Visas

In most cases, when you arrive in your first port in Indonesia, you will be issued a 30-day travel visa which allows you to travel through any parts of the country.  The cost is $25usd and you usually pay shortly after disembarking the aircraft.  This process sounds simple enough, but there are many factors to consider depending on your travel plans and what country you are traveling from.

The first thing to consider when attaining a visa at the airport is that you must have at least 6 month validity/clearance on your passport past your initial arrival date.  So, for example, if you are planning a trip that begins June 1, 2010, your passport must be valid until at least December 1, 2010.  It is helpful if you can provide Aloita the following passport information in advance so we can check on this information for you, and also clear any necessary harbor permits:

Full name as it appears on your passport
Passport number
Expiration date
Nationality
Date of Birth

When you are issued your visa and clear customs, you will be issued an immigration form that you MUST retain until your departure.  This is usually a small, green stub that the customs officers tear off for you, and has been innocently lost by countless travelers over the years.  The end result is a much longer time stuck in customs on the way home, and an additional fine.  So PLEASE try to hold on to it for your own sake.

The 30-day visa on arrival applies to most, but not all, countries.  Here is a list of which countries are covered below:

Other nations do not have to pay a fee at all. As of the February 1, 2004, the Presidential Decision No. 103/2003 states that the following countries do not require a visa to enter Indonesia on a tourist vistit for up to 30 days:

Brunei Darussalam
Chile
Hong Kong SAR
Macao SAR
Malaysia
Morocco
Peru
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam

If you do not see your country on either of these lists, or if you are at all in doubt about your country’s standing, it’s advisable to contact your local embassy to determine your exact policy when traveling to Indonesia.  In addition, if you plan on staying MORE than 30 days, it’s advisable to consult your local embassy well in advance to determine whether or not you are eligible for a 60-day visa. 

Typically, overstay visitors incur a penalty of $20usd/day for stays under 60 days, whilst stays over 60 days are subject to up to a 5 year prison sentence or  fine of up to 25,000,000idr.  This of case is the worst case scenario which is likely to never happen, but the best case scenario is that you’re held up at the embassy and/or at the airport for a much longer time than anticipated and have to pay additional fines.  So, again, when in doubt it’s always best to check with your embassy.