Do you know everything that it takes to get into Bali or the rest of Indonesia, including visas like the e-VoA and the arrival card?

An Indonesian e-VoA is necessary for most

An electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VoA) is a requirement for many when traveling into Indonesia, including Bali. There are many websites out there that will “help” you complete the application, but we always prefer sticking to the official site, linked above.

What does the e-VoA provide? Some visa applications can be a cumbersome process involving long waits and possibly a lot of documentation. Indonesia has a rather simple Visa process. While it’s called a visa “on arrival”, you can absolutely get it approved in advance. In fact, we recommend you doing that to avoid waits at the airport and possibly getting any complication resolved ahead of time.

To be clear, we will only discuss the true e-VoA in this article (“B1” Visa), which is valid for 30 days once you arrive and a single entry. Other types of visas like “C1” (valid for 60 days) or “D1” (valid for multiple entries over a year or more) are not covered in this article.

With this e-VoA, you can do the following in Indonesia:

• Visit certain places for the purpose of recreation, personal development, or study the uniqueness of tourist attractions including but not limited to traveling by yacht, or attending as a participant in meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions activities;
• Discussion, negotiation, and/or signing including but not limited to offices, factories, or places of production of goods;
• Conduct field observations of offices, factories, places to produce goods, places to be invested, and/or mining facilities; and
• Medical related activities

So, I can work while on an e-VoA?

NO! Based on the list of acceptable activities above, you might think you could do work while on an Indonesian e-VoA. Well, you would unfortunately be wrong.

If you plan on working while on vacation, this e-VoA does not cover you. In fact, in the first half of 2026, Bali deported 342 foreign nationals over this, including social media influencers. The crackdown is real, and you don’t want to have your holiday cut short.

If you’re going to Bali, perhaps with a room comped and take some photos while there and post to social media about it, you’re skirting the rules however vague they are.

Earlier in 2026, you could apply for a “Work and Holiday” Visa for a higher cost online. However, it seems they removed the option by mid-2026. It seems the current recommendation is a “C5” Visa, which is intended for journalists. We felt compelled to at least reference it.

Who needs to apply?

All travelers to Indonesia who are not simply transiting the secure area of an airport must apply for and obtain an e-VoA. If you’re flying on a single ticket that connects in Indonesia, but you do not need to collect and re-check bags or collect tickets, then you do not need an e-VoA. However, if you leave the terminal for any reason, you’ll need to get one.

Nearly 100 countries are on the e-VoA approved list:

Documents needed to apply for an Indonesian e-VoA

Before you begin the process of applying, you’ll want to get your documents in order. Here is what you’ll need to successfully apply for an e-VoA (“B1” Visa):

• A valid passport with at least 6 months of validity by the time you visit, and a scanned copy of the traveler’s information in the passport.
• A return ticket or a ticket to a third destination. You need to prove you aren’t intending to overstay your welcome in Indonesia.
• One passport-size photo with the following requirements:
  • Minimum size is 400×600 pixels.
  • Maximum file size is 2 MB.
  • The top of the head, including the hair, to the bottom of the chin must be between 50% and 60% of the image’s total height.
  • The eye height, measured from the bottom of the image to the level of the eyes, should be between 50% and 60% of the image’s height.
  • No other person or object should be visible in the photo.
  • The subject in the photo should have an expressionless face.
• A credit or debit card to pay the 500,000 IDR fee (~$28 USD). Be mindful of foreign transaction fees, and use a card that doesn’t charge any.

The application process

No more than 90 days before your trip, you may apply for an e-VoA online, which is the preferred method.

If you are applying for an e-VoA, you’ll get there by the following inputs on their website:

• Enter your nationality.
• Main purpose of visiting Indonesia is “General, Family, or Social”.
• Sub-purpose of visit is “Tourism, Family Visit, and Transit”.
• Type of Visa is “B1 – Tourist (Visa on Arrival)”.

Make sure the above correctly reflects your intended reason for visit and what you will be doing during your stay. If it does not correctly reflect your intentions, choose the options that better fit your visit.

The process of applying is mostly straight-forward. You’ll have each applicant apply separately, and each will pay for their own fee separately.

In my opinion, the most confusing part of the process might be making sure that you have a photo that matches the requirements. It’s easier if you have a tripod for consistency and a ruler to measure dimensions. If you’re taking pictures of multiple people, you might need to zoom in at different amounts to maintain the right proportions. Everyone has heads of different sizes.

After you apply, you’ll find a link to make a payment.

Indonesia Arrival Card

Within 3 days of arrival, you’ll need to complete an Indonesia Arrival Card. This arrival card just confirms a few things, like your flight into and out of the country. You can also link up your e-VoA with your arrival card to streamline your arrival process. To do this, just look for your visa number on your approved e-VoA and enter it into the appropriate field on the arrival card. Doing this will enable you to use the e-gates on arrival.

In my experience, the 3 day requirement appeared tied to your computer’s time zone rather than truly three days before the flight. As an example, we were entering Indonesia on June 17, so you would initially assume that you could enter flight details on June 14. I attempted to do this on June 14 while in Australia. However, my computer was based on Los Angeles time and registered as June 13, and I was unable to start the process. You can force it by changing the time zone manually to Australia or Indonesia time, and the website then let me proceed.

Arrival into Bali, Indonesia

All passengers planning to enter the country will proceed to the arrivals hall, which you’ll find in the picture below. Depending on flight schedules and delays, it can get crowded in here at times. However, since many nationalities can use the e-gates, the immigration process can be swift.

If you did not apply for and receive an e-VoA prior to arrival, you can do that here at the Visa on Arrival desk. As you can see, there’s a bit of a line–not too bad but why spend the beginning of your vacation waiting in a line?

From here, if everything checks out, you have an e-VoA and an electronic passport, and you’re at least 6 years old, you can use the e-gates. Or, if you can’t use these gates, there is a line for the disabled, those over 60 or under 6, or anyone pregnant.

Everyone using the e-gates will enter the secure area one-by-one, scan their passport on the machine, and then have a picture taken. If approved, you can enter into the next area to receive checked bags. You might wonder if a 6 year old is tall enough to use the e-gates, but the camera taking the photo adjusts as needed. Our 6-year-old had no problem using the e-gates after observing how it worked for others first.

If your child needs assistance, you can always try and then back out and go to the regular line if needed.

From there, the customs process can be a bit of a bottleneck. Simply put, people tend to receive their checked bags all around the same time, and then all try to leave around the same time.

Once you’re through it all, go relax a bit. Have yourself a burger and a shake and rest, if you really want. Congratulations on making it into the country.

FAQ for Indonesian e-VoA

Are you ready to apply for an Indonesian e-VoA?

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