Indonesia visa

Last updated: 1st June 2010.

Indonesia Visa Exemptions

Nationals of the following countries are entitled to stay in Indonesia, visa free, for a period of up to 30 days:

Brunei, Chile, Hong Kong, Macao, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Visa-free short visits will not be extended without approval from the Minister of Justice and Human Rights/Director General of Immigration of the Republic of Indonesia. Such approval will only be granted under circumstances of natural disaster, illness or accident.

Visa-free entry requirements

  1. A passport valid for 6 months from the date of intended entry into Indonesia.
  2. Onward travel or return tickets.
  3. Schedule of any compulsory vaccinations.

Nationals requiring approval

Applicants for an Indonesian visa from the following countries, will need approval from the Immigration Office in Indonesia prior to travel:

Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cuba, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Tonga.

Applicants from these countries should have a recent bank statement showing a minimum balance of 1,000.00 GBP. The decision as to whether access is granted, under these circumstances, can take up to six weeks. The referral must be obtained before an application for a visa is made. Upon submission of the visa application, if all documents are in order, the visa should be issued within six working days. It is strongly advised that travel tickets are not purchased unless you have a valis visa in your possession.

Overstaying your visa

In the event that you overstay a visa in Indonesia the current fine is 20 USD (13 GBP) per day, for up to 60 days. If you overstay by more than 60 days the punishment becomes a 5 year prison sentence or a fine of 25.000.000 IDR (approx: 1806.89 GBP / 2772.30 GBP).

Depature tax

Departure tax varies by airport. The most expensive are Bali and Jakarta where you must have 150,000 IDR (10.94 GBP / 16.59 USD) payable in local currency. For domestic flights there is a charge of up to 30,000 IDR (2.19 GBP / 3.32 USD). The charges are payable for every flight, so if you get a flight from Bali to Indonesia and take an international connection, then expect to pay 150,000 IDR + 30,000 IDR = 180,000 IDR.

Order a visa through an agent

In the past, when I have had to order multiple visas or had to apply with complicated support documentation, (Russia), I have often employed the services of a dedicated agency. I have found that the extra cost is offset by the price of a train ticket to London, a couple of days of frantic roaming and hours of waiting in queues. I recently ordered my Russian, Mongolian and Chinese multiple entry visas through an agency and had them all back in my possession in about 14 days. It’s even easier than postal applications, you only have to send your passport once and they do the legwork, this is a lot faster and safer than sending your passport through the post multiple times to each embassy, by recorded delivery from home.

At present Visa HQ can arrange visas and support documentation for most nationalities and destinations worldwide.

Indonesia Visa on Arrival

For the great majority of people, obtaining a tourist visa for Indonesia is simply a case of turning up at the airport with 25 USD and your passport. If you happen to be a national of any of the following countries, then you can take advantage of the Visa on Arrival service at the immigration desk in Indonesia:

Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherland, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Surinam, Sweden Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and USA.

Indonesia Visa on Arrival: Extensions

From January 2010, the Indonesian government will grant a single extension of up to 30 days for visitors using the visa on arrival service. This will allow tourists a total stay of up to 60 days, without the need to leave on a visa run. The application can be made at Immigration offices throughout Indonesia for a fee of 25 USD. There have been conflicting reports about the general experience of this service. Many travellers have suggested that applications can take up to 7 days, require multiple visits to the immigration office and sometimes need a local sponsor. Numerous local agents offer to carry out a visa extension service for an additional surcharge, but will require your passport. If you are travelling from home and know in advance that you will stay for over 30 days, it is recommended that you obtain the 60 day tourist visa from an Indonesian embassy. Visa receipts, issued at airports in Indonesia, may still state that they are non-extendable, they just haven't been updated yet.

Further extensions to visa on arrival require approval from the Minister of Justice and Human Rights/Director General of Immigration of the Republic of Indonesia. Such approval will only be granted under circumstances of natural disaster, illness or accident.

Visa on Arrival entry requirements

  1. A passport valid for 6 months from the date of intended entry into Indonesia.
  2. Onward or return travel tickets.
  3. Schedule of any compulsory vaccinations.

Visa on arrival fee

The Visa on Arrival service charges a fee of 25 USD for a 30 day tourist visa and 10 USD for a 7 day transit visa.

Visa on Arrival limitations:

If you reside in a country that is not mentioned in the list above, you would like to stay in Indonesia for more than 30 days or your intended entry point is not in the following list, then you should revise your plans or arrange for a visa at an Embassy before arrival.

Airports with Visa on Arrival

  • Adi Juanda in Surabaya (East Java)
  • Adisutjipto in Yogyakarta (Central Java)
  • Adi Sumarmo in Solo (Central Java)
  • El Tari in Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara Province, Timor
  • Halim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta (Capital of Indonesia)
  • Hassanudin in Makasar (South Sulawesi)
  • Ngurah Rai in Denpasar (Island of Bali)
  • Polonia in Medan (North Sumatera)
  • Sam Ratulangi in Manado (North Sulawesi)
  • Selaparang in Mataram (Lombok Island)
  • Sepinggan in Balikpapan (East Kalimantan)
  • Soekarno Hatta in Jakarta (Capital of Indonesia)
  • Sultan Syarif Kasim II in Pekanbaru (Riau Province, Sumatera)
  • Tabing in Padang (West Sumatera)

Seaports with Visa on Arrival

  • Bandar Bintan Telani Lagoi in Tanjung Uban, Bintan (Sumatera)
  • Bandar Seri Udana Lobam in Tanjung Uban (Sumatera)
  • Batu Ampar in Batam (Batam Island)
  • Belawan in Belawan (North Sumatera)
  • Benoa in Bali (Island of Bali)
  • Bitung in Bitung (Sulawesi)
  • Jayapura in Jayapura (Irian Jaya)
  • Marina Teluk Senimba (Batam Island)
  • Maumere in Flores (East Nusa Tenggara)
  • Nongsa in Batam (Batam Island)
  • Padang Bai in Bali (Island of Bali)
  • Pare-pare in Pare-pare (South Sulawesi)
  • Sekupang in Batam (Batam Island)
  • Sibolga in Sibolga (North Sumatra)
  • Soekarno-Hatta in Makassar (South Sulawesi)
  • Sri Bintan Pura in Tanjung Pinang (Riau)
  • Tanjung Balai Karimun (Sumatera)
  • Tanjung Mas in Semarang (Central Java)
  • Tanjung Priok in Jakarta (Capital of Indonesia)
  • Teluk Bayur in Padang (West Sumatra)
  • Batam Centre in Batam (Batam Island)
  • Tenau in Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara Province)
  • Yos Sudarso in Dumai (Riau Province, Sumatra)

Applications to the Indonesian Embassy, London

A visa issued at the Indonesian Embassy will have a maximum stay of 60 days, will be valid for a single entry, and cannot be extended or transferred. Where a visa of 30 days or less is required, please note that the Visa on Arrival service makes it cheaper and easier to obtain a visa.

Visa requirements at the Indonesian Embassy, London

  1. A passport valid for 6 months from the date of intended entry into Indonesia.
  2. One completed visa application form. Available from the embassy here.
  3. One coloured passport size photograph.
  4. Details of onward travel plans with proof of booking.
  5. Details of hotel reservation (if applicable).
  6. A bank statement from the past month with a minimum balance of 1000 GBP.
  7. A recent letter from the applicants employer, solicitor, accountant or bank manager confirming that the applicant will return home after their visit.
  8. Where the applicant requests a business visa, other than for tourism, a letter stating the role of the applicant and the nature of the business in Indonesia.
  9. Applications by post from the UK mainland require a self addressed pre-paid special delivery envelope. For Ireland there is an additional fee of 6.00 GBP for registered delivery.

Visa fees at the Indonesian Embassy, London

A tourist visa valid for the maximum stay of 60 days will cost 35.00 GBP. The fee is payable by bank draft or postal order made out to ‘Indonesian Embassy’. This fee is non-refundable should your visa application be rejected for any reason.

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