Visas for Indonesia

When travelling to Indonesia it is mandatory you have a visa to enter the country. These are obtained in a number of ways.

Visa on Arrival (VOA):

This is for a maximum of 30 days at a cost of USD$25. This visa is not extendable. If you are only going to Indonesia for 7 days then the cost is USD$10 and is also not extendable. I have heard of cases where people have had these two types of visas extended but at a high cost.

It is recommended to have the exact amount in dollars although other major currencies are accepted and if you have Rupiah then then this is acceptable also. Credit cards are accepted in Bali, but I haven’t heard of this elsewhere.

The procedure is straightforward. Before arriving, you fill in the arrival/departure card. This card will is actually your visa application form. When you arrive, go to the bank counter and pay the required amount for your visa. You will be issued a bar-coded receipt. You then take the receipt to the Visa on Arrival counter with your arrival/departure card, passport and receipt will be recorded by the immigration officer. A visa sticker will be issued and stuck in your passport. After that, proceed to the immigration counter for your passport to be stamped.

A visa-on-arrival are issued to nationals of these countries:

Australia, Argentine, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, People’s Republic of China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malawi, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America.

60-Day Visa:

This is obtainable at your nearest Indonesian consulate and allows you a maximum stay of 60 days only. If you stay over this alloted time then the penalties are high monetary wise. The cost varies from country to country for this visa but if I use Australia as an example, the cost is AUD$60.

The procedure for obtaining this type of visa is relatively simple. Fill out a form at the consulate, provide 2 passport photos, your passport and ticket and of course the money. Note that some Consulates are asking for bank cheques or money orders and not cash in payment for this visa.

Sosial/Budaya Visa:

Slighly more involved to obtain but it is the same requirements as a 60-Day visa – fill out a form at the consulate, provide 2 passport photos, your passport and ticket. The added difference being that you will need a Sponsor letter from an Indonesian citizen. Again, using Australia as an example for cost, it is AUD$125.

This will give you 6 months in Indonesia. However, the visa has to be renewed at the immigration office in the city or island where the sponsor resides every month at a cost of 400.000Rp. This visa is not extendable after 6 months.

Other Visas:

There are other types of visas such as Business visas. The laws have changed recently regarding Business visas and it is best to contact your nearest Consulate for further information.