to obtain their visas ahead of arrival.
Having an eVoA also enables tourists to use the autogates at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on arrival and departure. This cuts the time for immigration checks down significantly.
The eVisa on Arrival can be extended online for a further 30 days for an additional IDR 500,000. This saves tourists heaps of time.
Once upon a time, a 30-day tourist visa on arrival could only be extended by taking three trips to immigration: one to submit the application, the second to take fingerprints, and the third to collect the visa extension and passport. Even with a visa agent, an in-person interview is still required.
Now, it can all be done online!
Stays of up to 90 days now cost IDR 1,500,000, and 180-day/6-month stays on socio-cultural visas now cost IDR 2,000,000.
While the cost of the 30-day tourist visa has not changed, long-stay ex-pats in Indonesia are shocked to discover that the cost of long-stay permits and visas has increased.
Take the 2-year stay permit cost for KITAP, which has increased from IDR 1,750,000 to IDR 5,000,000. The new pricing has been announced via the Indonesian Immigration Instagram account and has not been accompanied by a formal press statement by the ministry.
Though at present, all of Indonesia’s visitor e-visa categories can be applied for via the Indonesian Immigration eVisa website, all of these categories could change in 2025.
In November 2024, the Directorate General of Immigration for Indonesia signed a new partnership agreement with VFS Global to outsource the visa application process.
Speaking at the signing of the agreement, Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, told the media, “The Directorate General of Immigration offers the latest digital solutions that enhance the experience for foreign nationals who wish to visit Indonesia.”
“In our collaboration with VFS Global, we aim to effectively contribute to increasing the Arrival of foreigners, taking into account the network and digital platform owned by our partners.” More details regarding any system changes as a result of the partnership will be announced in due course.
Silmy Karim and his teams are on a mission to level up the Indonesian Immigration Department to benefit both citizens and their access to immigration services and to foreigners wishing to visit, move to, or invest in the country.
As Karim and teams are working to change the way in which foreigners access immigration services, so too are teams working around the clock to crack down on foreigners abusing the system, especially in Bali.
Data revealed this week shows that between January and November 2024, the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office recorded denied entry to 1,062 foreign citizens into Indonesia, and a further 407 Foreigners and Indonesian Citizens (WNI) experienced a delay in their departure due to immigration investigations.
Over the past 11 months, there have been a number of Immigration Administrative Measures known as TAK that have been carried out by Ngurah Rai Immigration teams alone, including the deportation of 178 foreigners and the detention of more than 230 foreigners.
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.