Please Help a Bali First-Timer: Visa on Arrival (VOA) or eVOA?

docpol on 29/08/2024 - 14:33
Last edited 08/09/2024 - 21:06

Hi, everyone. We are going to Bali for the first time in September and I am conflicted on whether to do visa on arrival or eVOA. Any advice from the OzB hive-mind whether to go one way or the other?

I did read that there are a few issues in doing an eVOA and we are not really in a rush because the hotel check-in time is at 3PM, anyway. Although we did book for a Klook airport pick-up to the hotel. Any issues with VOA aside from the airport queue? Does anyone know how long the typical wait time for the queue at the airport for VOA if we have a 10AM arrival?

I also read that we can pay the VOA with AUD or credit card and that if I pay with AUD$100/person, they will give me change in IDR so bonus for us to have some IDR in hand already at the start. Is this correct or is there a flaw in my reasoning (aside from possibly a lower exchange rate compared to outside money changers)?

Thanks in advance!

Update: We ended up doing the VOA and no hassle at all. Plenty of counters, very short lines, gave two $100 bills for two and got change in IDR, took ~5-10 minutes total. Then off to e- gates, short wait for luggage and straight to Klook desk for the prearranged hotel transport.

Poll Options expired

  • 2
    VOA
  • 27
    eVOA
Travel Asia Bali Indonesia

Comments

  • life is suffering on 29/08/2024 - 14:35

    What’s your citizenship ?

    • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 14:36

      Australian

      • Fredfloresjr on 29/08/2024 - 14:42
        +1

        Gender?

        • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 14:44
          -2

          Relevance?

        • c64 on 29/08/2024 - 17:28
          +4

          boganity?

          • Ugly on 30/08/2024 - 06:50
            +9

            @c64: Boganity is already assumed if you’re going to Bali.

            • MrThing on 30/08/2024 - 08:28
              +1

              @Ugly: They wont let you in unless you show your Boganity passport

      • afah0447 on 30/08/2024 - 09:28
        +1

        Boogie board size?

  • Benoffie on 29/08/2024 - 14:41
    +4

    eVoA is stupid easy in all aspects. I wouldn't bother with old skool.

  • Jasongood on 29/08/2024 - 14:48
    +9

    Definately eVisa to save time, VOA queue at Bali airport is a separate queue before the immi counter.

    Make sure you use the real Indo gov website for eVOA
    https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/

    Do your e Custom declaration too while you are at it
    https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/

    Print both out so that you don't need to hand them your phone to scan the QR code.

    • CheapandUsed on 29/08/2024 - 16:01
      +3

      Print both out

      Re-iterating this. Whilst your tech should work, handing over a piece of paper is much easier and safer.

      I also read that we can pay the VOA with AUD or credit card and that if I pay with AUD$100/person, they will give me change in IDR

      The VOA exchange rate is bulls#!~ expect it to be at least 10% worse in their favour. i.e. should be IDR 500,000 which has been less than AUD$50 for over a year, we were charged $55AUD per person (Late July 2024).

      • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 16:05

        Did they give you change in the local currency/IDR?

        • CheapandUsed on 29/08/2024 - 16:09
          +1

          Yes they did, so that could be one way of getting cash.

          I just saw that in addition to VOA (for Indonesia), there is now a Bali Tourist tax of IDR150,000 - https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/
          https://bali.com/bali/bali-visa-indonesia-entry-regulations/…

          We went to Jakarta so didn't have that additional thing.

          We also got a local Telkomsel sim for 185,000 which gave 29GB for 30days, the airport prices are usually more but that was a good reference price if you need local data.

          • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 16:16
            +1

            @CheapandUsed: Cheers for that. Yeah, I wanted some initial local currency on arrival so doing the VOA is like hitting two birds with one stone.

            I already paid the tourist tax online even though some says it's not even checked. I already got data esims from Klook.

            • Thrawn on 29/08/2024 - 16:40
              +1

              @docpol: plenty of ATM machines at the airport near the exit area where you can use ING, HSBC, etc fee free cards for cash. These ones dispense 100k notes and usually good for 2.5 million per transaction

              • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 17:10

                @Thrawn: Cheers for that. I did book an airport transport to the hotel via Klook so hopefully we can still withdraw some cash with my ubank debit card even if the driver is already there.

              • gyrex on 30/08/2024 - 07:50

                @Thrawn: Automatic Teller Machine machines.

    • c64 on 29/08/2024 - 17:33

      Do your e Custom declaration too while you are at it

      i am carrying a bodyboard that definitely does not contain cannibis

    • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 19:52

      Thanks for the info/tips!

  • nekro on 29/08/2024 - 15:50

    Good info

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 29/08/2024 - 16:36
    +6

    Currently in Bali.
    1. Visa on Arrival. Very quick. Took $AU50 per person. Through in minutes.
    2. Passport control is now done through electronic scan and gates, again quick.
    3. Customs we did 48hrs before departure. Save QR code to your phone. Walk through with QR code scanned as you pass the desk.
    4. New tourism tariff of IDR 150k/person is at a small kiosk after money change desks and sim card desks. I used my Wise card to pay. They print a receipt with a QR code. Keep with you passport.
    It was all very quick, easy and quite efficient.

    • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 17:13
      +1

      Thanks! Leaning more and more towards the VOA. I did look at the eVOA application process and looks more troublesome than just lining up at the airport.

      I have paid and printed off the QR code for the tourist tax already.

      • Hybroid on 29/08/2024 - 17:29
        +2

        When we went, the VOA queue was horrendously long in a boiling hot & humid hall. Lining up is not what you want to do after a long flight.

        We had eVOAs printed out and were just waived through the barriers after quick passport check. Definitely worth doing in advance.

        • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 17:51

          What time of day did you arrive?

          • Hybroid on 29/08/2024 - 20:58
            +2

            @docpol: 9 PM in November.

            Also we got a Wise physical + digital card and loaded up cash on the fly when needed. No international fees or extra charges. Contactless accepted pretty much everywhere.

            • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 21:04

              @Hybroid: Cheers. I already have 28 degrees and ubank.

    • SnowDragon on 30/08/2024 - 09:01

      From the Bali WP thread it seems that tourists haven't been asked if they've paid the tourism tax.

      Maybe it'll be enforced more widely later.

  • PissLUR on 29/08/2024 - 16:43

    I thought it's free visa on arrival now?

  • huyfken on 29/08/2024 - 19:39
    +1

    We were just there last week with two toddlers so we got to skip the lines and paid for the VOA at the airport. Pretty straightforward for us. Mind you we arrived at 10.30pm so the queue was probably shorter.

    Also, most places accept card now so you won't need to carry too much cash.

    • docpol on 29/08/2024 - 19:50

      Cheers. We do have a 28° card so ubank and a little bit of cash are just back-ups.

  • mikekiwimike on 30/08/2024 - 08:59
    +2

    My experience is that it makes no difference and VOA is easier and less likely to have your data compromised because it is not stored securely - IND gov recently had a cyber breach - in which someone high up in gov "thought that backups were too expensive", so don't trust your data there.

    Make sure you have the cash though as it will save queuing at the money machine.

  • Tommyboy1942 on 30/08/2024 - 09:04
    +1

    If you want to do the EVisa go for it. I just went to bali 3 weeks ago and it took less than 5 minutes to get your VISA on arrival though.

  • User0001 on 30/08/2024 - 09:07
    +2

    eVOA took 5 minutes per person to do online.

    We arrived in Bali at 11AM, the line was horrendously long for VOA. Looked like at least 1 hour wait time.

    Felt good getting through the eGate in 30 seconds.

    We then took a Grab taxi at the Grab lounge for $5 for 2 people and luggage.

  • Jayharley95 on 30/08/2024 - 15:18
    +4

    Last time I flew to Bali with Qantas, the staff wouldn't let me check in (Aus citizen) as I hadn't done the E-VOA. I politely persisted, showing her the website what states you can do it on arrival and she told me to stop arguing with her. She then proceeded to find the tiniest microtear on my passport and told me I couldn't fly due to that too.

    Ended up speaking to the supervisor and he apologised for her being incorrect about the E-VOA, however said I couldn't fly due to the microtear.

    I perisisted for the next hour and was able to speak to somebody very high up at Qantas who happened to be around at the time (apparently a rare occurence). He spoke to somebody with Qantas in Indonesia, took photos and videos of my passport and ended up letting me fly. I got a new passport when I got home.

    Sorry nobody asked, just a stressful experience!

    • docpol on 30/08/2024 - 16:17
      +2

      Thanks for sharing your experience. Good to know!

    • TrumpisKing on 31/08/2024 - 02:21
      +1

      Wow someone must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed that day. What a load of 💩. I've had passports that are nearing their use by date when I was younger and trust me, more than a micro tear lol. I'm happy you stood your ground, sometimes they just like to feel like they have all the power because they have nothing else going in their lives. Don't let that sort of thing get you stressed. Travelling should be an amazing experience.

  • docpol on 30/08/2024 - 16:23
    +1

    Just FYI for those following this thread, looks like there's an additional thing to do before entering Bali: https://thebalisun.com/tourists-must-download-mpox-tracing-a…

  • TrumpisKing on 31/08/2024 - 02:19
    +3

    Just don't bring a boogie board and you'll be right they'll let you through as quick as possible 😜😜

  • Aust on 01/09/2024 - 09:36

    Travel insurance with scooter extension as we dont want to see the post because you didnt have it.

  • tsunamisurfer on 02/09/2024 - 19:50

    This is one of the most trash government online applications I have ever seen.

  • lainey13 on 05/09/2024 - 12:07
    +1

    eVOA was so painful I gave up. Uploading passport ready photo blah blah blah… I just picked it up on arrival, no queue, paid in IDR (left over from last time). Easy. Leaving the airport in a timely fashion… not so easy but the drivers are very used to it taking a long time.

    • docpol on 08/09/2024 - 21:07
      +1

      Yeah, did VOA and it was painless.

  • daft009 on 22/09/2024 - 13:38

    I did evisa (not on arrival) and was $150pp

    • lainey13 on 22/09/2024 - 23:11

      You got scammed

      • daft009 on 23/09/2024 - 01:06

        No. Official govt website
        https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/web/visa-selection

        • lainey13 on 23/09/2024 - 14:19

          Apologies, yes that is normal price for 60 days visa… but if you're not staying 60 days 30 day visa is enough and only 500k ($45AUD). You picked the more expensive version. Up to you if you need to stay longer I guess.

          • daft009 on 23/09/2024 - 15:55

            @lainey13: Yeah stuffed up that bit:(
            Didn't see a 30 day version.

            Didn't want to risk lining up with a 2yo at midnight when we land

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join