Revised: 19 January 2019
NOTE on COVID-19: Due to the health concerns of my family and to restrictions of Kantor Imigrasi, I have not been to Bali since the beginning of the pandemic. Much has changed to restrict entrance of travelers into Indonesia and this post has not been updated to accommodate those changes. Therefore, the information contained herein may not be relevant again until restrictions have been removed.
Before diving into this post and all the wonderfully helpful tips I present, it is important to note that there are different types of tourist visas for Indonesia. Some allow you to stay for one month, others three months and even six months. This post addresses the official process for extending your 30-day Visa on Arrival while in Indonesia, specifically, Bali.
Trust Me, I’m a Professional
I’ve been extending my tourist visas in Bali off and on for over eight years. The process, as well as the physical office, has been updated multiple times since then and like many things in Indonesia, updates do not necessarily mean improvement. Bless their hearts. They try.
If you’ve been in Indonesia for any length of time, you’ll realize that government procedures can change depending on the official with whom you speak. Sometimes, even they don’t know the regulations. Regardless, I try to update this post as often as I can to stay current with the latest policy. This version was edited in January 2018 so I officially hold myself harmless for whatever mishaps or misunderstandings that occur after the date of this latest revision.
The objective of this article is to get you through the process of visa extension as easily and smoothly as possible. You may not need everything I suggest, but it’s better to be prepared, just in case.
Visa Agents
Visa agents are private consultants who help you through the process for a fee. Most are legitimate business people making a mostly honest living. Should you use one for your extension? I never have. I believe they are one of the primary causes for confusion and long delays at the immigration office. They’re aggressive and have “relationships” with immigration officials that get their clients through the queue faster. So if you’re in line behind a few of them and they hand over a stack of tickets for all the clients they represent, you can find yourself waiting a very long time.
I have used several agents in the past for the 12 month multi-entry business visa and still have not found any I’m comfortable recommending to you. I have found that they are generally bad business people with no interest in customer service.
If you do decide to go that way, be careful. They will need your passport so be sure to go with someone trustworthy. Your passport is worth a lot of money on the black market so do your homework. You’ll still need to show up at the immigration office on at least one of the days. At the moment, agents are running between US $50-75.
What to Know Before You Extend
As of June 2015, Indonesia implemented a Visa Free Policy. Now visitors from certain countries are no longer required to pay the IDR 500,000 Visa on Arrival fee. Hooray! Australia, the US, Canada, the UK and most other European countries are included on this list. So if you are staying for less than 30 days, all you need is your passport when entering the country.
Unfortunately, entering Visa Free does not allow you to extend your visa. If you entered without paying for a visa, you can only stay in Indonesia for 30 days. You cannot extend a visa that you do not have.
If you need to stay longer, then hopefully you are reading this post before you enter Indonesia. If so, when you arrive at the airport, be sure to look for the Visa on Arrival counter just in front of the immigration line. Tell them you want to pay the fee for a 30 day tourist visa. The immigration officers may be a bit confused as to why you want to pay IDR 500,000 when you don’t have to. Just explain to them that you intend to extend your visa beyond 30 days and they’ll understand.
The counter takes 15 different currencies and there is an ATM machine nearby if you don’t have the cash handy. They do not accept credit cards.
Keep in mind, not everyone is guaranteed a VOA so be sure to contact the Indonesian consulate in your home country to find out for sure.
Please note that if you are a citizen of one of the ASEAN countries, you cannot apply for an extension in Indonesia. If you wish to stay longer than 30 days, you must arrange it from your home country.
“What if I’m already in Indonesia?”
I fully get that many of you may be reading this post after you’ve already arrived. If that’s the case, and you entered Visa Free, your only option is to leave the country before your 30 days is up. You must leave. I know of agents who say they can still get an extension, but it’s not done legally. It will also cost you a lot of money. Skirting the system and doing things in Bali that aren’t legal leaves you vulnerable to extortion. Be safe, play by the rules.
The Visa Run
If you have to leave the country, your cheapest flight is usually to Singapore for anywhere between US $180-$200 round trip. There used to be occasional deals for half that, but those are hard to find nowadays.
On your return flight back to Indonesia, you can opt to pay the Visa on Arrival fee (IDR 500,000 at the time of this post). Once you have your visa, you can stay for 30 days and extend for another 30, allowing you to stay for a total of 60 consecutive days, but that’s your limit.
Start Early
Kantor Imigrasi prefers you to initiate your extension 7 to 10 days before the expiration date of your visa, though I really don’t think it matters as long as you begin the process before it expires. If your visa expires during the process, it’s usually not a big deal. You won’t get any extra days, though. You’re only allowed to extend a maximum of 30 days. Your extension period begins from the day your visa expires, not from the day you complete the extension process.
The earliest you can start is two weeks before your visa expires. If you try to do it sooner, they can turn you away and tell you to come back later.
Getting Started
Here’s What You’ll Need:
- Always bring a black ink pen with you.
- Bring your passport.
- Provide one photocopy of your passport picture page.
- Provide one photocopy of Your Visa Page
- Provide one copy of your plane ticket for departure. You need to show them proof that you are leaving within 30 days from the date of your extension. Remember, every day you are in Indonesia counts as a full day.
- Have the name, address, telephone number and email address of where you are staying in Indonesia (likely your hotel).
- 500.000 IDR (about US $35). You can pay on your first or second visit. Best to pay on your first visit, just to get it out of the way.
- Even though one of the forms asks for a sponsor, it is not needed for a 30-day extension. Just leave this section blank.
Office Hours
Hours and procedures can change at any time. Just get there in the morning to be safe. Some offices will not accept new applications in the afternoon. Their limited hours along with the hour (plus) lunch break are quite frustrating.
Mon-Thu: 8:00 to 14:00 (closed between 12:00-13:00 for lunch)
Friday: 9:00 to 14:00 (closed between 11:30-13:00 for lunch)
Sat-Sun: Closed
Note: It seems the Nusa Dua office may stay open longer than Denpasar.
Be sure to allow for holidays.
Getting There
There are several immigration office locations. You need to use the office closest to where you are staying. If you’re in Kuta or Nusa Dua, go to the office in Jimbaran. If you are in Karangasem, north Bali or central Bali, you’ll likely need to go to the Singaraja office. I always use the one in Denpasar because I’m usually coming from Sanur or Sukawati and it’s an easy ride on a motorbike from there. Unlike when I originally wrote this post, you can now use Google Maps to get directions. It’s easier than me trying to explain it all here. Just keep in mind that many of the streets in this area are one-way so if you miss your turn, you’ll either have to back track (very dangerous – and against the law) or loop around a few blocks to try again. The Denpasar office can be found at:
Denpasar Office
Kantor Imigrasi Kelas
Jl. D.I Pandjaitan No.3, Dangin Puri Kelod
Denpasar Timur, Bali 80235
(0361) 227828
Google Map
Extending Your Visa in Bali
Day One: The Application
At the Denpasar office, enter the building on the side where all the motorbikes are parked. Once inside, foreigners go to the right. There is a stand-alone kiosk to take a number to wait in the queue. Go ahead and take a ticket for Application. If the ticket machine isn’t working, just go up to the counter and tell them. They’ll reboot it for you. Once called, you’ll get a pink folder and some application forms.
They’ll give you instructions at the counter, but fill in the forms, as well as the cover of your pink folder.
At the Nusa Dua office you can get your application and folder as soon as you walk in. They’ll give it to you at the front desk near the entrance. Go ahead and find the kiosk and take a number for Application as you fill out your forms.
Be sure to fill out your forms with black ink and all upper case letters. The forms are pretty easy.
When you’ve filled out the forms, take them back up to the same counter along with your passport, copy of your passport, a copy of your visa and a copy of your departure ticket. They’ll then ask you to have a seat to wait for your name to be called. Listen carefully for your name because it can get loud in there. If you have a difficult name to pronounce like me, expect them to butcher it so you’ll have to listen extra carefully. You may only have to wait about 5-10 minutes if you’re lucky.
Now here’s the sketchy part. Back up at the window, they’ll give you a receipt, but will hold on to your passport. Theoretically, your receipt will serve as your passport for a few days. Guard it with your life. On the receipt will be a date for your next visit, usually within 3-4 days. That’s Your Second Visit (Day Two), when you have to come back to have your photo taken.
Paying Your Fee
You can use your receipt to pay your extension fee at any post office (kantor pos) or at some banks. Unfortunately, there is no list of banks that accept extension payments. Most of the major banks like BCI and BRI will do it. Danamon does not.
Thankfully, there is an orange minivan in the parking lot with the motorbikes, just outside the front door (at the Denpasar office) that acts as a mobile post office, specifically to process immigration fees.
Take your ticket to them along with IDR 500,000 and they’ll process your payment and give you a receipt. You can do this at anytime before your next visit.
Day Two: Your Visa Photo and Fingerprints
The photo machine breaks down all the time so this will likely be your longest day.
In any case, upon your arrival, go directly to Counter C. It’s in the far corner right next to Counter 3. Hand them your payment receipt.
They’ll give you a ticket starting with the letter C and a number. Wait for your number to be called over the loud speaker. For example, you may hear, “Ticket number C12 to Counter Photo.” If that’s your number, go through the door just to the left of Counter 1. That door is the photo room. You’ll see others going in and out of it.
If the machine is broken, the officers won’t mention it, but you’ll hear an ambiguous message over the loudspeaker once in a while that some thing is broken and they apologize for the inconvenience (that’s how often it happens – they’ve actually had to record a message just for that). You will also know it’s broken if they’re not calling any numbers to Counter Photo.
If you find yourself waiting too long, you’ll need to approach the counter to find out if there is a problem. They may tell you it’s better to come back the next day. Be sure to ask because otherwise, they’ll let you sit there all day without saying a thing about it.
If you do decide to come back the following day, remember to get your receipt from them before you leave. Hold on to the ticket for the queue also. They will need it in the photo room.
If everything is working, wait for your number to be called. When you hear it, go right to the photo room. They’ll be waiting for you. Have a seat where they tell you and just follow their instructions. When finished, you’ll get another receipt with a date to come back to pick up your passport and new visa.
Day Three: Pick Up Your Passport
In most cases, you will be able to come back to the office within a week to pick up your passport with your new visa. Pick up times are now in the afternoons, after lunch.
When you get there, don’t bother taking a ticket. Just go straight to window 3 and give them your receipt. They’ll have you take a seat. By now you’re a real pro and you may even get other westerners asking you for help with their visa extension. Aren’t you a hotshot. Toss around a few words in Bahasa and they’ll be quite impressed with your bad self.
Pick up your passport with your visa extension when called and sign the register. I’m not sure what it’s for, but I think it’s an acknowledgment that you are delighted with the Indonesian bureaucracy and recommend all immigration officers get a raise and more vacation days.
Before you leave, check to make sure the dates on your new visa are right. This is very important as it is not uncommon for Kantor Imigrasi to get them wrong. Check it at the counter because once you leave, it will be a lot harder to come back and get things fixed – more lines, wait times and so forth.
What if I accidentally stay longer than my visa allows?
Travelers do it all the time (even yours truly) so it’s not a big deal; however, because it’s sometimes easier to overstay than to go through the hassle of extending, immigration has jacked up the fee. Now you’ll get charged up to IDR 1,000,000 (Yikes!) for each day you overstay your visa. It’s no longer worth it to overstay even one day.
If your overstay is a week or more, you better contact the immigration office as soon as possible. If you’ve been hospitalized or have had another emergency situation which caused you to over-stay, they’re usually pretty lenient. You’ll have to pay the daily fine regardless, but try to get it taken care of as soon as possible.
In the case of natural disasters, everybody gets a free pass.
Other Options
If you want to stay longer than 60 days you can apply for a social visa, 60 Day Tourist Visa, Multiple Entry Business Visa or even a Kitas. I won’t go into all that here, but you can also stay longer just by repeating this process over and over again. There have been rumors that Indonesia is going to limit the number of visa runs you can make in one year, but this is just a rumor. I’ve confirmed with several sources that it is not true, at least as of the date of this latest update.
As long as you leave the country, you can re-enter and start new. It may seem like a lot, but I actually love it. I get to travel to a new country in Asia every 60 days. Next stop, Papua New Guinea. Can’t wait.
950 Comments. Leave new
We’ve gotten a few questions about the return ticket requirement. Indeed, it is a bit confusing. It is understandable that Indonesia, as well as most countries, require visitors to show proof that they will eventually leave the country. You cannot stay indefinitely unless you have special permission to do so. Oddly, when you arrive in Indonesia, you will not need to show proof of departure, only when you extend. I think it’s an oversight or something the immigration officials intentionally ignore.
The airlines are a little different, however. Some may require proof of departure within 30 days when you check in. I’ve had this happen twice. Once, I was able to talk my way out of it. Another time, when I was leaving the States to come to Indonesia, I had to change my ticket at the Delta check-in counter at the airport as they would not let me fly to Indonesia without returning in 30 days, complying with Indonesia’s 30 Day tourist Visa requirements. They insisted that without a longer term visa, they would not let me fly. So of course I was charged a fee to change my ticket to comply with the 30-day limit. Once I arrived in Indonesia, I paid again to change my ticket back to the original date to leave 10 months later. Apparently, Delta’s regulations are less strict at the time of purchase than they are at check-in.
I know this is a bit confusing, but just remember, if you got to Indonesia, you won’t need to prove departure again until you file for a visa extension. For most people, it’s their ticket home. For some, like me, it’s a quick round trip to a neighboring country.
When you were checking in with Delta, do you think you could have shown them a proof of departure within 60 days, instead of 30? After all, you might be planning to buy a VOA at the airport and then extend it by 30 days very easily. Otherwise, whoever wants to stay in Indonesia for more than 30 days has to buy tickets with some arbitrary return date within the next 30 days and then pay a fee to correct it after one has successfully entered Indonesia, which is not very reasonable.
Tried it, but you aren’t guaranteed that you will receive an extension. Though it is rare, some people are denied.
Here’s another small tip… I just returned from abroad to renew my visa and the flight attendants didn’t have any customs forms with them on the plane, which means everyone had to fill them out in the baggage terminal. Knowing that I’d be coming and going a few more times, I grabbed a handful for next time. Now I just have to remember to bring one with me on my next trip.
Update: There has been a rumor going around that starting on Jan 1, 2016, Kantor Imigrasi is going to limit how often you can extend your tourist visa to only two times within a 12 month period. This indeed, is a rumor. I have verified with multiple sources that this was perhaps an internal memo that was leaked in order to catch illegal workers, or something to that effect. If that changes, we’ll let you know.
Nice post! Very helpful and well-written.
I’m wondering what counts as a “day” in these 30 days. If I arrive at 10pm is that my first day? Or is it a full day? And is the day I leave day 30? So if I arrive on June 1st, I would have to depart some time on or before June 30th if I’m on a Visa-free entry. Is that correct? Thanks!
Yes, the day you arrive and the day you leave count as part of your 30 days.
Hey 🙂
first, really good informations about visa topics in Indonesia!! second, i would like to ask you something: What do you think if I (swiss person) enter Indonesia in Jakarta with the free stay for 30 days (so without paying 35$ for a VoA), then leave Java in about 3 weeks, flying to Singapore and stay there for about 4-5 days and then returning to Indonesia again but this time Bali (Denpasar or Ngurah Rai)? Do you you think there would be any problems for me to get another 30 days free entry or do I have to pay for the touristvisa (VoA, 35$) this time?
I read that Indonesia is starting to be stricter because of many people who did or still do visa runs.. So I‘m not sure what to do now.. I‘m a bit worried that Indonesia would not let me enter Bali after I already got the 30 days free when I arrived in Jakarta. In the whole I would like to stay about 50-60 days in Indonesia but would like to visit Singapore for 4-5 days in between.
Thank you so much for your answer!
I’ve been going in and out like that for years, though I pay for the visa. I have not heard of any problems at immigration coming and going like you mentioned. If it were me, I’d do it the way you described.
Thanks for the kind words. We’re glad you found it useful.
Hi there – this has been so helpful. Thank you. I have two questions —
1. I have arrived yesterday and got the 30 day VoA. Can I go and extend for another 30 already?
2. If I leave the country for two days can I come back and just get a new 30 day visa?
Thank you!
1. This is a great question and I am still waiting to hear back from my source at immigration. Will edit this response once I know something.
2. Yes.
Samm, sorry for the late reply.
1. My contact at immigration has told me the earliest you can apply for an extension is 2 weeks. I don’t know how strict they are about that rule so let us know if you try to do it earlier.
2. Yes. If you know you are going to leave the country within 30 days, then I wouldn’t bother getting the VOA. just enter visa free.
Any news on new rules about how many times you can do the visa extension in a year?
Thanks
Jade
So far, there is no limit. There was a rumor that they would implement one, but that has not yet been confirmed. I just completed my 4th extension this year with no problem.
Quick question. Does the visa extension give you another 30 days from the date it’s granted, or do they add 30 days to the expiration date of the first visa, hence allowing you the full 60 days and opportunity to extend it soon after arrival and purchase if initial 30 day visa? Thanks to anyone who can clarify
Extensions are always issued from the dates on your visa; however, I am still waiting to hear back from my contacts at immigration to find out if they allow extensions as soon as you arrive. Will update this post on that soon.
Heard back on this. The earliest you can extend is two weeks. That being said, it’s odd that I was told 2 weeks rather than a specific amount of days (say, 14 days) since they are so strict about the number of days your visa is good for. This leads me to believe that maybe the immigration officers don’t know themselves.
Hi Dino!
Thank you for this well written guide! The only question I have is what exactly do you mean by “the earliest you can extend is two weeks”? Do you mean I already have to have been 2 weeks in Bali? Or when I only have two weeks left for the stay?
Some people were asking if they can go to immigration and extend as soon as they get into the country. These are people who know they will stay for more than 30 days and just want to get it out of the way. Immigration doesn’t allow that. The earliest you can start the extension process is two weeks before your visa expires. This, according to my contacts at Kantor Imigrasi.
Hi I’m staying for longer than 30days but I dont have time to sort visa as I am already away! Can I pay the $35 and that’s it – My visa is extended on arrival??
Nope. Would love it if that were the case, but if you want to extend your visa, you have to go through the process.
Hi Dino,
How long before the expiry of your original visa can you apply for the extension ?
Thanks
Joff
Joff, 2 weeks is the earliest you can extend, according to my contact at immigration.
Hi, We’re in Bali as a family of 5 and looking to get our visa extended. We got the VOA when we arrived. Do you know if I can fill in applications for my entire family or do I need to bring everyone along? The immigration office with our 2 year old does not sound like fun! 🙂 I understand it’s necessary for the fingerprint stage.
Since the visa agents do the application and pick-up for you, then I assume I could do the same for my other family members?
Thanks for your help. Great guide!
Yes, you are right. You can pick up the applications and drop them off yourself for the first visit, but you’ll need to bring everyone for the fingerprints and photo.
Dino thank you for a great informative post. I only have one question to ask as I’m going trough the same situation. I have a 60 day tourist visa but only want to extend for another 30, I’m finding it difficult to do it in Jakarta so am contemplating doing a visa run to Singapore but want to do it before the final expiry date of the 60 days. Is this possible? Or can I only do it on the very last day of my 60 day visa??
Hi Caro, you can leave anytime during that 60 days. When you return, you’ll have another 30 from the date you re-enter the country.
Dino thank you so much for your reply!
Hi Dino, I have got the trade and expo Visa for one month Do you think I can get an extension when I arrive Indonesia ??
Andy, thanks for reaching out, but unfortunately I am not familiar with the Trade and Expo Visa. If anyone else knows, please add a comment. Otherwise, please check with immigration and let us know what you find out. Wish I had a good answer for you. Best of luck.
Hi and thanks for the very clear and informative guide to extending a tourist visa. Just thought I’d let you know having been to Immigration Denpasar only this morning.
You will need to take
– one photocopy of your passport photo page
– one photocopy of the visa on arrival page of your passport
– one photocopy/printout of your onward journey
– Information about a sponsor for the form (name, address, email address, telephone number). This may not be mandatory
– information about where you are staying in Bali (name, address, email address, telephone number)
Note that applications are only accepted between 08:00 – 12:00. I arrived at 10:30. It took about 1 hour.
Hope this helps!
Awesome! Thanks for the update, Paul. Based on my recent visit as well, I’m in the middle of making updates to this post to reflect some of the changes. Should have those finished within a week or two.
Hi all, just checking to see if anyone has experienced anything negative with using Singapore as the visa run country as Dino mentioned in the updated paragraph of this article. I need to go and don’t want it to be a problem. Thank you
Good question. I returned from Singapore on Oct 10th without a problem, but I was on a 3 day trip. Would like to know if anyone has had any problem with a single day trip, there and back.
Hi!
Thank you so much for this page! Me and my friend are soon going to Bali and did, unfortunately, understand the whole Visa process after we already booked ten days more than 30….
What I wonder is: if we enter the country with the free tourist visa for 30 days, do we have to show our tickets of departure? I know we cannot extend the free Visa, so when we know we are going to stay longer, should we buy the “Visit Visa” from the beginning or can we just stay for free 30 days and then apply for a Visit Visa? What’s best, to extend your visa or to leave the country and return?
Hi Helena:
It’s important to understand there is no “free tourist visa.” Ut’s “visa free” and if you enter Visa Free, you cannot extend. You have to leave within 30 days, no exceptions. Essentially, Indonesia is letting you come in without a visa for 30 days. Therefore, there is no way to extend a visa you do not have. Instead, when you come in, go to the visa counter before you go to the immigration desk and tell them that you want to purchase the Visa on Arrival for $35 US. Or, you can enter visa free and just leave the country and come back in. One way is time consuming and a bit complicated, the other is more expensive so I can’t say which one is better for you.
But there’s a bigger problem, even though I have never had to show my departure ticket when entering Indonesia, you may have a problem with the airline when you depart on your trip (from your home). It’s happened to me a few times and once I had to change my ticket at the airport in San Diego (Delta made a big fuss and wouldn’t let me leave for Indonesia unless I had a visa or was coming back within 30 days). A couple of other times I was able to argue my way out of it with Tiger Air and Air Asia. It may or may not happen with your airline, but be prepared nonetheless. Your ticket dates need to match your visa and if you don’t have a visa, 30 days may be all they will give you.
Hope that helps.
Thank you! We have to discuss it all one more time then.
Hi Dino,
while it is the airlines responsibility to check travel dates and visas – they (may) get fined if they get it wrong, they shouldn’t force a ticket change when VoA and extension are valid options.
I was informed on ticket purchase that I was too long but when I explained the options she was OK. Same at kiosk check-in it wouldn’t let me proceed till a staff member OK’d it. Same deal, she knew the options but was double checking that I knew. Which is good for the lazy tourist who doesn’t check or the crazy ones who assume they can do what they like… Although the latter one should maybe learn the hard way…
I would have been pretty annoyed at Delta for not allowing a legit flight.
This page spells it out http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php/en/public-services/visit-visa, and they should accept that
Hi,
Very informative post.
It does say that no sponsor is required for VOA extension, however when I extended my VOA the other day at Kantor Imigrasi Cilicap, my Indonesian wife was required to provide the sponsor letter for the extension.
Hi Tim, thanks for the reply. I am updating my post to reflect that in some cases a sponsor is still required. When I came back on a 60 day visa and extended it for 30 days, I was required to have the same sponsor I used for the 60 day visa. I haven’t needed one for additional extensions.
Very informative post Dino ! I need to go pick up my passport tomorow but I got injured and was hoping to have my friend go pick up the passport for me since I can hardly walk. I read that with written consent and the receipt it should be fine but I cannot find the post I read that on now .. I I was going to give him my reciept and passport and visa copies with a note from me . Any advice ?? Thanks
Hi Jason, very good question. It’s not easy to do what you want and clearly immigration is justified in protecting passports while in their possession; however, it can be done, but in addition to the receipt you need two additional things. First, you need a note from your doctor, but you also need a Surat Kuasa with a Matari 6000. That’s like a Power of Attorney with a signature stamp. Not sure how or where you go to get it, but I would start with a notary public. This is what I’ve been told directly by immigration officials; however, just to be safe, I would also include a note from you as you suggested, describing what happened and that you give your friend permission to pick up your passport for you. Hope that helps.
I went there today after the lunch break to put in my application. I got my forms by 1:45pm and started filling them in. I’m doing this for my whole family so I had to fill in the forms for 5 family members. I finished filling the forms by 3:15pm and when I went to hand in the applications they told me they are closed now and I must come back on Monday.
Today was Friday and I thought that they only closed at 4:30pm. Any ideas why this might have been? When I asked they said that we close at 2.
Thanks,
Herman
Yup, office hours changed and I have updated this post to reflect the new hours. I apologize for not catching it in time for your visit. They are now open from 8 to 2pm with an hour lunch break from 12 to 1pm. Bureaucratic inefficiency for sure.
This is becoming a very popular post on the topic! The pressure is on to keep it up to date! 😀
Thanks for putting this together and maintaining it.
Hey Dino, Thanks for the post. Seems to me like the Visa run is probably what im after… Can you please confirm we can arrive in Bali on the 30 day free VOA. Leave before the 30 days is up to Singapore for a few days then re enter Indonesia / Bali and pay $35 at the airport to obtain an additional 30 days? Or do we need to apply for a Visa at the Indonesian embassy in Singapore?
Hi Bevan, yes, I can confirm. You do not need to go to the Embassy in Singapore to extend your VOA in Bali. Enter, pay the fee, near the end of 30 days, extend for another 30 days, leave before your extension expires and start the process all over again. I do it all the time.
All the best.
Hi again, we want to try avoid having to go to the visa office in bali as it sounds like a bit of a mission. I’d like arrive in bali then after 29 days, leave for a couple then come back and gain another 30 day visa but will only be around for another 6 or 7 days anyway as that’s when our return flight has been booked. We will be away for 39 days in total.
Hello Dino, hope you can help me with this. I have a 1 year multiple entry business visa and I’m looking to stay in Indonesia more then 60 days this time. Would it be possible to extend it at the immigration or as per business visa my only chance is to get out of the country? Thank you in advance for your help
Alessandra, please do not rely on me for this because I have never used the 1 year business visa, though I may do that very soon now that I know i’ll be here for a while; however, I was able to extend a 60 day visa, but for only 30 days. I’m pretty sure you have to leave again for the 1 year business visa, but I’m not certain. I wish I had more solid info for you and if anyone else can help answer for her, please submit your comment.. Good luck.
Just a quick response to the “over-stay” fines. In March 2016 I accidentally overstayed 1 day (due to poor calculations when originally booking my flights – counting my Tuesday arrival as day 1, next Tuesday day 7, etc). As I passed through immigration towards the departure lounge, I was asked by a supervisor to “please follow me”, with no reason given. Naturally I asked why before following him towards the darker corner of the immigration area, and immediately but unpretentiously began arguing in bahasa Indonesia that he was mistaken. Making some – any – effort at the language seems to go a long way here. Not to mention it was interesting to (politely and respectfully) “test the waters for myself” when it came to dealing with such officials.
Anyway, with some visual aids, much pointing and counting, and mutual laughter, we sorted out where I had gone wrong, and my “tidak cukup uang sini” (not enough cash here) while gesturing with a wad of crumpled notes had me directed towards an ATM that was – surprise surprise – on the international side of the immigration desks, at the beginning of the duty free area. So although I was officially “in limbo”, I don’t think there was any reason I couldn’t just keep walking to the departure gate and get on my flight home. But of course, with plans of returning as an expert, this was certainly not something I was going to try. And yes, the fee was approx 300,000p for the one day.
While an interesting and non-stressful way to finish my second month of the last three in Indonesia, I’m glad it was just an honest mistake of a single day, and would never take the risk of intentionally overstaying for any amount of time.
Hi Dino, my 30 day visa is up in 24hrs, I paid for an extension but not gone to immigration yet, can I extend on my last day and get another 30 days, thankyou
Hi Gary, I’m not sure what you mean that you already paid for an extension. Who did you pay? Did you pay an agent? You cannot get a new visa in just a day. The process usually takes over a week so expect to pay an over stay fee. If your visa is about to expire you need to get to the immigration office as soon as possible. Good luck.
Quick question: what if the 31st day is only 45 minutes-
as in I lleave at 12:45AM of the 31st day of my visit.
I will be at the airport in the departure lounge.
Do you think they would make me get a visa, are they that strict?
Thank so much for all the information, much appreciated.
Yup, they are that strict; however, if you get passed the immigration point on the 30th day, you may get away with it. If not, you’ll just pay a fine for one day – I think it’s IDR 300,000. I don’t think it’s worth extending for that.
Hi Dino,
Please forgive me if this has already been answered, but I have been reading all over and am just a bit confused. If I get the 60-day Tourist Visa in the US before my trip to Bali, can I then leave Indonesia towards the end of the 60 days and re-enter with just a Visa Free? I would like to spend about 90 days in Indonesia.
Additionally, do you know if the 60-day Tourist Visa is extendable by going to the immigration office in the same way that you do for your VOA?
Thank you so much!
Hillary
Hi Hillary, Yes for both questions. I entered once with a 60 day visa that I got in the US before arriving to Bali, but your extension will only be for 30 days and you must have your sponsor with you when you extend. All other extension requirements and procedures are the same as those for extending VOA. You can extend at any of the immigration offices.
You don’t need sponsor applying for 60 day tourist visa, but you will need one for extending this kind of visa. May be easier to use visa extension agent, only $20 more for service, but they do it all for you, but you still need to come once to INS office for fingerprints and photos. Sounds like much easier process to me. Also you can extend up to 4 times, each time 30 days. That is the new rules.
Quick question, Im heading to Indo for about 35 days through December, Was planning on doing a few days in Malaysia half way through the trip anyway. Im coming from Canada so if I just get the free VOA will my 30 days be reset with another free VOA when I return from Malaysia half way through the trip?
Yes. That’s a great way to do it. Split your time in Indonesia with a trip to another country, in your case Malaysia, and you can enter both times visa free as long as both stays are 30 days or less.
First of all thank you very much for your article and your website. It is really helpful. When we reach the Airport is the immigration asking you when is your return flight ticket? I understood that I should pay for the VOA to extend it but then initially when I reach the airport should I have a flight back 30 days after my arrival or can I already book one for 45 days after my arrival?? Not sure if my question is clear…. Thank you so much for your help! – Namaste –
I also have the same situation. Tho i already booked my ticket for my 40-day visit in Indonesia. Please help if this is okay. 🙂 Very helpful article!
Immigration doesn’t ask for evidence of your return flight, though they can; however, I would be careful with the airline you booked with. They are always happy to book your flight (take your money), but sometimes when you arrive at the airport, they want to see a visa that allows you to stay for more than 30 days. If you can’t produce a visa, they will make you rebook your flight so you return within 30 days, to comply with Indonesian immigration policies. It doesn’t always happen, but Delta did this to me when I arrived at the Airport a couple years ago and so did Tiger Air.
If you can get by the check-in counter at the airport from where you are departing, you’ll make it the rest of the way no problem. Immigration in Indonesia will not send you back after arrival. Once you’re in Bali, you can make plans to leave again within 30 days or extend your visa. Hope that helps.
Dear Dino.
By reading the comments I found my answer. Please ignore my previous comment. Thank you so much!!!
Dino. This really is an excellent service you are providing. I have seen some conflicting advice around that I hope you can clear up. If I successfully extend a visa and pick my passport up after say 23 days (arbitrary number). Is the extension for 30 days meaning I have to leave on the 53rd day. Or would my visa then be for 60 days from my day of entry to Indonesia Apologies if covering old ground.
Thanks Richard, your extension is supposed to be good for an additional 30 days from the date your visa expires so you would get sixty days total rather than 53. Of course, nothing is ever certain there so the best bet is to wait until a week before it expires and start the process. If you get your visa back after the 30 days is up, you will not receive additional days. 60 days total is all you can stay. One time, it took them so long to get my visa back to me that I had only two weeks left before I had to leave again.
Keep in mind that they usually will not let you start the extension process more than 2 weeks from the date your visa expires. Hope that answers your question.
Hello Dino, this is a great post, thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. I entered Indonesia on a 60 day visa I got from the UK before travelling. I need to extend in a few weeks for an additional 30 days, will I need a sponsor? Does a sponsor have to write a letter or anything like that, or would I just complete their details on the form? Do Immigration actually contact the sponsor to confirm? Are Indonesians normally willing to act as a sponsor, or will this be difficult? Many thanks in advance
I did the same thing with a 60 day visa a few months ago and immigration wanted my sponsor to be present when I extended – the same sponsor that you used for the 60 day visa. No letter, just the form, and my sponsor came with me to kantor imigrasi. If you make friends here, they people are usually very willing to act as your sponsor, but may want some money for doing you the favor.
Thank you for your quick reply, that’s good to know. When I applied for my 60 day in the UK I didn’t need a sponsor. They wanted just an employer letter as well as onward flight etc. Many thanks
Oh, you have an employer letter. In that case, that may change a few things. You may not need a sponsor. I just don’t know since I’ve never been to Bali on anything other than tourist visas. Wish I could have a definitive answer for you. Best of luck.
Hi Dino!
Thanks for some great advice. We have an outbound flight to Thailand on the 2nd of December, and our current VISA (the $35 dollar one which you can extend) expires on November 27th. We are considering just paying the fine for the extra five days instead of extending as the price will be pretty much the same. I just wanted to ask you if you know of any additional risks this may lead to (except for paying the fine)? And also, do you know how long it can take at the airport to pay the fine?
Thanks again!
You should have no additional problems other than paying the over-stay fee. At the airport, the last stop before you head to your gate is the immigration exit counter. When you hand the officer your passport, they’ll see that you over-stayed your visa. They’ll escort you to an office where they handle all the over-stays. It may be a little intimidating, but nothing to worry about as they just want their money. How long it takes depends on how many other people are in line to pay the fee.
In the office, you’ll sit down with an agent at his/her desk and they’ll calculate the days you over-stayed, answer any questions you have and ask you to pay in cash. The entire process only takes about 10-15 minutes. Once you pay, be sure to get your receipt and then you are free to head to your gate. That’s it.
I have heard that the agent who initially checked your visa will ask you to come back to see him after you paid your fee in the office. I don’t know what that’s about and advise you to ignore those instructions and just walk straight to your gate. After you’ve paid your fee, you’re free to go.
Hi Dino.
This is definitely the best article I’ve read covering Visa extensions, thank you!! I have a couple questions, I am staying in Canggu, which immigration office should I be going to? Also, I am not having any luck on where to take passport photos? Hoping there is a place for passport photos and to make copies close to the immigration office. If you’re able to answer these it would be extremely helpful and appreciated!! Thank you!
Thank you for the kind words. If it were me, I’d go to the office in Denpasar, but you should have no problem getting it done near the airport as well. Sorry, I really don’t know Canggu that well. I live in Sanur and happened to get photos taken at Laksamana Photo when I was in Ubud one day; however, keep in mind, you don’t need to bring photos with you to extend your Visa on Arrival. They will do it for you during your second appointment at Kantor Imigrasi. Last I heard, only Indonesians could get passport photos there and not foreigners. You can, however, make photocopies. The photocopy shop is outside toward the back of the building. Hope that helps.
Hi Dino,
Thank you very much for posting this article, it’s incredibly informative and will be invaluable during my Bali trip next year!
I’m planning on staying for just over 6 months next year so will have to do the vis extension and visa run three times during my trip I think. I’ve got a couple of quick questions regarding booking the visa run flights, locations and sponsors.
On flights, what are your thoughts on pre-booking them before I actually start my visa application to take advantage of lower price deals? I was contemplating booking my first visa run flight before I actually go to Bali, for a couple of days before I’ve figured out my first visa extension is due to expire to ensure I’m within the time frame however I’m unsure whether it’s wise incase the extension is approved early which would then mean my visa extension would begin earlier than I’ve calculated?
Also, I was considering making my first visa run flight to Singapore, second to Kuala Lumpur and third to either Singapore or Kuala Lumpur again as this may make the fact I’m doing a run less obvious?
With regards to a sponsor, do you think I’ll need one on my second or third application as I’m not doing many runs?
Many thanks and best wishes,
Jodie
Hi Jodie, 6 months in Bali will be amazing. You’ll love it.
If you get a really great deal on a flight, I don’t see any problem booking early. You can accurately count the days of your stay as 30 days, plus a 30 day extension, regardless of when it is approved. Even if it is approved early, they will calculate a total of 60 days. Regardless, I would give yourself a few days buffer, just to be safe. It’s not uncommon for them to make mistakes and once it’s approved, it is very difficult to go back and get a date changed, even if they made the mistake.
You can do your visa runs anywhere you want. You can even do them all to Singapore. I’ve been there 4 times in a row. People go to Singapore so often, that it is completely normal to do so. I did a run to KL, but haven’t been back. Check out Batu Cave when you go. I’ve also been to Hong Kong (a lot further and more expensive) and East Timor (good if you like diving). Some people even go to Perth, though I haven’t.
You won’t need a sponsor for Visa on Arrival extension. Hope that helps.
That’s a great help Dino, thank you. Sometimes it’s reassuring to hear things from someone who’s familiar with the process.
Thanks again
Hey Dino, Great article on obtaining a 30 day Visa in Bali. I am not clear about the next the 30 days. So if I arrive in Bali on Feb 22 my passport will be stamped for 30 days Visa in Bali, which takes me to March 24. According to what you have said here I need to depart from Bali on March 25 the 30th day of this Visa. Is it possible to apply for an extended Visa in the USA before I leave the States for a Visa for March 26 – April 14? Do you know the cost of this. Is it possible to be able to drop my passport off at the Indonesian Embassy in the USA say in New York City or Los Angeles? Is the Indonesian Embassy even the correct place to apply for a Visa.
Thanks, Marilyn. Be sure to count your days correctly. You can stay in Bali for only 30 days with Visa on Arrival and both the day you arrive and the day you leave count in those 30 days (common mistake). That means you need to leave or extend by the 23rd of March, not the 25th.
You cannot get an extension abroad, but you can apply for a 60 day Visa in the US. You’ll need an Indonesian sponsor. I don’t know if the Indonesian embassy handles visas. I got my 60 day at the Indonesian consulate in Los Angeles. It’s on Wilshire Blvd and although there are a lot of bad reviews about their service, I had a completely pleasant experience with everyone there. Good luck.
Hello Dino great article. My question to you would be I know you mentioned we have to wait two weeks before extending but do you think we can start the process earlier say a week after entering Bali on the first visa on arrival?
Thanks, you may be able to start earlier, but they don’t like to. They have turned people away for starting too soon. Immigration’s policy is to start processing extensions no earlier than two weeks in advance.
Hi Dino!
Thank you for this article! It’s super helpful! I noticed you recommended you do not start the extension process until you’ve stayed in the country for at least 2 weeks. My girlfriend and I arrived Tuesday the 6th of December and got a VOA. We were planning to start the extension process on the 13th of December as we are worried if we leave it until after Christmas we won’t have enough time (our 30 days are up on the 4th of Jan and our flight isn’t until the 10th of Jan) if we do try to start next week will we be sent away and asked to come back later? Do you think Christmas will cause any issues for us or are we just being paranoid!?!
Thanks a lot!!!
Alex
Thanks for the kind comments.
You can give it a try around the 13th, but I don’t think they’ll start processing it that early. The worst they can do is turn you away and tell you to come back. If it were me, I’d go on the 19th. That will give you plenty of time. Christmas is an observed public holiday in Indonesia. I wouldn’t be surprised if they took off part, if not all, of the 24th as well, but since both days fall on the weekend anyway this year, I don’t see them losing too much time.
Will I need to show my return ticket at the airport? I asked because I intend to pay for a VOA then extend it, but will I encounter any trouble with the immigration officers being that my departure date would be more than 30 days of my arrival in Indonesia?
Not in Bali when you arrive. They do not ask for your return ticket; however, they will ask for it when you extend. It should not be more than 30 days from the date of your extension.
When you leave for Bali, your airline at home may require a return ticket within 30 days when you check in at the airport. I’ve had this happen on several occasions.
We are Aussies and have discovered this is not as simple as we expected. We have a family of 4 tomorrow is the 12th and our visas expire on the 15th. Do we go to immigration tomorrow and follow your advice having applied before expiry of do we need to employ an agent immediately for their 24/48 service to ensure it is issued in time?
If an agent can guarantee that he or she can get your visa back to you before you overstay, then it could save you money in fees; however, keep in mind that there is a new rule that limits the agents’ ability to get visas done quickly as you are now required to apply in person. Agents used to be able to apply on your behalf. Also, I am always skeptical of agents who make claims like that so really make sure you trust the agent. Keep in mind that if they can do it in 24/48 hours, they’ll charge more for it. If their fee appears to be the same or close to what you will pay in overstay fees, I suggest just doing it yourself.
I’ve used an agent once. The guy was referred to me by a very trusted friend and they turned out to be very shady characters. They got my visa extension, but I later found out that they likely did it in a way that may not have been legal. Furthermore, they were entirely unprofessional. Please be careful.
If it were me, I’d meet with them first thing in the morning (at their office) and verify that their services still meet your needs (in light of the recent changes regarding agents). Then I’d make my decision whether or not to use them..
Hi Dino,
Thank you for a very helpful post.
We recieved some information from a local in Mataram who is saying that the imigrasi closes this saturday the 17th for holiday. He can’t tell us for how long.
Our 60days visa expires the 30th of december (which gives us 16th to start the process).
Any thoughts on holiday planning for imigrasi offices (especially Mataram and Denpasar)?
Update:
The guy is saying:
Imigrasi Mataram closed from 17th till 2nd.
This puts us in a very thight situation. Any suggestions?
I’m checking this out. That sounds like a lot of time off, but it wouldn’t surprise me. You’ll have to contact them directly and ask for their operating ours. Normally, the 17th wouldn’t pose a problem for extending your visa. That’s plenty of time and the only public holidays in Indonesia in December are the 25th and 26th, both of which fall on a weekend. I’ve got a call into my contact at the Denpasar office re the holiday schedule and will post when I hear back, but you may have to verify in Mataram on your own. Wish I could be more help.
what a helpful post! Thanks a lot!
we have to extend our visa. is it suitable to start the application process now (december 15) and leave for gili meno (december 16-19) in case that the pick up date is later than december 19th? is it advisable to travel to lombok without the passport which in turn would be at the immigration office? in worst case we are planning to pay an over-staying fee for 3 days, as we wanted to do island-hopping after lombok to flores …
When you leave your passport with immigration, they will give you a receipt that acts as your passport until it is ready with your new visa. You’ll have to explain this to the staff at the hotel you stay at in Lombok because they’lll need to make a copy of it when you check in. You can travel to Lombok and throughout Indonesia without your passport as long as you have that receipt. It is helpful if you have additional forms of identification.
Keep in mind, immigration will give you a date for your second and third appointments. You can miss those dates by a day or two, but I try not to.
Hi, looks like we have a problem. We didn’t know about this visa stuff. We should have been ba k in Australia now but my new Australian visa isn’t through yet. My 30 days will be up on Monday. Any surges toons..?
Not without knowing more about your situation. It sounds like you’ll need to speak with an immigration officer.
Hi Dino, your information is very informative–but, I am still confused after a phone conversation with someone at the Indonesian consulate in Los Angeles. My wife and I are planning to visit Bali for 3-4 months. I think the 60-day tourist visa process is too much (making an appointment at the consulate, having to go to a live interview, showing proof of finances, getting a letter from a sponsor in Bali…), so we want to just fly there, get the 30-days free and get the 30-day extension for $35. Just so I am sure I understand, my questions are:
1) we can get the 30-day/$35 extension in the airport upon arrival?
2) do we have to show a return or onward flight reservation upon arrival (as I have read)?
3) if 1 and 2 are true, should I get an onward flight to Singapore for day 58 or 59 (to be safe) of our time in Bali? I have to be assured of getting the 30-day extension if I am going to purchase the onward flight 60-days out.
4) if not #1 above (and I don’t get the 30-day extension in the airport), do I get this at the immigration office in Ubud instead? And, do i still have to show proof of an onward flight at the end of the 60 days?
I am sure this is simple enough once you’ve gone through the process a few times…but from afar, not so much!!!
Thank you,
Craig
HI Craig, I agree, the process is a bit intimidating if it’s your first time.
1) No, you cannot get the extension at the airport when you arrive. You need to get the $35 Visa on Arrival when you arrive. Everybody will head right for the immigration lines, but right before that, there is a counter for Visa on Arrival (you’ll see the sign). Go there, pay your $35 and then head to the line for immigration.
2) No, they aren’t asking for your onward ticket when you arrive. You’ll need it when you extend a few weeks later.
3) Hmm, I probably wouldn’t book the trip to Singapore yet unless you get a really good deal. I usually book mine about 30 days out. By the way, I haven’t heard of anyone getting denied a 30 day extension of their VOA.
4) You do not get the 30 day extension at the airport so you will need to the immigration office, but there isn’t one in Ubud. You’ll need to go to the one in Denpasar. You will need to show proof of an onward ticket at that time.
Thank you, Dino. I get it now! The thought of having to extend for 30 days in Denpasar leads me back to my original plan of trying to secure the 60-day Visa at the consulate in Los Angeles (which I believe I read somewhere above is what you had done). One more question for you: what is the deal with the “sponsor” letter for referral? Who can supply this? A guest house or retreat in Ubud? (Okay, that was several questions). I think this is our last hurdle to getting the 60 days… Thank you for your informative & valuable service!
The sponsor letter is pretty straight forward. It’s just a letter from any local indicating that they will act as your sponsor while you are in Indonesia. It needs to include all their contact information such as address, phone number. The letter needs to be signed of course. It’s usually quite easy to get someone to do it if you know people here. If you don’t ask the people at your guest house. Most Indonesians know all about it because it’s quite common.
If you extend your 60 day visa, your sponsor will have to go to the immigration office with you the first time.
Thank you, Dino, for your response. We are now thinking about going back to the original plan of securing the 60-day VISA from the Indo consulate in Los Angeles (as I believe I read you did originally). One of the requirements is the sponsorship letter–do you know how I can secure this? I don’t know anyone in Bali… are there agencies that can do this? Thank you!
Yes, you can contact one of the agents. There are plenty and I’m pretty sure they can arrange a sponsor letter for you. I have not found any good enough yet to recommend at this time so do your research. I would use one that is quite public and has a functioning website and a reputation to uphold.
Hello, Alot of great information…Thank You
Here is what we are dealing with……We hope you may have a suggestion.
We arrive at DPS at Jan 13 at 00:30 am and our return flight is Feb 14 at 13:30 pm
Any recommendations as to what you think we should do ?
I count 3 days over stay. You have a few choices. 1) Get a 60 day visa. Must be done from a consulate outside of Indonesia and requires a sponsor – I don’t recommend this option. 2) Go through the extension process as described in my post. 3) Pay the overstay fee. Last I heard it is IDR 300,000 per day (about $22 US). If paying the fee is not a big financial burden for you, I’d probably just do that.
Thanks Dino….just to clarify
we should pay for the 30 day on arrival ? or not
It looks like you are over-staying your visit by 3 days so if you plan to extend your Visa for those 3 days, then I yes, you need to pay the 30 day VOA.
If you’d rather not deal with it, just enter Visa Free (do not pay 30 day VOA), but when you depart Bali, immigration will pull you into their office and make you pay the fine.
Hi Dino, a quick query, apologies if this was already explained on this site. Our family is wanting to stay in Bali for three months in 2017, as we did this year. This year we applied for a 60 day Social Visa that required a sponsor with the intention of extending this one month whilst here. Well it all went pear shaped and I had to do a four day very expensive trip to Singapore with three young children on my own! If we come in next year on a 30-day VOA, can we extend this twice, in order to stay 90 days in total? Or can we only extend once and then have to leave the country?… I know that it is always changing in Bali, but in your opinion is it generally doable to extend twice?… Thank you.
I also wonder if I can apply for a 60 day tourist visa whilst still in Australia, and then be able to extend this the once for 30 days….thanks
Hi Sarah, unfortunately you can only extend your VOA once, which means you’ll have to leave after a total of 60 days. There is no way around that with Visa on Arrival. I think for you the best option is to do the 60 day social visa again and then extend for another 30 days. That way, you won’t have to leave.
You can get the 60 day visa from the Indonesian consulate in Australia and then apply for the extension when you’re here. I hope that helps answer your questions.
Hi Dino, thanks for your brilliant guide to visa extensions. For your information, Friday lunch break at denpasar immigration starts at 11:30 until 1pm. Fridays only.
Thanks Paul, just made the update.
Really useful and accurate! But Friday lunchtime is 11.30am to 1.30pm.
Hello Dino! Firstly, this is an AH MAZING article.
I so appreciate you taking the time to talk through all of the loops and twists. I wish I would’ve found this article before coming to Bali! It appears that the organizers of the training we are taking (40 days) did not know much about this and led us to believe we could extend our visa easily here.
I do have one small question.
We will be staying over 9 days. We think the cheapest/easiest route will be to incur the “overstay” fee of 300k/day. Our one hesitation with this option is that it may be possible (although unlikely) for us to get detained if we choose this option?
I hear the detainments only hit after a much longer overstay. Do you think we’d be in the clear? What would you advise?
Thanks for the kind words, Adrienne. Unfortunately, I can’t give you much advice. I don’t know anyone who has overstayed that long. My hunch is that you will not be detained, but I honestly don’t know. Personally, i think it’s worth extending. I’ll see what I can find and will post again if I learn anything new. Wish I had better advice for you.
Thanks Dino! To clarify, we are already here without the Visa on arrival!
Oh, right, you mentioned that. yeah, I think the Singapore run is your best bet. Check out Haji Lane. Some fun restaurants there. Andhra Curry was my favorite Indian restaurant in Singapore, but it has closed permanently so if you find any good ones, let me know.
Thanks Dino! To clarify: we’re already here in Bali and we did not get the Visa on Arrival.
I think we’re just going to do a run to Singapore!
Hi Dino,
Happy New Year to you!
I come here thanks to a YouTube-vlog recommendation. Hopefully you have time to answer this question:
My son (17, finished high school) and I would love to stay in Bali for (at least) a year. We were there a couple weeks ago, and miss it so much. Anyway, I assume we do the pay on arrival 30 day and extend. When we extend, should we show them a return ticket (for 30 days later) to the Netherlands (where we are from) or could this be Singapore or Perth as well? We plan to travel every 2 months anyway. Discover Japan, Hongkong, India, you name it… How often can we do this? Can we leave the country every two months and come back in with a pay on arrival tourist visa for a year / two years?
Kind regards.
Agnes
Agnes, not sure how I missed this one, but I just saw it in the comments. I hope this reply isn’t too late. You can show an exit ticket to any country you want. they just want to see that you are leaving. You can do this as many times as you want. There currently is no limit.
Hey Dino great article. What would you say is the best family area for a Canadian family wanting to stay 6 months? Also, best legit site to rent a place before we come? Thanks buddy.
Hi Dino,
Great article as everyone has said! I just wanted to clarify that this process applies to extending a 60 day tourist visa also?
We are in Lombok at present heading east towards Flores then planning on flying north to Maluku. Our visas expire early February (I believe the 10th). Does every state have an immigration office? And also am I right in thinking we can either choose to extend in-country OR do a visa run to elsewhere for a few days then re-enter and receive a VoA for another 30 days? (I think that gives us enough time)!
Thanks in advance and apologies for the multiple questions!
Hi Kat, good questions. Yes, the process is almost the same for both 30 day VOA and 60 day visa. The only exception I can think of is that the extension for the 60 day may require a sponsor. For my 60 day, the immigration officer asked for my sponsor to be present during my first visit to the immigration office. i think they just wanted to verify that my sponsor was a real person.
There are immigration offices on most major islands. Check this page for locations: http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php/en/contact-us/immigration-offices. Be sure to double check because I don’t know how often that page is updated.
Finally, you can extend in-country or choose to leave, get your passport stamped, then re-enter for another 30 days. Hope that helps.
Hi Dino I’m in a real sucky situation.
I’m from Pakistan and we require visa prior to coming to Indonesia. I applied for visa and was told by all travel agents and every thing that I read online that the standard tourist visa is of 30 days however the visa they have issued me is of 7 days. Now I was planning on staying for about 23 days in Bali
What I want to know is there any possibility to extend my visa for up to 30 days once I land in Jakarta? I have heard that in order to apply for extension your visa should have minimum 7 days left now technically once I land I will have about 6 days including weekends.
What should I do?
Should I reapply for visa from here again and ask to be given a longer visa(Long shot) or come to Jakarta and try to get my visa extended and pay a few overstay fine if I have to.
Would really appreciate any help you can give.
My visa type is: 211 and length of stay says 7 days.
Eagerly waiting for your response
Hi Saad, the information in my post is for extending the 30 day Visa on Arrival. Unfortunately, I’m not an expert on other types of visas or Indonesian immigration so I don’t have a solution for you. That being said, I think your best option is to try to get a longer visa in your home country. If it were me, I’d try that first. If that doesn’t work, I’d come to Indonesia and go immediately to the immigration office and ask them the procedure for your extension since it will likely be different than that of a VOA. Wish I could be more help. Good luck.
Hi, perhaps you mention the following in your post and I have missed it, but just for the sake of clarity: if I’m in Bali on a 60 day tourist visa, and then leave to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur to get another visa for Indonesia- do I then need to arrange for a visa for those countries too, even if I will be there for (in the best case) only a few days?
I’m confused!
Hi Grete, most Westerners are able to go to Malaysia and Singapore without needing a visa, but you need to be sure..
First, please understand that this post is for 30-day visa on arrival extension for Indonesia only. I have little experience with visa’s for other countries; however, to answer your question as best I can, visa requirements for the countries you mentioned depend on your citizenship. If you leave Indonesia and go to Malaysia, you may qualify for Visa Free, which means you don’t need a visa. See here for countries that qualify for Visa Free. Though Singapore has a slightly different system, they do not require a visa for 80% of the world’s countries. Check here for Singapore.
Hope that helps.
Great post.
Hi Dino,
We are concerned about the need for a sponsor. Do you or do you not need a sponsor?
And
We have the sponsor form filled out by our friends in Java but we are currently in Bali. You say that the contact can be any Indonesian citizen. So will the Javanese friends work in Bali?
Please clarify.
You don’t need a sponsor to extend a VOA.
If you are extending another type of visa, say 60 day social visa, your sponsor can be from another region of Indonesia, but they may ask to meet your sponsor.
We are on the north coast of Bali and figured we’d use the Office in Singaraja. Do you know if they are more efficient? We are down to 6 working days left so we’re sorta down to the wire. Also our sponsor letter is from someone in Central Java. Will this work in Bali? We are returning there in a few weeks.
I’ve never been to the office in Singaraja so I can’t say how efficient they are. I would expect the crowds are fewer so perhaps more efficient.
Your sponsor can be from another region of Indonesia, but they may ask him or her to be present at the first meeting. When I extended my 60 day visa, the immigration officer asked me to bring my sponsor with me. This did not used to be the case, but I think now they want to have proof that the sponsor is real.
Dino, it’s a visa on arrival extension. It would be a big hassle to bring someone from Tejakula to Singaraja so I hope they don’t do this. Maybe they can do it with a phone call. BTW, we really appreciate your extensive blog and replies. We are going as a couple. Will they take us together?
Great, if you have a VOA, then you don’t need a sponsor to extend for 30 days.
You can get your applications together, but your follow up appointments will likely be set separately. You can tell them that since you are a couple extending to try and make the appointments on the same day. When you return for your second appointment, take two numbers, just in case, but I’d approach the window together and see if they’ll do both of you at the same time. Agents often do this with multiple clients so why not you? Give it a try.
Well we have sponsor forms already both from Bali and Java just in case. What should we
Put on the form for address since we are traveling? Just we are that day? We are couchsurfing so it’s a non resident.
Hi Dino – I was wondering if you can tell if they will do anything more than charge you 300,000 RPH a day that you are in Bali on a non paid Visa from Canada. My 20 year old daughter is there and arrived on the 1st of January but isn’t leaving until the 5th of February and is prepared to pay the 300,000 RPH a day, are there any other consequences other than the fine. Or is there something else you can suggest for her to do.
Nope, they just want your money. They will stop her at the immigration counter when leaving and ask her to follow them to another office where she will pay the fine. She is free to proceed to her gate after she pays.
Great article. I will be there for in total 40 days starting from tomorrow. It’s a bit annoying that its not closer to 60 days. It does seem like a lot of work with three separate visits and no visa office close to ubud. I’m tempted to just fly to Singapore for two nights as the flight will be $100 vs $70 in visa fees and days of work / fingerprints and interview.
Next time will just get the visa in advance for 60 days.
Hello please am a Ghanaian and there is no embassy for Indonesian here…am on a project of Aisec which will take me three months or more but going through your page here got me scared meaning I have only 60 days on socio cultural visa which means I can’t finish my project ..I want to know if is possible I can stay and do my project or is not possible
There are multiple types of visas you can get. For example, Indonesia has a business visa that allows you to stay for 60 days at a time before you are required to leave, but there is no need to extend. This visa lasts for a year. Other types of visas are beyond my scope of knowledge, however, so you’ll need to get in touch with a consulate in the nearest country to you.
Your other option is to just come, get a VOA at the airport, extend after 30 days, leave the country briefly after another 30 days and then start the process all over again. I have explained this process thoroughly in my blog post.
I am not sure how difficult it is being from Ghana. Your visa process can be more difficult than most so be sure to get in touch with someone at Indonesian immigration. Wish you the best of luck, Ellen.
Hi.
Thank you very much for a very informativ blog.
I will arrive 29th January in Jakarta with my 6 month old son. We are both Danish, and therefore we can get a free 30 day visum. The issue is, that we arrive on 29. January and leave 2. March. This means 33 days. What would you recommend we do?
Thank you very much for your help.
Hi Jacob, it just depends on what is more important for you, saving money or saving time. Overstaying will be more expensive, but you don’t have to do anything until you depart (make sure you allow for enough time at the airport to deal with it). Extending the visa will be cheaper, but it’s a process. You’ll have to consider if it interferes with your plans during that time.
Keep in mind that in some countries, over-extending goes in a record book and they can use it against you on future trips. I have never heard of that happening here. In fact, I’ve overstayed once and it has never been a problem. I have since gotten multiple other visas. Good luck!
Hi thanks.. as I see it the fine is 300.000 pr day you overstay, right?
Again thank you very much for your help.
Yea, last time I checked it was 300K. I think it’s still the same.
Hi Dino,
I just want to make shure I understand well. If I get the extandable visa at the airport, I will then pay about 35$ for it. Then after 30 days, I will need to pay for another 35$ for extending the visa, right? After two month, I have to leave the country. If I live the country also have a fee of 35$ applicable to leave the country, is that correct…
I’m travelling with my two kids, do you know if the same fees is applicable to them also?
Hi Tahnie, you are correct on everything except there is no fee to leave. There is a $35 fee for Visa on Arrival when you enter and then again when you extend. When it comes time to leave, Indonesia no longer charges a fee for exit.
Regarding the kids, they will need to go through the same process and as far as I know, the fees apply to them as well. All the best.
really? no more fees to exit the country? Awesome! I hope this is not just a dream!
Can I extend my visa I’m Ubud
Ubud have visa extension agents who do it for you but it is more expensive
Hi !
I have heard that the immigration office has been closed in Denpasar, though I can find no evidence of that online. Can anyone confirm if this is true or not? I need to extend my VOA soon and that office would be the closest to me.
Thank you!
Its not closed, I’m due to get mine back from there today
Thank you! I can confirm it is NOT closed as I have already begun my process at this location.
A quick note on location proximity in relation to where you are staying. Re the following tip on this page:
“TIP: You cannot go to an office in a different location from where you are staying. For example, if you are staying in Sanur and you try to go to the office in Nusa Dua, they will turn you away and make you go to the immigration office in Denpasar. Just go to the closest location and you’ll have no problem.”
Though the Denpasar office was closest to my residence, upon arrival I was suprisingly told I needed to go to the office in Nusa Dua ( about an additional 40 min away) because that was the office that serviced my area of residence. To save myself another 40 min trip, I simply asked If I were to book a residence in the Denpasar area, if I would then be able to use the Denpasar immigration office. I was told that yes this was acceptable. So, I then provided a hotel address near the immigration office. They do not require a hotel confirmation of booking, simply an address. My application was accepted with no problem and I am scheduled to pick up my passport later next week. I share this because I hope it can be be useful to someone in the future. Cheers .
Great! Thanks for the tip, Jase.
Do we need to stay at the same address in between the appointments do you know? Like do we need to stay during the visa extension process?
Okay, so today I handed in my application. I have a question though. Do I need to stay at the same address in between now and my next appointment? As I’m not really happy with the hotel I checked into and my appointment for ‘day 2’ is in 6 days. Or should I pay for this hotel and leave my stuff here while I explore more of Bali? Please help!
Hi Emma, you can move hotels. Once you start the process, they really don’t care where you go. They know you are a tourist and move around a lot.
great post thanks!! very informative
just asking because you have experience- when doing a visa run is it ok to be out of the country for 1 night only? or is it better to stay two? as in is there a minimum time you must have been out of the country in order to re-enter indonesia?
as someone is looking to stay for a few months at least do you think the visa process is easy enough to keep repeating? seems it judging by this post but i’ve ever been one for bureaucracy haha
and lastly if i enter on the 8th march should i have an outbound ticket for the date of my extension? so that would be 60days after, which i think would be like the 6th may.
many thanks really appreciate it any help, have a great day
best wishes
Hi Clara Ann, Yes, one day is fine. I’ve gone to Singapore for a “business trip” in the morning and have returned that same day on many occasions.
Yes to your second question as well. It’s easy enough to do several times if you plan to stay for several months.
I often get asked for a forwarding ticket by the airline, not immigration. The airline is not supposed to let you fly to a country unless you comply with their visa/immigration policies. If your return ticket is after the date of your visa expiration, the airline may not let you fly unless you change your ticket. It doesn’t always happen, but be prepared, just in case. Good luck.
thanks for your reply Dino! for example if my visa expires on the 6 april and i renew it for another 30 i guess day 1 of that new extension will start on the 6th which will take me to 5th may (counting 30 days) so i would need to leave and come back on the final day of the visa? or would i need to leave the day before it expires? i saw in some other posts it is possible to do the trip in one day. i’ve worked this out based on arrival dates etc but i guess if i extend at the office the week before it expires does it start from when they give it back or does it count from the original date of expiry? cos i guess that could mess with flight dates. hope this makes sense! im trying to book my outward flight atm
many many thanks
Ann
Hi Ann, the arrival date and the expiry date count as part of your 30 days so be sure to include them. The 5th seems correct. You can leave on that day, but I usually work in an extra day or two to account for any delays or unforeseen problems.
Make sure you use the dates on your stamp and not the day they give your passport back to you. Hope that helps.
so maybe leaving the 4th would be better?
if i left the country on the 4th and came back on the 4th I would still technically have one day on my “old” visa (if it expires 5th) does this matter or would they just issue me a new one at the airport
many thanks for all the answers, it is greatly appreciated
A
It’s not an issue. Once you have the new visa, everything starts all over again.
If you leave for just one day, be sure you don’t tell immigration that you’re on a visa run. You’re going to Singapore or wherever for some shopping for the day, to meet a friend or for a meeting.
Be sure to have a ticket leaving Bali again within 30 days of re-entry. The airline “may” want to see it before letting you check in. I cover this in more detail in my post.
Have fun.
Hi Dino,
I want to ask a question about the amount of time you should stay in a place when you’re doing a visa run. I’ve looked around online but can’t find an answer.
I’ll be doing my first run in April to Kuala Lumpur and thought about getting the 06:00 flight from Bali then returning on the 17:55 flight back to Bali from Kuala Lumpur. Will this be enough of a time frame in between leaving Indonesia and re entering or should I stay overnight and get a flight back the next day?
Many thanks and best wishes,
Jodie
Yes, same day return is fine. I do it all the time.
Hey, I’m due to go to bali in 2.5 weeks, and there for 6weeks. I’m really worried about this visa situation, as I’m thinking to get a visa before I go, but they are asking me for a sponsor or a letter from my employer(although I’m leaving my job but still coming back to the country). Do you know if this is necessary or not?! Do you think it’ll just be easier to get a extended visa when I’m there?!
Hi Jane, there’s nothing to worry about. It depends on your country of origin, but I recommend either applying for a 60 day visa in your country (a little difficult and requires a sponsor as you noted) or just coming to Bali, get a 30 Day Visa on Arrival, and 7-8 days before your visa expires, head to the immigration office to file for an extension. Follow the steps in the post and you’l be fine. Many people do it that way.
NOTE: March 28th is Nyepi. All of Bali shuts down that day. You can’t even leave your hotel. they like you to observe complete silence and reflection on that day. Expect government offices to be shut down that day and perhaps the day before or after so you may want to start your extension process early if it falls near Nyepi day.
Hi Dino
Thanks for all the insights and tips in the article. I was wondering about the 30 day free visa. We are planning to spend around 2 months travelling Asia from Australia and using either denpasar or jakarta as our base for our return ticket. We plan to stay a week before leaving to travel other parts of asia and returning to either denpasar or jakarta for a week more before heading back to Australia. Would we still qualify for the 30 day free visa upon re-entry even though we bought a 2 month ticket? A bit worried as we’ve never done multiple entries before.
Yes, Visa Free both times. I’ve been in and out of Indonesia on Visa Free multiple times with no problem. Sounds like a fun trip!
Hey Dino,. Is there an immigration office in Lombok? Or on the east coast? Thanks . Eddie
There’s one in Mataram at Jl. Udayana No. 2, Monjok Barat, Selaparang, Monjok Bar., Selaparang, Kota Mataram, Nusa Tenggara Bar. 83122; however, i don’t know anything about it. I’m pretty sure they do passports, but you’ll have to check with them to see if they can extend a visa.
I know that they do extend visa’s in Mataram, Lombok as well! I also have a question: My girlfriend wants to come to indonesia for 2 months, so she will buy the visa on arrival and extend it after 30 days. She is not sure yet, which date she wants to leave though.. but does she already need to buy a plane ticket out of Indonesia before she enters? And, if yes, is it possible to get the ticket around 55 days from when she enters?
Thanks for the tip on Mataram, Roel.
Regarding the departure ticket, they don’t check for return ticket when you arrive; however, her airline may ask for it, or a visa, when she leaves her country to come to Indonesia. It has happened to me several times.
They will ask for it when she extends her visa in Indonesia. It is part of the paperwork she needs to submit. I’ve tried to extend without it once, just to test the system and they wouldn’t process my extension without it.
If she can get passed the airlines at the outset of her trip, she should be able to wait to book her departure ticket at anytime before she starts the process to extend. Unfortunately, that will only leave her a couple weeks after she arrives in Indonesia so I don’t think she will be able to wait until say, the 55 day mark.
I would highly suggest to get 60 days tourist visa from home country before coming to Indonesia. Much easier process, no sponsor needed and only costed me $50, takes only 3-5 days to process. I don’t understand why people don’t do this one. In my opinion its way easier and less complicated than trying to do the VOA extension and such. More time to enjoy Bali and Indonesia and explore and do all the other things 🙂
Dear Dino, thank you so much for these helpful informations. I entered the country on the 12th of February, purchased a visa on arrival for 35$ and plan to extend my visa in Bali. I’ve read that you have to extend it at least seven days before your visa ends. As I arrive in Bali tomorrow and will only have the chance to go there on Monday 26th of March first thing, am
I going to make it in time? When my visa ends on the 14th? What happens if not? Does the application (First day) count already as extending? And do I really need a plane ticket for the application?
Laura, if you extend on March 26, then no, you are not going to make it. You will overstay by 13 days. I wouldn’t advise that. Not only will you get charged IDR 350,000 per day, they could prevent you from entering the country again.
If, however, you mean the only chance you get to extend is Feb 26th, then that should be fine. It’s a bit early, but just explain it to the immigration officers. They count the day you arrive and the day you leave in your 30 day visa, which means you need to leave or extend by March 13th, not the 14th. Yes, you need a plane ticket or other evidence showing that you are leaving the country within 30 days. Good luck.
Oh of course I meant the 26th of February, sorry about that! I was worrying as I thought the extension would have to be completed seven days before the 13th of March. And I actually didn’t expect it to be so complicated and that I would have to get there on three different days. It’s good to know I’m not late. Thank you so much for being so helpful and supportive, I really appreciate it!
can i fly to malaysia to do a visa run? would that be better than Singapore?
Yes, any country is fine.
Dear Dino,
I greatly appreciate the high-quality information that you have provided in this article.
Are there any notable changes to the visa renewal process that came up since you have written the article or is the entire article still up to date? Bureaucratic requirements tend to change every year…
Cheers,
Alexander
Hi Alexander, that’s a very good question. I stopped extending my visa late last year since my visa status has changed so I haven’t been to the immigration office since November. Changes I saw at that time were mostly physical such as a new waiting area, more seating and pink folders instead of red. The process, however, was the same. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t have changed since then, but from those I’ve spoken with, my content is still accurate.
A week or two ago a reader noted that the immigration counter was closed for an hour and a half rather than for an hour as I indicate above. That may be arbitrary, however, as they tend to come and go as they please.
I would love for other readers to comment on this question.
Hello,
I am from bangladesh. I am studying in malaysia. I need to stop study for some reason. Now i am in bali as a tourist. I am here from malaysia. Now i want to stay in bali for long time. I need working visa from here.is it possible to get working visa while i am in bali? I visa here 26th of feb till 15th of march. Now its not possible to go back to my country and in malaysia. What can i do now?
Habib, I’m sorry about your predicament, but being stranded in Bali is not the worst place I wold think. Regardless, I am way underqualified to help you with your situation. I suggest that you contact your embassy or consulate as soon as possible and get their help. Good luck.
Hi,
Great article!
Also hope that you can help me with this.
My 30day visa expires on March 15th, and Im planning on starting my visa run on Monday 6th. This will be enough time to extend? I also want to stay in Ubud while the process is going. And then I need to get back and fort to Denpasar. I don’t really want to drive a scooter myself, so will have to hire a driver. This will cost me some money and time, so Im considering just getting an agency to do it for me? Do you think this will be OK, or is it better to do it myself?
Thank you so much for the helpful article 🙂
Extending on the 6th if your visa expires on the 30th may be too soon. Your expiration date falls just after Nyepi day so they may allow it.
Immigration has been slowly restricting agents’ privileges because they’ve been clogging the system and tend to try to manipulate the process; however, there are still some agents that are pretty effective. You’ll have better luck with the bigger agencies, but I still recommend doing it yourself. Check their prices and background and see what works best for you.
Hii, its interesting..
My bf will arrive on july and we have planning living together around 2 months if possible 3 month or more..
If my bf come on 1 july and leave on 20 july and enter indonesia again 23 july him visa will renew? That’s possible when we repeat till 3 month ?
That’s a good plan. He will get to stay 30 days each time he enters the country and if he leaves before 30 days, he can come enter on Visa Free if his country qualifies.
Hello!
My arrival and departure date from the United States to Bali says 35 days, but for 14 of those, I will be backpacking through other parts of Asia before returning to Bali to catch my flight back to the United States. Will this be OK? Sounds like I just need to pay another 30-day arrival visa when I come back from another country into Bali and I’ll be all set, correct? Or could this be a problem? Thank you for your help!
Hi Nathan, sounds like a fun trip. If each of your visits to Indonesia will be less than 30 days, then you don’t need to extend, nor do you need to pay for Visa on Arrival. You can enter Visa Free each time. So as an example, say you come to Indonesia, stay for 10 days, leave the country to backpack Asia for three weeks, then return to Indonesia for another 3 or 4 days before you depart back to the US, no Visa is required for each of those visits. Both are considered completely different visits to Indonesia, regardless of the departure date on the ticket.
Hope that helps. You’ll have a great time.
Hi there – double checking on the 30 day in and out…..without paying for a visa. Arrival day is day 1, is departure day, day 30 or 31….ie. arriving June 1, 2017, I have a place until June 30, do I depart on the 30th to visit another country or can I depart on July 1….and the next very important question for me, having never been to Asia is, where to visit next? I have six or seven months of play time, a Souljourn of sorts and although I had thought to be in Bali for the whole time, I think visiting other places and back and forth from Bali will be kinda cool….any recommendations, affordable as Bali? as the extra flights will have to be budgeted now…..Many thanks, I greatly appreciate your thoughts! Cheers, Brenda Marie
Hi Brenda, yes, both your arrival day and departure day count as part of the 30 days. Even so, I usually leave a day or two before, just in case I missed a day.
As for where to go next, it depends on what you like. Malaysia is close. So is Singapore, but Singapore is not cheap. Thailand is a beautiful country with very nice people, great beaches and not too expensive. Cambodia is interesting with its Buddhist temples. I heard Vietnam was even better, but I have yet to visit there. Those would be my choices.
Hey Dino,
just wondering..am i better off to apply for a visa before my trip (ie from the embassy at home) because I will arrive in Bali but will be heading to lombok after 4 days for just under a month so by the time I come back to bali my 30 day visa will be out. Do you think they would make an exception if I went ot one of the immigration offices when I arrived>? or is it a safer bet to pay extra here (155euro for 60day visa) and get the full visa 🙂
Many thanks
Hi Rachel, not sure what you’re asking, but you can go to the immigration office in Mataram and extend your visa there if it’s easier for you. If you get to Bali after your visa expires, you will have to pay a fine for each day your oare over until the date they approve your extension so it could add up to more than the 155euro.
Hi Rachel,
if you are talking about 60 day tourist visa. I only paid $50 in USA to get it and heard is same amount to pay in Czech rep/ Slovakia. Not sure why they would charge 155 euros?
Hi Dino
I am staying in Ubud.. do I still need to go down to Denpasar for a 30day visa extension or is there an Imagrasi office up in Ubid that I can go to? .. thanks for your help
Yes, you need to go to Denpasar. No Kantor Imigrasi in Ubud as of yet.
Hello Dino,
Thanks for all this great info!
I wonder what happens if I miss my second appointment, and show up a day late for that? (I am due to go on a 2-day trip to Gili and wont be back in time, and am trying to find out how to resolve this) Second, what if I only receive my extended visa after my 30 day one has expired, is this a problem. I suppose I am officially overstaying? I actually have a return flight to Singapore that I could use instead, so I could forget the entire process and just use that instead. However as the visa office now has my passport I am not sure if I can get it back. Any tips?
First, it’s not a problem if you miss your second appointment and go a day or two later. Second, if you receive your 30 day extension after your original has expired, don’t sweat it. This happens all the time. Just hold on to your receipt until you get your passport back. I would not try to leave the country with the receipt. Wait for your passport.
Hi there. Just one really important FYI…for visa extensions, you must attend the office between 9 am to 12 noon, but I don’t reccomend you show up at 5 minutes to 12, either. Best to get there as early as possible. Cheers, Fee
Hi!
My 30 days visa expires 1.4 and I think I’m going to start my extension process 22.3. I’m so stressed right not that there is not enouch time because of the public holiday. There is like 5-6 days time to do that! it depends are the offices open 27 or 29! What do you say about it? And I’m also really stressed about making copies ???? I’m in Ubud now and I will do everything when I get to Kuta.
Hi Isa, “tenang saja.” If you can start the process a day or two earlier, I would. It certainly won’t hurt. in either case, you’ll likely get your passport back after the expiration date, but that is common and if you submitted it on time, you won’t pay a late fee.
I don’t know what days immigration is closed for the holidays, but I would expect they may be closed on Monday and for sure Tuesday, but probably not Wednesday. It wouldn’t surprise me, however, if they closed for all 3 days. The best thing you can do is start the process earlier. If not, the worse that will happen is that you’ll pay a fine. In any case, you’ll get through it.
thank you! Do you think I can go immigration office in denpasar. I’m staying in seminyak and I don’t know is there other office near airport? thanks
There is an office near the airport, but you can also go to Denpasar.
Hey Dino,
Great article with a tonne of useful info! I’m a Canadian citizen and I’ll be arriving in Jakarta on June 7th and want to stay for 60 days,, so at Jakarta should I go straight to one of the counters and get a 30 day visa? Then travel throughout Java until I get to Bali and extend there for another 30? Should I also purchase my departing plane ticket 60 days from the day I arrive before I enter Indonesia or is it a better idea to purchase the ticket within my first 30 days in Indonesia? My issue with this is what if I purchase a departure ticket 60 days from my arrival and then I’m not granted the 60 day extension, is that something to even be worried about? Your help is greatly appreciated.
Cheers!
Khalil
Thanks Khalil, it’s perfectly fine to purchase your Visa on Arrival in Jakarta and extend it in Bali.You can purchase your ticket anytime before you submit your extension. It’s no problem to do it earlier as I’ve never heard of anyone not getting the extension.
Amazing. Thank you!
Also, is there a possibility to extend it beyond 60 days, as in do another extension of 30 days for a total of 90? Thanks!
No, after one extension, you must leave the country. There is no way around this with VOA. If you want to stay longer, you need to get a different kind of visa.
It’s easier to just go to Singapore for a day or two and come back to Indonesia. Then you can start the process all over again.
Hi Dino,
If I extend my 30 day visa and my extension is granted prior to the experation of the initial visa (pay on arrival visa), does this visa expire 60 days from the date of entry, or 30 days from the date of it being granted (extended)?
Good question, Mary. You get a total of 60 days from the date of entry.
So say visa extension applications get backed up at the immigration office and yours comes back a week after it expired. You’ll only get another 3 weeks or so before it expires again. This has happened to me so it is always important to check the date of your extension and count 30 days.
Dino, many thanks for this information! We are just about to extend our visa and this precious article flew into my arms. Thank you so much 🙂
You’re welcome. Glad you found it useful.
Great post! Bummer that one has to buy a ticket with return within 30 days just to make the airlines happy…
Question on when we can actually go and fill the extension. From your post, it’s within the last 2 weeks from the end of the first 30 days (Visa on Arrival). Now the problem is that we will be diving in Raja Ampat and trekking in Baliem Valley around that time. I found a potential Immigration Office in Papua (Jayapura City) but it’s far from these 2 areas and we can’t stay put here for 7-10 days while processing the paperwork. We will be in Bali during our first week – is there no way we can try to apply there, showing the officers that we will be away from any office during the last 2 weeks of our visa?
It’s definitely worth a try – I would. The 2 weeks is not a regulation so much as a way to keep things organized. If you make your case to them, they could certainly allow you to process your extension earlier. Like many things here, it depends on the immigration officer you speak to. If they’re reasonable, they should help you out. Or, they may tell you that you should have applied for a 60 day visa before you left your country. I’d be prepared for a good answer to that. Good luck.
Thanks Dino. The officer we talked to when we landed in Bali seemed confident that could work but like you said, it will depend whom we talk to when submitting the application. Heading to the Denpasar office on Monday – will update back on how this goes! Fingers’ crossed…
Dino, its nyepi day, I understand immigration offices are closed until the 30th of march. my visa expires on April 3rd (30 days from March 5th). if I go to the immigration office on Thursday the 30th will this be enough time? I am not sure if it is closed additional days before April 3rd. I guess the question is as long as the application for extension has been made before the visa actually expires, is it ok? also, if it is ok, is it better for me to just go alone or could I still use an agent (easier). Thanks much Dino.
It would have been better to start before the holiday. With the weekend you’ve only given them a couple of days, which isn’t enough time. You’ll get your extension, but will likely pay a fee for the days you are overstaying.
Hello Dino,
thank you for the amazing and detailed post!
I got one question concerning the visa. Unfortunately I am a little late as I didn’t know the extension takes several days (was much easier in Thailand). I decided to use an agency as I have a lot to do at the moment. One agency told me there is no need to hurry because it is only important to hand in my application before the visa expires so I won’t have to pay a fine if I receive the visa later. Another agency offered me an express service, of course quite expensive… Do you know if it is enough just to apply and start the process before the visa expires?
Thank you so much
Jenny
Thanks for the kind words, Jenny.
Immigration advises to start the process at least a week early. That being said, there is no actual rule that says how soon you must file. Often they will not charge you for filing later than a week prior, but they could. I have filed late without paying late fees so likely you’re safe without putting a rush on it, but just keep in mind that depending on the agent or the whims of kantor imigrasi, that could change.
Hi Dino! Thanks for this great read. I read it before but decided to use an agent anyway.
I gave my passport to her 3 weeks ago and I still haven’t gotten the appointment time to do the fingerprints and photo. My flight back home is going to be in 6 business days and my visa expired on 25th March.. I’m getting quite worried about getting my passport back before my flight if this goes on. Do you know if there’s possibility to speed up the process ? Thank you very much!
Immigration doesn’t usually rush things, but that doesn’t mean the agent can’t.
The process certainly doesn’t take 3 weeks. I understand there was a holiday, but that should only put you behind a few days. If it were me, I’d go to the agent’s office and demand they get it done. Don’t leave until you have an appointment to get your finger prints. Most westerners don’t like being firm with the locals because they’re such nice people, but sometimes you need to make a big fuss in order to get the agents to do their job. Be prepared for some made up excuse like they were sick or had a family emergency.
Hi Dino. This is a really informative article and indeed a big help for many of us! I just didn’t find one information.
Do you need to leave a country when extending 60 days social visa as well? I’m about to apply for KITAS but since I was not able to collect all necessary documents in time I’m forced to do the extension. However, I didn’t plan to leave the country. I’m in Bali. Thanks!
Thanks, Martin. The 60 day social visa allows for a one time extension for 30 days. The process is similar to that of Visa on Arrival. The only exception is that you’ll need to have your sponsor come to the immigration office with you – the same sponsor you used for the 60 day social visa.
Hi Dino
Thank you so much for all your very helpful information. It seems my husband and I have got ourselves into a pickle. We arrived in Bali on April 10 and did not pay for a visa (thus we do not have one) I am staying for approx. 11 weeks, leaving for as couple of weeks and then returning for 2 more weeks, my husband is staying for an additional 4 weeks approx. 15-16 wks in total without factoring leaving at any stage. I understand we are now going to need to leave Bali for either Singapore or KL, am I correct in thinking there is no other option yes? My real question is, upon returning can we/how do we apply for a 60 day social visa with the intent to extend for a further 30 days? Many Thanks
Hi Donna, Yes, you are correct. your only option now is to leave.
You cannot get a 60 day visa upon your return to Bali. That has to be done while you are out of the country. You can actually get one in Singapore and maybe Kuala Lumpur. Check the Indonesian consulates in those countries for the procedure for a 60 day visa. It will likely be a process that will cover a few days to a week.
Your only other real option is to get a 30 day Visa on Arrival and extend it for another 30 days like I explain in the post above. When you enter the airport upon your return, check for the signs that say Visa on Arrival just before you get to the immigration counter. I think it’s still about US $30 cash. You can pay in rupiah. It’s fast and just tell the people at the counter that you intend to extend for an additional 30 days. Hope that helps.
Thank you Dino for this marvelous information. My husband and I have been through this “do it yourself” 30 extension just once before. I hit the google search for the documents to prepare for our next extension visit to immigration and found your informationn – spot on! Thanks a million – you have saved me the tedious task of sifting through sites only too find the docs are out of date. Terima Kasih
Thank you, Jo. Glad I could be helpful.
I have fun with, cause I discovered exactly what I used to be looking for.
You’ve ended my four day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day.
Bye
Hi Dino
I am in Bali for 81 days. I have a 60 day visa and will be applying for a 30 extension. I had everything but when I went to immigration with a friend I found out I need a sponsor.When I called the Indonesian embassy back home (UK) I was told I can apply for a 60 day visa before I go and I can extend it while I’m in Bali for 30 days, I wasn’t told anything about a sponsor going to immigration with me or even having one! When I applied for my visa I had to state the purpose for my trip and show where I would be staying for my visit. I am travelling to Bali to train to become a yoga teacher and tour. I am training in the first 60 days of my visit and I showed the dates. Immigration said that my yoga training place is my sponsor (which doesn’t actually make sense!).I contacted where I will be training and was told that they are unable to sponsor me as my training is only 23 days. I don’t really know what to do and am feeling very stressed out/ upset. The only thing I can think of is to write a letter myself and explain I was not informed about having a sponsor or having a sponsor come to immigration with me when I inquired about my trip to Bali and that I am unable to have my yoga training place sponsor me as the training is only 23 days and in the first 60 days I am in Bali anyway. Also explain that I am self employed and will need to return to the UK for work. I can show the email from yoga training showing the dates and the email stating they can not sponsor me for that reason. I can provide proof of my accommodation and have my return ticket.
I would be grateful for any advice….Thanks Rachel
Hi Rachel, sounds like a very frustrating situation. Though this post is about extending the 30 day VOA and not the 60 day social visa, I’ll try to help you as much as I can.
I don’t understand how you received your 60 visa without a sponsor. From what I understand a 60 day visa requires it. Your original sponsor for the 60 day is the sponsor you need for the 30 day extension. If you have that, it should solve your problem.
If the yoga training is only 23 days, then the yoga studio doesn’t have an obligation to act as your sponsor. Without knowing more, it is difficult for me to know what to tell you so here are two solutions that will allow you to stay longer:
1) Hire an agent. it will cost you money, but an agent will be able to figure it out for you. Make sure you hire a well-known company that has an actual office. Hiring individuals to do it for you is risky. I have never used an agent so I can’t recommend any to you.
2) Leave the country. You can go to Singapore or someplace close for the weekend (or just a day). Once you have the stamp on your passport, you can enter on a Visa Free for 30 days. If you need to stay more than 30 days from the date of your return to Indonesia, get a VOA and apply for a 30 day extension. That way, you won’t need a sponsor.
Both solutions require spending some money, unfortunately. Hope that helps.
The 211 visa (single entry, 60 days) initially doesn’t require a sponsor but you need one if you want to extend it.
Hi Gogi,
thank you for your info. Are you talking about the 60 day tourist visa? I have it too.
thanks
Hi Im travelling soon to Bali for 45 days can i get the 60 days on entry or would it be easier to go to my embassy ? i have a UK passport
Hi Merrissa, upon entry, only the 30 day Visa on Arrival is available. If you want the 60 day visa, you’ll need to get it before you leave.
Hi,
I went to a visa extension service in Canggu this morning and until then I was unaware the process takes so long and I need to renew my visa to fly out on the 19th of April but the officer told me that my passport would not be back in time so I just walked out in a panic. Any suggestions or tips please??
I would go to Immigration first thing on Monday morning and ask them if you can get it back in time. Normally, it should be no problem getting it back before the 19th, but there may be delays with the holiday, Galungan and Kuningan.
If they cannot guarantee that you will get it back on time, then you’ll have to hang on to your passport and allow extra money and time to pay your overstay fee at the airport when you depart. The fee for overstaying your visa is IDR 300,000 a day.
Thanks just wondering is it much of a hassle as predicted the immigration office informed me that they can’t guarantee that I’d have my passport back in less than 10 days with the holiday on Friday so I’ve had to keep my passport and put aside the extra money for the airport. I am nervous about the airport though I know I’ll only be over staying by 5 days but it’s still an overstay. How long should I allow in the airport?
Depending on the number of others that have overstayed will determine how long the process takes.
When yo pass through immigration at the airport, the officer will notice that you’ve overstayed. He or she will ask you to follow them to an office on the side. You’ll follow them in there and discuss it with another immigration officer and the’ll calculate how much you owe. Have the money ready in Rupiah (300,000 for each day). After you pay, he’ll stamp your passport and you’re free to go to your gate. It’s actually a pretty easy and painless process (except for the fee). It’s pretty routine and nothing to really worry about. The whole thing is less than 15 minutes, but sometimes there are tourists in front of you who don’t have the money, argue the fee or otherwise make a big stink over it because they didn’t know the rules. That’s what can hold you up.
Keep in mind, sometimes the original immigration officer will ask you to come back and see them after you’ve been cleared. I’m not sure what that’s about, but don’t do it. Just go straight to your gate. Once you pay your fee, they have no legal reason to keep you any longer.
Just what I was after, Cheers..im staying in my friends kos in Legian…where is my closest Immi Office…I was told there is no longer one at the airport…but Jimbarane…is that true, if so, id rather that than navigating the one way system in Denpasar
Thank you, that is correct. The old office is closed. Here’s the new one: jl. Taman Jimbaran no.1, Mumbul, Kuta Selatan, District Nusa Dua. It’s actually closer to Nusa Dua, but easy to get to from Legian. Here’s the Google map. Good luck.
Thanks a lot Dino,
I landed in Denpasar, paid my 35$ Visa and want to extend by one month the soonest. I understand it will be 15 days from when I landed.
I would like to know if I can also extend away from Bali, Java for instance. Or if, as I got my Visa in Bali, I’m to extend in Bali.
Thanks !
Hi Martin, yes, you can extend at any immigration office that provides the service. Be sure to check first because some offices just handle Indonesian passport issues and not tourist visas.
Hi Dino,
I’m traveling to Bali on April 27th until June 8th. What I’m wondering is if it is ok to enter into Bali and buy the $35USD Visa on Arrival with the intention of extending the visa, even though we already have our return flights which are clearly after 30 days of arriving in Bali. Or will the immigration officials see when our return flights are scheduled for and see that we didn’t obtain a 60 day visa before traveling, resulting in us getting in some sort of trouble?
Hi Emily, when you arrive in Bali, immigration will not ask for your return ticket. You only need it when you extend your visa so you won’t get into any trouble on arrival.
I’m currently in Bali and by reading this post I will have to do a border run in order to gain another 30 days as I didn’t pay for the visa on arrival. I have a flight to KL booked, how long do I need to stay out of Bali for? Can I fly to KL in the morning and then fly back to Bali that same evening?
Hi Megan, same day is fine. I do it all the time.
Also, make sure you actually go through Malaysian immigration and get your passport stamped.
Hi Dino
I was wondering about exactly this. I am looking at booking a Malindo flight from Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur, arriving in KL at 16:15. My next flight would be 18:15 from KL to Bali. I thought that actually being stamped in is important not to have any issues when returning to Indonesia the same day.
I was worried though since there are only 2 hours between arriving and departure from KL again, Malindo air might have a fly-through thing going on like AirAsia, where you don’t have to clear immigration. I called them and the CS rep first told me that I won’t have to clear immigration and will just arrive at a transfer desk or whatever. IWhen I told her about wanting to make sure of getting stamped into Malaysia, she said ooh you can request it at the transfer desk to get a stamp from immigration. Does that make sense?
Yes, that makes sense. If not, you can just go through immigration and back through the entrance of the airport without leaving. Your flights are pretty tight so you’ll have to hurry.
Thanks Dino! 🙂
Thanks for this! I had the same exact question. I’m going to Bali in a few weeks, for approx. 65 days. I’m debating flying to KL vs. paying $70 for a VOA + extension + all the drama) but am wondering if it’s as simple as PAYING the overstay fine for 2-3 days OR just leaving and returning again on another 30 day freebee?
🙂 Candy
Hi Dino,
My boyfriend and I are Australians travelling to Bali on the 27th April. We intend to apply for the 30 day visa upon arrival with the prospect of extending it an extra 30 days (equal to 60 days in total). As I have gathered most of the information on what to do from previous posts and questions, I still am wondering the time frame in which we must apply for the 30 day visa extension whilst we are in Bali. For instance, do we need to apply for the extension in our first week there, or can we do it a week before our 30 day visa expires. Also, just to clarify – we must purchase a return flight in order to be accepted for the 30 day visa extension, correct?
Thanks in advance.
Emma
Hi Emma, immigration usually won’t let you start the extension process more than two weeks before it expires so you can’t really start right when you get here. Allow at least 7 working days before your visa expires and you should be fine. Be sure to allow for national holidays.
Regarding the plane ticket: a copy of a plane ticket is part of the documentation you need when applying for a visa extension. The ticket needs to show that you are leaving before your extended visa expires (roughly 60 days from when you entered the country). Hope that helps.
Hi Dino!
Thanks so much for all of this wonderfully-informative info. I have one question I surprisingly don’t see addressed more often. What about the FREE visa run option? Is it an option? I plan on going to Bali for about 65 days, but flying to KL for about 3 days (then flying someplace again if need be) or paying the overstay fine (sigh) for 2-3 days if I’m over. I’d rather spend that fee on airfare and seeing someplace new, but regardless, is it true that you can just leave the country and start all over again every 30 days? If so, why don’t more people explore this option vs. applying for a 60 day Visa ahead of time, dealing with Visa offices & fees, etc.? Thanks so much for your input! 🙂
Yes, you can do that. If you don’t want to deal with all the immigration drama, you can just leave the country and when you come back, you get another 30 days before you have to leave again or extend. At the moment, you can do this as many times as you want.
Hi Dino, the first, thank you very much for helping us.
Here is my situation. Now I’m in other country on the way to Bali. I will take 28 days training program in Bali, it’s from Monday – Saturday. I will arrive 4 days before the program starts. ( 2 days weekday, 2 days weekend) I will stay in Bali around 40days. So my case, I need to get VOA and
1) on weekend, I will run to other country ( I just have Sunday off -will be a day trip) 2) pay penarlty fee for 10 days 3) I will go to the immigration for 2-3 times during my training
These are options, I could think…. I’m trying to avoid take the (3).
when I called an Indonesian embassy in my country, the staff said an agency in Bali might help the Visa and the agency can go to the immigration office for me. Have you ever heard the service ?
may I ask your thoughts?
Hi Kiki, there are plenty of agents in Bali that can help you with your visa extension, though I’m surprised they recommended you use one. I never have used an agent to extend my visa so i can recommend any. Just be careful and make sure you use a well-known company that you trust.
If you are going to another country during your stay in Bali, you may not need to pay for a VOA. I’m not sure which country you are from, but you may be eligible for Visa Free for 30 days.
If, during your 40 day visit, you leave the country for a day (as you mentioned above), you are essentially splitting your trip into two separate visits. This is a good way to avoid getting a visa and an extension if each separate visit is less than 30 days.
If you leave Indonesia and re-enter, even if it is the same day, immigration will consider a completely separate visit and you will get another 30 days. Just be sure your country is eligible for Visa Free if you decide to not pay for a visa at all. Check here if you don’t know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Indonesia
Hello Dino. There must be many people who appreciate you taking the time to answer so many questions and making visa extension easier and less stressful and here’s another question. Q2-OCCUPATION ABROAD and ADDRESS OF OFFICE .I’m retired from work so is RETIRED an acceptable answer and i would leave the address blank? With NAME OF REFERENCE is using a friends name and details from my home country acceptable?
Thanks Eric. You can list yourself as retired and leave the address section blank as well as the name of reference. That is for your local Indonesian sponsor’s name if you have one. A sponsor is no longer required for 30 day VOA extension.
Thanks Dino, much appreciated.
Hello Dino,
Thank you so much for your very detailed, thorough, and easy to read post. Very Nice!
I do have one question for you that I sure you answered, but I may have missed it.
I am arriving in Bali to stay with friends and will Be paying for the extension when I arrive. Last time I headed to Bali the airline in Italy asked me for my return ticket and said it had to be no more than 30 days. I explained that I would be extending my visa upon arrival and they insisted on a return ticket that was no longer than 30 days out. Since I know I have to leave on a visa run before day 60 i would like to just purchase that ticket for 60 days from my arrival, but not sure if there is a way around the airline agent. The question is twofold, any suggestions on the departure ticket out to show the airline so they let me board the plane? Second, do I have to show the immigration my return ticket on arrival, and does it matter to them if it is 60 days out. I hope I have been somewhat clear hear… lol
Thank you for your help!
-Charlie
Hi Charlie, the airlines can be a problem. I’ve run into this problem a few times. It happened to me with Delta flying out of the US. I had to pay to rebook my flight at the airport and then when I got to Bali, I rebooked again to my original departure date. Paid a hefty fee each time. Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do. You can purchase a ticket to Singapore with a 100% refund guarantee and redeem it once you arrive in Indonesia. One time I accidentally showed an outdated ticket to the airline and it got me through. Neither I nor the airline realized it was the wrong ticket so I don’t think they check too deeply.
Regarding Immigration in Indonesia, they won’t ask to see a departing ticket when you arrive, only when you extend. Good luck.
Thank you so much! Cheers!
Hi Dino!
Thank you for all the information.
I was at the immigration Office in Jimbaran this morning to extend my visa with another 30 days.
But they turned me down right away saying that I need a computer typed sponsorletter and the sponsor had to come with me to the office. I have already paid for an 30 day tourist visa on arrival and thought that I didnt need a sponsor for the extension. Do you know anything about this or Do you think I am bound to fly to KL and back again?
Thank you,
Joel
Hi Joel, I was a bit concerned by your question so I verified with my sources at Kantor Imigrasi to make sure the regulations hadn’t changed. I’ve confirmed that a sponsor is NOT required to extend a Visa on Arrival. It is likely that the immigration officer you spoke with is unaware of the regulation and I would try again and hopefully you’ll get someone who knows the correct requirements. If you get the same person, I’d try to confirm with someone else.
It is common that even immigration officers don’t know the process sometimes, especially if they are new or transferred from another department. Some of the forms still ask for your sponsor so that may be where the confusion came from.
Finally, keep in mind that if you are extending a 60 day visa, a sponsor IS required so make sure the immigration officer is aware that you are extending a VOA and not a 60 day social visa. Good luck.
Hello Dino, thank you very much for this article full of details, I couldn’t expect better !
I still have one question tough : on the form that we need to fill up to apply for an extension, there is a line “reason for extension”. I also read on a guide that you cannot apply for this is you don’t have a good reason that justify that you stay in the country.
So what should I write in this section to be sure that it cause no problems ?
Also, do you know if AirAsia used to ask for a return ticket before 30 days to agree to let us in the plane ?
Thank you !
Thanks Paul, it’s hard for me to tell you what to put on the form since I don’t know your situation, but i usually write something simple, letting them know that I still have more travelling to do and there are more places that I want to visit. Indonesia is a big place and impossible to see in just 30 days. As a surfer, I usually want to go to some of the outer islands. Others wanted to add a Flores or Komodo trip. These reasons have always worked for me. You’re a tourist here and spending money which helps their economy so you shouldn’t have a problem getting approved. I’ve never met anyone who was denied an extension for this reason.
I often fly Air Asia and they usually don’t ask for a return ticket, but they did once. Keep in mind that they are required to make sure you are allowed to stay in the country to which you are flying, but most of them hate dealing with it so often they don’t ask. One directive from their superiors and that can change. I’d be prepared.
A couple of extra points…the advice is to go to the nearest immigration office; I went to Denpasar from Canggu as distance wise it’s the closest, but they said that Canggu is not in their authority and sent me to the office in Jimbaran. I can’t find any information online that would have told me this.
Also, you mention that people choose to go to the office at the airport because it’s easy to find, that office has now moved to Jimbaran (but is still easy to find).
Awesome guide though Dino, thank you, I couldn’t have done it without you!
Hi Charlotte. I mention in the comments that the airport office was closed, but failed to update the post itself. Thanks for the feedback. I’ll make the change this weekend.
Thanks you for information visa in Bali
Hi Dino,
thank you again for all your amazing help and time with all of this informations. Its very helpful to many of us. Do you know if you need SPONSOR when extending 60 day tourist visa? Or sponsor is only needed when extending social visa? I have 60 day tourist visa from USA and would like to extend.
Other info:
I know I can extend up to 4 times, with 30 day period each time. I was told fee is about $30 and using agent would be around $50. So its only $20 extra but saves you time to go to INS three times, because if you use visa extension agent you only have to go there once for photo and fingerprints and they to the everything else for you.
Hello Dino, thank you so much for all the valuable information contained on this page. I have a very specific case I’d like to see if you could shed some light on. My wife and I live in the U.S. and we’re planning to spend some time in Bali starting in August. When we arrive, she will be 4-5 months pregnant. Our initial plan, before the pregnancy, was to stay for 3 months, but now lots of questions came up, such as “will she be able to fly abroad and back in order to renew her visa, since she’ll be 6 months pregnant?” We’d have no problem with having our baby in Bali and staying there until s/he reaches an appropriate age to travel, but with the Visa info we have that seems impossible. We heard of the Social Budaya visa that lasts 6 months but that requires a sponsor, right? We’d appreciate any advice on the matter. Many thanks.
Thanks Jacob, this is a bit beyond my knowledge. The social visa usually allows you to stay for up to 60 days with another 30 day extension, then you have to leave; however, an official at the Indonesian consulate in Hong Kong told me that the length of stay for a social visa was entirely up to Kantor Imigrasi (the Indonesian Immigration office). So that means if you apply to stay for a longer period of time and have a special situation like yours, then a longer visa, say for six months, may be available.
I don’t know the process for applying for that so I’d check with the local consulate in the US. I got a 60 day visa from the office in LA and they were very helpful there.
Another option is to check with an agent in Bali. I’m not a big fan of the agents, but I know plenty of people who have had good experiences with them. Just make sure you double check their information and try to stick with an agency that has been around for a while and has an actual office in Bali. There are a lot of individuals acting as agents that have very little skin in the game when it comes to your situation so they may tell you what you want to hear in order to get more money from you. Do a Google search for Visa Agents in Bali and you’ll find plenty of them. A good one should have all the information you need.
Good luck and sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
You helped plenty, thank you so much!
Hey Dino,great post,
as usual i have left everything to the last minute,i have 3 working days left to get started on my Visa extension.
i will be going into the new office in Jimbaran first thing Monday morning to get the ball rolling.
I have prepared all my documents and printed out the extension forms like you said.
My question is, what can i expect to happen now that i have 3 working days left before my Visa expires?
Hi David, looks like I’m answering your question a bit late, but immigration may have told you that your visa will not be done in time so you may have to pay an over-stay fee. It’s not certain, but if so, all you have to do is pay the fee at some point during the extension process. Not a really big deal if you have the money. Let us know what happens.
I’m plan to arrive by boat in Dili, East Timor, and get my Indonesian visa there. Can I get a 60 day visa straight up or do I need to get a 30 day visa and then extent it?
Hi Dino thank you!
Question. We are here for 45 days and I need to extend the 30 day visa in Denpasar. I have two small children. Is it necessary to take them for each of the 3 visits or just for the fingerprinting visit??
Hey there,
Thank you for this description! I started the whole process today 😉 . I have one short question; if they tell me that I can pick up my passport next week on wednesday, can I also pick it up two days later or do I have to come on the day that they tell me the passport is ready? Thanks in advance, Benedict
You’re welcome. It’s fine to pick it up 2 days later.
Dino you legend I cant believe how many questions you have answered!! Sounds like it is quite a process, I was thinking I could just apply for a 60 visa all online before I went over!! silly me!
I’m planing to head to Bali for 7 weeks from Australia, the first 2 with some friends then staying on for a month. So just to clarify…a few weeks before my 30 days run out this is when I have to go to the immigration office yea? If i’m in canguu or Ulus will Jimbaran be the one I go to? My two concerns are, if my return flight is longer than the 30 days will I still be allowed on the plane over, because my friends return flights will all be for 2 weeks time. Also, last time I was in Bali I had a medical emergancy and had to stay an extra 4 days and overstayed my 30 day visa…I may have made a bit of a scene (whoops) but ended up paying the fee for overstaying…do you think this will effect me getting a visa extention? Is it something that can be hard to get or do they just give them out once you go through the process??
sorry that was 100 questions.
Thanks so much for your time,
Katie
Hi Katie, thanks for the kind words.
I would start the process to extend no sooner than 2 weeks before your visa expires. Yes, you will need to go to the Jimbaran office. Just give them the Uluwatu address where you are staying and not the Canggu to make things easier. The flight over would have me a bit concerned. Some airlines don’t check. Others will not let you fly unless you have an exit flight within 30 days or already have a visa (hmm…you can show them a copy of a ticket to say, Singapore, and that should work). I don’t think your previous overstay will be a problem; however, I know expats here who never overstay because they say it can hurt your chances for an extension. It may be more of a concern in other countries because I’ve never seen it be a problem here, but I understand your concern. Wish I had a definitive answer for you. My experience is that the extension is almost always given. I’ve never seen anyone denied. It appears they are more concerned with getting the paperwork and dates correct. Hope that helps.
Hi Dino,
My partner and I have had the worst experience today trying to extend our Visas. We are only overstaying by 4 days, should we just pay the fine on departure? After all our hassle today I am more than willing to pay the fine.
Paying the fine is usually not a big deal as long as you are willing to part with your money. Some expats are afraid that overstaying will go in their record and hurt their chances for getting a visa extension in the future. I have not seen this be a factor in Indonesia, however. I overstayed 3 days once and had no problem getting an extension the next time.
Hi, first of all, this information has been the biggest help so thank you.. but you mention that the airport office is now closed so where do I go for my first 30 days visa when I arrive?
Thanks Danielle, check out this map for two locations. Go to the one closest to your local address.
Can you extended a 30 day paid visa on arrival to Bali in another island eg Flores ..Chris
Yes, as long as there is an immigration office that handles visas for foreigners. Some of the remote offices only deal with passports for Indonesian citizens so make sure you check to be sure.
Hi,
Thanks for the excellant information at your site.
I am anbexpatriate with Kitas staying in Karawang Area. I have two questions .
Q1. Can a guest (of mine) arrive at Bali on VOA free visa , but exit Indonesia from Jakarta terminal?. (Period of stay less than 30 days.). Does he need to declare the diffetent port of exit , say, Jakarta . He will have a return ticket from Jakarta.
Q2. Same case as bove but period of stay is upto 60days. Can the guest take VOA extendable by paying USD 35 at Bali Immigration counter, but he applies for the 30days extention here in Karawang Immigration office as he is going to stay with me after his Bali tour. (Of course, this will be done 7 days prior to the exipry of first 30 days visit. Again his exit will ne from Jakarta. )
Appreciate please help me with your answers.
Thanks and regards.
Hi,
Q1: Yes, the VOA is for Indonesia so they can come and go from any port of entry. In this case, Bali and Jakarta are not a problem. I do it all the time. Same for Visa free. Keep in mind VOA and visa free are two different things.
Q2: Yes, that is fine as well. Kantor Imigrasi is a federal department of Indonesia so it applies to all parts of the country and is not specific to any one location. Just have your friend use the steps I’ve outline above for whatever office they enter, extend and depart from, even if all three are different.
Hope that helps.
Thank you, Pak. Dino. The refrences provided by you are very useful.
Thanks for this Dino. I arrived at immigration with your instructions in hand and glided through the process.
For anyone needing to purchase an onward flight just for the sake of the extension, there are now online companies that you pay a $10-15 fee to and they will book you a legit ticket then automatically cancel it after 48 hours. This gives you a ticket that you can include in your application. You can also use it when arriving in a country that requires an onward flight but you don’t want to book your ticket yet. Tickets are legit – you can login to airline website and check using the booking reference number. I used https://flyonward.com/en/ but I’m sure there’s other companies.
Hey tom – was hoping someone here would have experience doing this. I rented one yesterday and went in for day 1 of the process. I wasn’t aware that it would take any more than one day. Now they have asked me to come back in three days I am slightly worried as the ticket will be canceled by then. Whats your experience here? If I got through the first part does that mean it should be fine? Thanks.
Hi!
I would like to ask you something. I arrived 3 days ago to Indonesia, I payed for the visa when I arrived so I could have the opportunity to renew my visa, but the inmigration officer took both copies of my payment receipt. Can I apply for the extension without that? Do you know it there is something I could do?
Thanks!!
Hi there, thanks for the valuable information. I am curious if they would extend my visa before it expires, as I will be quite a ways away from Denpasar when it does expire. I would want to renew about a week before the expiration date.
Anyone have experience with this? – Thank you!
I’m sorry I don’t have the answer to that, but it’s a good question. I would think there is a way to tell if you have a VOA other than the receipt. You may be in their database, but I wouldn’t count on it. Go to the Immigration office as soon as you can and explain it to them. Please let us know what happens as I think this is good information for others. Wish I had a better answer for you.
Hi and thank you very much for your great article! My girlfriend and I have to Extend our 30 day VOA. Is it required that everybody shows up in person or can I do the process for both of us?
Thanks again!
Marc
Can she maybe come only to day 2 of the process?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Marc, you may be able to pick up the forms for her, but she’ll need to go eventually. Immigration is getting more strict on this point because too many agents were submitting extension application forms in bulk so now they want applicants to apply on their own. Procedures change often.
Hi there! Thanks for the amazing post! It has been super helpful, I’m currently in the process of getting my visa renewed. Today is the second day I’m supposed to go in however, it appears I’ve lost the receipt that is supposed to serve as my passport while they hold on to mine. Do you have any knowledge about what to do if you don’t have the receipt from the first day? Can I still extend my visa? And will they give me my passport back? I’m about to head into the Denpasar office now, I guess I’ll just tell them I lost it and see what happens… Thank you!
Dear Dino, Thank you so much for this post! We bought 30 days visa on arrival to Bali and will extend it in Singaraja as we will be staying in Lovina. My husband and I are traveling with three small kids.
Do we need to bring them to all/any of the three days visiting immigration?
Thanks again!
Mia
Hi Dino,
thanks for all the informations. The post ist great.
I just want to know if I can leave Denpasar during the days between the visits or if I have to stay in Denpasar the whole time? I don’t want to waist so many days in the city “just for waiting”. Thank you. 🙂
Hi Manuela, you can go anywhere in Indonesia. No need to stay in Denpasar while your visa extension is processing.
Hi Dino,
I am with traveling to a remote part of Sulawesi for 6 weeks on a 30-day visa and i am planning to extend it.
However the nearest place to extend the visa is a while away in Wakatobi and would cost a bit to get there from where i am staying.
I have had the 30-day VOA for 4 days now & was wondering if it is too early to extend it now whilst i am still in Makassar?
Thannk you,
Tianna 🙂
Normally, it’s too early, but the immigration officers can be reasonable so I would try going there to extend. If they say it’s too early, explain your situation to them. They can do it if they want to. Keep in mind, they may ask why you didn’t get a 60 day visitor visa so be ready with a good explanation. Good luck.
Hi Dino, thanks so so much for all your sage advice. It’s kept me sane whilst planning my visa extension! I’m in the process of extending in Denpasar but need to go to Amed before it will be ready for pick up. Do you know if there’s any service I can pay for to pick up my passport once it’s ready, and deliver to Amed? I’ve not gone through any agents for the extension. If not, do you know within how many days I need to pick up my passport – I saw in one of the other comments you said that 2 days after the date Immigration give is fine but is there a limit? I’ll be volunteering in Amed so I’m not sure which day I will be free to make the big trip back to Denpasar. Thank you!!!
I’ve known people who’ve gone to pick up their passport after 2 weeks. It’s your passport, not theirs so they can’t keep it from you. I wouldn’t have anyone pick it up for you unless you really trust them. Even then, they’ll need to have a notarized letter from you. My advice is to just go pick it up when you can.
Great, thank you. I may pick it up a week later – you’ve been the best. Thanks!
This is information has been so useful, however does it matter if you put down an address on the form you are no longer staying at, will it be checked etc…
They won’t verify the address so put one that is close to the immigration office that you’re going to.
hey!
thanks for the valueable information.
unfortunatly, i initially planned to just stay for 20 days but not extended my stay to about 42 days total. can you let me know how high the fine is? also, is there a guarantee that i get caught at departure or how does that work?
thanks for your help!
andreas
last I saw, the overstay fee was IDR 300,000 per day and no, there is no way around it. That’s exactly what the immigration officers are looking for when you exit so make sure you plan enough time at the airport to pay the fee. Good luck.
Hi mate i know you’ve got alot of questions to answer on here but ive got one too if you dont mind , im heading to sumbawa at the and of july and want to stay 3 months is there a way to get such visa sorted so that i do not have to do any renewal at the 30 or 60 day mark? I would really like to just get it done so i dont have to be running around trying to get extentions as ill be based down at lakey peak , any advice would be a huge help, oh also i may have a freinds mrs that could help out with a social visa if need be , thanks mate
Steve
Yes, but you have to apply for the longer visa at the Indonesian consulate in your home country and you can use your local friend in Sumbawa as a sponsor. I agree, it’s much better to just apply for the time that you need rather than deal with extending. There’s a 60 day social visa, but I’ve heard of people getting it for 90 days and longer. Good luck.
Hi, paying the US35.00 fee for turist visa and renewing in the city (Jakarta). How long before it expires I need to go the office to renew it? Arriving on september 29th 2017. Thank you.
Your visa on arrival is good for 30 days and your extension is good for another 30, then you must leave. You’ll need to take 3 trips to the office to complete the process. Good luck.
Hi- thanks for this awesome article and information- really appreciate it! I’m a us citizen that paid for a tourist visa on arrival On 10 June. I wanted to start the extension process 2 weeks ahead of time, which was today. I was told that the visa office is closed for a puckicbholoday 23rd June-3rd July and that I can start the process 3rd July. I’m worried that gives me only 7!days to compete the process. Also, I don’t want to hang around dps for that long as I started my trip there. Is there anyway to do this elsewhere? (Gilli, Lombok, java?) Are all immigration offices close down 23 June – 3rd July?
With appreciation!
Sorry for the late reply. I’ve been on vacation. All immigration offices are closed for the same national holidays. Don’t worry if the holiday doesn’t allow you the full two weeks. If you get your visa back after your initial 30 days expires due to the holiday, you won’t have to pay a fee. You can extend in at any Indonesian immigration office that does visa extensions (not all do so be sure to check) as long as you go to the office closest to where you are staying.
Hi Dino,
Thanks for your post, very informative. From looking elsewhere online I can’t seem to find the address for the immigration office at the airport. Some places say it’s moved and others still say it’s there but don’t give the actual address. Do you know what it is?
Thanks 🙂
It’s closer to Nusa Dua now. Try here for the location:
Kantor Imigrasi Kelas I Khusus – Bali, Jl. Perum Taman Jimbaran Asri No.1, Jimbaran, Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/”/”/@-8.7847842,115.1242695,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x2dd246ae5b87f0a5:0x9102e852b55bae4!2m2!1d115.1943101!2d-8.7847907
Ciao Dino!
…we are on our last visa run (six months social visa). We have always started the renewal process a week or more in advance…we live in the mountains close to bedugal but our sponsor is from Jimbaran so it makes our visa runs very articulated, but nonetheless we always made it fine…this time we were already in the area of Nusa Dua imm. off. a good week before our visa would expire, so we wanted to start on the Friday the 23rd of June but we found out that the office was closed already for public holidays and will be all week to open again on the 3rd of July, when our visa has expired already…I have read that everyday of overstaying will cost 300,00 idr, which to us will be costing a fortune, as we are a family of 5 and we are at the last couple of weeks of our adventure here in Bali…in your experience and the one of others you may have come to know, do you think there is any chance the immigration office will not charge us, since their office was closed for such a long time and considering we took action for our renewal with plenty of time?
…and is there anything else we could have done to start the renewal anyway in time, maybe through other ways we are not aware of?
Thank you so much for your point of you and sharing your experience…
Deborah
Sorry for the late reply, I just got back from a trip abroad and am now back in Bali.
If you haven’t already, go ahead and submit your extension application as soon as you can. If you get it back after your visa expires, you probably won’t have to pay a fine. It’s happened to me a few times. The important thing is to start early. After that, it’s up to them and they will allow for their own delays and holidays. Keep in mind that even though you get your extension after your visa expires, it will not add any extra days. The extension will expire 30 days after your visa expired.
Hi, thanks so much for this post. A great help! Does it matter how long you leave it to go back and collect passport (3rd visit) ? Thanks
Nope. You can collect it any time after it’s ready.
Hi, I was just wondering as you said you can start extending your visa after 2weeks, are weekend included or is it just working days?
Thanks!
I try to allow at least 7-10 working days.
Hi Dino,
Question for you.
We started visa extension process 10 days before expiration of voa. We completed day 1 and day 2. It was just before holidays. The imagrasion office at jimbaran no longer take payment. By the time we got to the bank to pay – they were closed for holidays. Banks opened again today so we went to pay. The bank teller wouldn’t take the payment because our visa expired over the holidays. He advised us to go back to immigration. Does this mean we’ve lost the ability to extend? Our passports are still at the immigration office.
Cheers
Chris
On several occasions, I’ve received my visa while it expired during the process. If it’s their fault or due to a holiday, then you’re fine and shouldn’t have to pay a fee. You can still extend.
Thanks Dino. Went to Immigration office. Turns out our issue wasn’t the visa expiration. Our payment deadline passed. We were given 7 days to make payment in the bank. In any case it seems straight forward to fix. A new payment number can be generated and then the bank can accept our payment. It could have been generated today but their system is down. Looking forward to another trip to the visa office tomorrow.. thanks for the article btw. Very useful. Cheers, chris
Glad it worked out for you. All the best!
Hi Dino and Chris,
@ Dino, thanks for the crystal clear suggestions. Really helpful and I saved a lot of time because of it.
@ Chris, I experienced the same thing today (today I passed the fingerprints and photo fase). I tried Mandiri and BNI bank to transfer the 355K, but in both cases it was declined.
I will try it again tomorrow morning, if not I will go to the immigration office as well.
Hi Mike,
Immigration reissued the billing number. The bank were then able to process our payment. We went to BNI. The billing number is only valid for 7 calendar days.
We are on our way to collect passports today.
Regards
Chris
Hi Dino! Awesome post, really really helpful. I need your help with a big doubt I have, maybe you know the answer!… I want to extend my visa for another 30 days but I still don’t know exactly in which date I’m leaving, do you think it could be possible to show at the immigration office a Flight ticket reservation that expires 24 or 48hs later? And then buy the actual flight when I know exactly when I’m leaving. Thanks a lot Dino. Cheers!
Yes, you can do that, but it is possible immigration will only extend your visa to the date of your ticket. That has never happened to me – they have always extended for 30 days – but it’s possible if you’re going to show them a ticket that is only a few days later.
Hi Dino, thanks a lot for your answer!. Sorry to insist with my question… when I said “expires” i meant that it is only a ticket reservation and not an actual paid ticket. I can choose any date to fly but I don’t pay the ticket at that moment, I appear as a passenger in the airline website for 24 or 48hs and after that the reservation finishes (I think they call it dummie ticket).. I was wondering if they really look into that or they just need a quick proof (piece of paper) of a departing flight out of Indonesia on the first day at the immigration office … i really appreciate your help! Cheers!
Hi – did you get an answer to your question regarding hiring a ticket and if it will work?
Thanks.
Sorry, I must have missed the follow up question, but yes, it appears that dummy tickets work at immigration, though I have never used one. They usually work for the airlines as well; however, I know that on one occasion, China Airlines actually verified to make sure the booking existed. Just hope the airlines and immigration aren’t reading this blog…
Hi Dino, so I’m in a bit of a pickle. I need to extend my visa as my flight out is the 28th of July. I arrived the 19th of June so need to apply for my Visa lastest the 12th July. I am currently in Amed but leaving for the Gili islands on the 10th of July and then back down south near Denpasar on the 15th. If I take my passport tomorrow or the next day to Denpasar I normally need to be back there to do my finger prints, photos and pay. Now this is where my problem starts, I’ll be in the Gili islands till the 15th so the earliest that I can do my finger prints, photos and payment is the 17th of July. Is that possible? Or do you have to go do the finger prints, photos on the allocated day? Iv been told that I need to pay within 7 days but again I won’t be able to! Can I pay 11days later or in advance and then do my finger prints on the 17th?
Thank you,
Jess
Hi, you can usually pay or pick up your visa at a later date than the day they give you, but I wouldn’t do it more than a few days later. The day you pay is the same day they take your picture and fingerprints so it’s an important day to be there. Try to schedule everything around that second visit as much as possible. If you can’t, you’ll have to go there and give them your predicament. They may have a better solution, perhaps using the immigration office in Mataram, which may be closer to you while you’re in the Gilis.
Yeah I got asked at Singapore if I was on a visa run ,they said the visa run saga is coming to an end in the near future .
anyone know if I extend a visa how much indo immigration will charge if I do it myself
Hey D
I’ve got a 60day holiday visa from Australia and am in Sumatra now.
I’m going to have to get a extension to allow me to stay an extra 42 days.
I have outward ticket.
My plan is to fly to Bali shortly and cycle onward to Maumere the fly back to Bali and home (Perth)
I’d be look at getting the extension on Lombok, as it’d be easy to hang around there for a bit to get the extension .
Will I be able to get a single 60day extension, 2X30day extensions ,or am I out of luck?
Thanks for any info
PS, Good job on having the most current information on the visa
Thanks Fred. I don’t know of any 60 day extensions. I’ve had 3 different types of visas and all of them allowed me to extend for an additional 30 days. A few years ago when I got a 60 day visa, I thought I’d be able to extend for another 60, but it doesn’t work that way. Only 30-day extensions are available as far as I know.
Oh good.
I just wasn’t sure if I’d get one at all.
Will apply a week in advance then, maybe more.
Will just have to do it twice then
Thank you so much for your article !
I’m in Seminiak since today to do my visa again (it will expire on the 18th of July…)
What is the closest office from Seminiak ? Thank you again,
Probably the office in Denpasar.
So the one you gave us the adress ? Not the airport one ?
You can check to see which location is closest on this map:
Hi i have paid the 35usd at VOA at the airport.
When i go to immigration to extend must i pay a further 25usd
Yes, the airport fee is for the visa. The fee at immigration is for the extension so yes, you have to pay twice.
Also forgot to ask
When I apply for the visa and show the ticket out, must the ticket be within 30 days?
As I don’t intend to fly for 45 days would show a ticket outside that period.
Would I tell them I plan on applying for another extension?
Thanks again
Fred
Yes, your ticket cannot exceed the date of your extension so it needs to be within 30 days. You can’t apply for a second extension. You are only allowed one extension for VOA. You need to leave and then do it all over again if you need more time.
OK.
But mine is an actual 60 day paid visa.
How many times would I be allowed to apply/get a 30day extension?
Thanks
Right, I had a 60 day as well. Got it when I was in the States last year. Still, you only get one 30 day extension.
Hi Dino
I’m in already in Seminyak and want to apply for an extended visa.
I arrived on the 11th July 2017 with no return ticket as I wasn’t sure how long I wanted to stay.
I’m looking at two options:
1. Extend my stay to 60 days
Or
2. Apply for a Social Visa
Reading your article (fantastic by the way!!) you’ve stated that I need a return ticket within the period of the extension.
So for a 60 day visa I would need a departure ticket within the 60 days.
For a Social Visa is it a departure ticket within the 6 months ??
Also could you explain more about what’s involved with a Social Visa.
Thanks so much x
Hi Sonia, as far as I know, you cannot get a social visa from within Indonesia. Seems strange, I know, but if you get one, let us know. I had to return to my home country to get it. Or, you can try the Indonesian consulate in Singapore or Hong Kong.
Yes, immigration will require a departure ticket on, or before, the date that your extension expires.
Hi Dino,
I am currently in Australia and going to fly into Denpasar in two days, I was not able to organise a 60 day tourist visa prior to arriving in Indonesia but already know I would like to stay longer than the 30 days the VOA permits. I arrive on the 20th of July and was planning on returning to immigration around the 23rd/24th to begin the visa extension process.. but from reading your article is that too soon to be asking for an extension? I only would like to stay an extra 7-10 days in Indonesia but will be travelling around and therefore was hoping to organise the visa whilst I was in Denpasar region… Thanks for any help.
Jenna, it’s not officially too soon to start the process that early. It’s possible, but they can also turn you away and tell you to come back no sooner than two weeks from the date your visa expires. The best you can do is go there and give it a try. I would just do it and if they ask, then give them the explanation. If you have tickets to other parts of the country to show them, that may help. Also, search online for immigration offices in the areas you’ll be traveling to see if there is an immigration office there. If there is, be sure to check to make sure they extend foreign visa’s at that office. Some offices are only set up to handle Indonesian passports. Good luck.
Hey great website, thanks for the information.
I am from the UK and currently in Australia. I’m thinking of heading to Indonesia and volunteering for a few weeks. Would I be able to apply for a social visa? How long would I be able to stay in the country for with this visa? Or would an extended visa be better for me. I understand that that’s 30 days and then extended by another 30 days?
Thanks,
Stevie
Hi Stevie, social visa’s are usually good for 60 days, but you can get them longer. It is entirely up to immigration. Also keep in mind that immigration in Bali will have different allowances than elsewhere. Makes it difficult to plan. In Bali, for example, you can only extend a social visa for another 30 days, but in other areas, I have heard of social visas getting extended for longer periods of time.
A tourist visa appears to be the easiest in Bali. Get a VOA at the airport, extend for another 30 days then book a flight to Singapore or Hong Kong and come back and do it again.
Amazing, thank you for the prompt response!
How would I go about applying for a social 60 day visa? Would I apply for this visa before arriving in Indonesia?
Also, out of curiosity where are the embassy offices located in Indonesia, incase I choose to extend my visa. Would the whole process take around a week?
Thank you for the information,
Stevie
Yes, I applied for mine at the Indonesian consulate in LA. They were terrific.
Unfortunately I don’t have a map of the offices. Do a search for kantor imigrasi. I’ve used the one in Denpasar and Jimbaran. I know people who have used the office in Mataram and others in Manado. They said the office in Manado should be avoided. Good luck.
Hi, immigration (or my agent) took a long time to process my visa (over 3 weeks!) i’ve just got my passport back and the new visa stamp is dated today and then my 60 day date. I assume that this means the visa extention is only valid from today? I’m worried as today i’ve already been in Bali 6 weeks. Will I have to pay a fine for the number of days in between my initial 30 day visa and the new one starting?
Hi, I’m not sure I understand your question, but your visa is good for 30 days from the extension date. I would check with your agent to be sure. Immigration usually doesn’t take 3 weeks to complete the process so delay was probably the agent.
Hey Dino !
I d like to ask about thé 60days tourist visa before getting indonesia.
I m gonna do it at thé indonesian embassy of penang.
Do i need the enter ticket ( flight or boat ) or thé exit flight ticket is What they ask for ?
T
hank you very much
Julien
I’d call them or check their website for a list of documents to prepare, but they will definitely want to see your exit ticket.
Hello! Is the 2nd visa extended from the date of expiry date if 1st visa or the date of your application of visa?
Your 30 day extension starts on the date your original visa expires regardless of when you get back your paperwork.
Hi Dino,
I made a mistake with my visa. I wanted to pay for the 30 days with the idea I to extend it. But instead, i got the free visa (and non extendable one).
Can I go to the immigration office and ask to pay for a visa, valid from the day I arrived in Indonesia ? Would this “cancel” the free one and let me extend after ?
Thank you for your help,
Best regards,
Marie-Laure
Hi, you can try, but I haven’t heard of them doing that. They don’t like to do anything that isn’t part of their operating procedure. It’s an interesting question though, and something I’d like to know myself so if you are successful, please let us know.
Hi Dino, Thanks a lot for this post, I’m leaving to Bali tomorrow for 35 days and thx to you, I won’t have to do a visa run. I just have one question : Do you know if I can pay the tourist visa with a credit card at the immigration counter or do I need to get some cash to pay for it ? (indonesian or euros ? I’m living in france actually)
Thank you so much 🙂
Hi Barn, I don’t think you can use a credit card. I have always paid in US dollars or Indonesian rupiah. Oddly, I don’t remember seeing an ATM around either. You’d think they’d make it easier to pay so I would hope they take Euros, but I’m not sure. Wish I had a better answer for you.
Hi there,
This has been so helpful thank you.
I am writing to you as I am not sure what to do in my current situation, and seeing all your knowledge thought you may be able to help.
I’m from the UK and it has only been very recently confirmed that I will fly out to Bali at the end of August for 37 days. This is for travelling and potential volunteering purposes.
I am travelling a lot recently and so need my passport with me much of the time, meaning I have been unable to send it along with my documents to the London Embassy.
I am aware the Visa I am looking for is the social visa, but I am/will be really being pushed for time to get one.
Another possible option shown above on your page, is to buy a 30 day visa on arrival, which I am aware can be extended the once when I am in Bali, would this be something you would suggest?
I would really appreciate any advice you could give me, I am desperate!
Thank you in advance!!
Thank you, Yasmin. I think you have chosen the best course. Try to get the social visa for about 60 days, but the Indonesian consulate will need your passport for a few days and if you can’t give it up as you suggested, then you are right, the next best option is to get a 30 day Visa on Arrival when you get to Bali, then go to immigration to extend for another 30 days. It’s a bit of a process as I describe in the blog post.
The only other option would be to just fly out for a day or two to another country. If you did this, you do not need to pay the VOA fee. You would enter Bali visa free for 30 days, but remember, if you extend, you have to pay for the VOA.
NOTE: Airlines are increasingly checking your return ticket. In some cases, if you do not have a visa that matches the dates on your return flight, they may not let you board. Hope that helps.
Hi, so I’m in Indonesia at the moment for 32 days, have a paid VOA but this won’t be for long enough and unfortunately we weren’t planning to be in any place for longer than 3 or 4 days so might struggle to do the extension. Is a visa run out best option? Or should we change our plans and do the extension in Bali or something? If a visa run is the best option do you have any added advice about it as I’ve heard they’ve become a lot more difficult this year? (Like what city is best?)
I still go to Singapore. I haven’t had a problem yet, but if immigration in Singapore asks if I’m on a visa run, I’ll just say no. I’m there for a meeting or to pick up a few things. Keep in mind that financially, it may make more sense to just pay the overstay fee if it’s only 2 days (they count the day you arrive and the day you leave in the total days you’re allowed to stay here for VOA). Allow a little extra time at the airport when you leave if you do this. I think the fee is still IDR 300,000 per day.
Ah hadn’t thought of just over running it! Could this potentially cause problems like being detained?
I’ve never heard of anyone being detained. I overstayed a couple days one time and it’s a pretty simple process. The immigration officer will ask you to step into another office where they will explain the overstay and tell you how much you owe. You pay and head to your gate. It’s pretty quick unless there are people in front of you making a stink because they didn’t count the days correctly.
Hi Dino,
I bought the VOA on July 28 and that means my 30 days expire August 26. I’m thinking of booking a ticket out on August 29 at 1.30am. If I go to the airport well before midnight on the 28, do you think immigration will charge me for 2 or 3 days of extra stay?
Btw, you’re a legend for having the patience and putting the time to answer all kind of weird questions like this one… Thanks a lot!
Giampaolo
Wow, never had that question before. I really have no idea, but I think it’s completely up to the immigration officer. They have a date on their desk which tells them anyone leaving after it needs to pay the fine. If they check your boarding pass, they’ll likely charge you the extra day. If they just go with the date of your visa stamp, you might get away with just two days.
I really want to know the answer to this so would love it if you let us know what happens. Maybe you’ll have time before your flight to check back in with this blog post. In bocca al lupo!
Grazie, I will let you know if I end up doing that. Thanks anyway.
I decided to leave Sept 1st, so I don’t have the answer to that question I asked. In fact, I went for a last minute extension using the agency visa4Bali and they were amazing. The courier picked up my passport on a Wednesday, I went for fingerprint the day after and they dropped off my passport with the extension on Saturday. 900k idr and excellent service.
Another important detail: had I done it myself, I would have needed to show immigration my flight ticket out. With the agency, no need. This might be a big plus for someone wanting to book a last minute ticket out. Cheers.
Glad it worked out for you.
Hello
My partner and I tried to get a 60 days visa from penang, but they only issued 30 days. It’s not a visa on arrival, but can we extend the visa we already have (b211 visa) to 60 days once we arrive in Bali? Or will we have to wait until it’s nearly expired.
Hi Tom, I can only speak to VOA. I’m really not that knowledgeable on other visa policies. I have extended a 60 Day social visa once, but they would only extend for an additional 30 days. Additionally, they don’t like you starting your extension process too soon. You can try, but they’ll likely make you come back two weeks before expiration. Wish I could be more helpful.
Me and my girlfriend have been to the first appointment at the Denpasar office and are due to go back tomorrow for our second appointment, however, we fly back to the uk in one week. Will they ensure we receive our passports back in time for the date that we fly back to the uk? We are worried they we not give our passports back in time for a flight home. Our second appointment is for tomorrow the 9th of August and we fly back on the 15th and haven’t been given a date for our third appointment yet. Please help!
Hi Callum, that should be plenty of time for them. You’ll likely come back for your passport on Friday, perhaps Monday the latest. When you go back for your second appointment tomorrow, they will give you a date to return to get your passport (the third appointment). Just make sure that date is in plenty of time for your departure. If not, explain to them your situation and they will accommodate you. They’re pretty reasonable in situations like yours. I would be shocked if your passport wasn’t ready by the 14th.
Thank you so so much for everything. It was exactly like you said:) Saved me time and nerves:)) Thank you!!
You’re welcome. All the best!
Hello. Just wanted to let you know that I just started the VOA extension process in Singaraja and it went pretty smoothly. They only wanted one copy of everything, including outbound ticket. Gave me back the duplicate copies.
Hello Dino, thank for this amazing page. My wife and I need to extend our VOA. Do you think I can go by myself on days 1 and 3 or would they require her presence?
You used to be able to do that, but now she may need to go. I know it will be difficult to pick up here passport on day 3 unless you have a power of attorney.
Awesome, thank you so much.
Dear Dino!
What a great site! Also, amazing job you do by answering all these questions.
You might not be able to help me as my question is related to the agents. We are traveling to Bali for 35 days with our 3 months old baby. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go through the above mentioned process with our tiny girl – tell me if I am wrong 🙂 – so do you know a thrustworthy source we could turn to? How do we know if we can trust the agent? Is it legal?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Judit
Hi Judit, I cannot recommend any agents. If I absolutely had to use one, I’d check the online reviews and make sure the agent had an established office – a physical location. They’re more likely to want to maintain a good reputation. I understand your concern, but have seen travelers at immigration with very small babies. The office in Denpasar has been modernized so perhaps it is not too bad. Wish I could be more helpful to you.
Hi, thanks for the good advice. We were wondering how the immigration office contacts you when you passport and VOA extension are ready to be picked up? Thanks.
Hi Jake, they don’t contact you. At each appontment, they will give you a date and time when to return for your next visit.
Thanks very much. And I assume that the 30 day extension comes into effect the day the original 30 day visa expires? Therefore giving exactly 60 days. (just wanted to check- say our extension was granted say 20 days into our trip, that our additional 30 days would not be from that point) thanks!
Yes, that is correct. You get 60 days max in country, regardless of when you get your extension.
Hi ,
I have a business visa apparently .ive done 2 extensions through my agent but I’m wanting to do it myself and wondering if I still need to drop it off 3/4 days before , then complete the forms and photos / finger prints again and then go back to pick it up ( so 3 times for 1 extension ) . He’s also saying it costs 850,000 each time .
I’m not sure what visa you have. I have what is considered a business visa for one year. I do not have to go to immigration, but I have to leave the country every 60 days. For visa extensions in generally it does take 3 visits, but not $850,000 each time. An extension for both visa on arrival or social visa is IDR 355,000. You pay this once each time you extend.
Hi Dino, can you please tell me is the VOA counter open 24hours at Denpasar airport?? My son and I arrive at midnight and am hoping we are still able to obtain a VOA…. Your assistance is much appreciated.
Kind regards Sam
Hi Sam, yes it’s supposed to be open for all arriving flights. I’ve never had a problem getting a VOA, even on the late flights, though from time to time I haven’t seen anyone at that counter as I pass by. If nobody is there, you’ll be able to ask for assistance from one of the workers and they should get someone for you, but no promises.
Many thanks Dino, I appreciate you getting back to me. I shall try my luck 🙂
Hello Dino! Thanks for have this Amazon site. Plêase assist in my situado:
I arrived Aug 06th and when the Imigration officer ask me I told him only 30 days.
After counted the days I realized that is 32 days and I have only the free Visa.
I am with Wife and 11 years old Daughter.
What should I do now? Can I go to Nusa Dua office and pay for a 30 days visa and pay for extra 02 days?
Thanks in advance
Hi George, yours is a common mistake and there are a couple of solutions. It’s too late to get the Visa on Arrival so you’re stuck with the Visa Free and will not be able to extend a visa that you do not have and unfortunately there aren’t too many options for you.
1) You can go to the immigration office and explain the situation and see if they have a solution for you. I really doubt they will do anything, but it’s always worth a try. The Nusa Dua office is not a horrible place to spend a couple hours if you need to.
2) You can leave the country during your trip and come back in Visa Free again. This time, you’ll be less than 30 days before you have to leave. Maybe your family will want to visit Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong for a few days.
3) The likely option is to just over-stay and pay the fine. I think it’s still IDR 300,000 a day for each person. That’s 6 days total for your family so a fine of 1,800,000. If you choose this option, make sure you have the cash on hand and count every day you are over (day on arrival and day of departure are included in your 30 days). Also, be sure to allow some extra time at the airport. A lot of people over-stay (I’ve done it, too) so they are quite used to it. At the immigration counter in the airport, they will ask you and your family to step aside to another office and pay the fine. It’s that simple. It’s also fairly quick unless there is a line and people in front of you are disputing with the immigration officers. Again, allow yourself extra time at the airport upon departure.
I wish I had a better answer for you. If you go to immigration to try to get it worked out, please let me know if it worked or not on this blog. I’m interested to know if anyone is successful. Don’t know of anyone yet. You may be the first.
Hi! Thank you for the great advice. Do you need the receipt that they give you at the VOA counter ? The immigration officer at the airport took my receipt when he stamped my passport with the purple sticker. I’m really hoping that I don’t need the receipt in order to extend my visa…
Hi Emma, not sure why he took the receipt, but no, you don’t need it. Your stamp is what they need to see.
Okay what a relief. Thank you for your fast reply !
Hi Dino,
My parents are visiting me for a 2 month stay in Indonesia from India. They will be applying for VoA in jakarta. I had actually applied for a tourist visa but due to time constraints am unable to obtain it in time. At the moment they do have an exit flight from Jakarta, however the same is about 55 days from the incoming flight. Will this create any problems for the VoA process?
Hi Kunal, that arrangement sounds fine to me, though I don’t know the relationship Indonesia has with India in terms of immigration. They should be able to visit and extend their visa within 30 days. Their flight departs before the end of the 30 day extension so it all seems to work out fine.
One possible catch is not with Indonesia, but the airline. Sometimes the airlines will not let you fly to Indonesia if your stay exceeds Indonesia’s visa policy. In this case, your parents will be here on a 30 day VOA, but are intending to stay a bit longer. Some airlines ignore it, some don’t. I’ve been forced to change my return ticket on several occasions at the airport, even after telling them I plan to extend my VOA. Please keep that in mind.
Hi Dino.. thanks so much for the advice.. but i am still a little confused… i paid for the tourist visa on arrival…And according to what you say my extension, if i pay for one starts 30 days after my arrival date.. So if the first day of my 30 day extension is on the last of my first 30 days is that not a total of 59 consecutive days allowed ..not 60..? Important to know as i really would like the 60 but do not want to book a flight on the wrong day..
Hi Virginia, I understand your confusion because much of the process doesn’t make much sense.
You are correct. It’s not a total of 60 days. It is 30 days, plus another 30 days. One day overlaps because they count the day of arrival and the day of departure for both the original visa and the extension. So it actually adds up to 59 days total.
Hiya , I am going to Java for 2 weeks then plan on staying in bali for 4 weeks ,
Am i able to get a 60 day visa at the airport or do I have to get the 30 day visa first?,
Also looking at the 60 day and it asks for name reference and address , I am just travelling so I am not sure what I am suppose to fill in here (plus i always freak out when it comes to paper work)
Hi Carla, you can only get a 30 day visa when you arrive. If you want a 60 day, you’ll need to apply for it at an Indonesian Consulate in another country. The reference question is likely your sponsor information. For visas longer than 30 days, you usually need a sponsor from Indonesia. other address information can be the hotel where you are staying.
Hi Dino,
As many before us we totally forgot to get the visa on arrival when we arrived in Denpasar. Of course we want to stay longer so visa run is the only alternative? Or could we get the visa on arrival and the extension at the immigration office?
Would a 3 h stay in Singapore be enough or is a stay for at least one night necessary?
We are looking forward for your answer!
Greetings, carina
Hi Carina, unfortunately once you’re here Visa Free, it can’t be changed. You’ll have to leave. I go in and out of Singapore same day all the time. Just make sure you actually exit and get your passport stamped. I usually go into the city and pick up a few items that I can’t get in Bali. MRT in Singapore is super easy. Also, if the immigration officer in Singapore asks, don’t tell them you are on a visa run. You’re in Singapore for a quick meeting or to pick up supplies or something of that nature. Good luck!
Hey,
I have a flight to Lombok and stopped by the embassy in Bali to pick up my passport before my flight. I wasn’t aware that it’s a public holiday. The embassy is closed. Can I still travel to Lombok for 7 days and pick my passport up when I return?
Yes, you can fly. Be sure to keep your receipt with you as well as other ID until you get back to Bali to pick up your passport. There is no deadline for picking it up, but get it as soon as you return.
Hi, thanks for the great advice!
Wonder of u can help as me and a friend are a little confused what to do. We paid for the 30 day visa on arrival so need to extent as we are here for longer than 30 days however we aren’t in the same place for longer than 4 days at a time – in Kuta for 2 then to Ubud for 4 days then across to Gili for 4 days then Sanur for two days – accomodation in each place is already booked. How can we get around this? Does doing it through an agent make it any quicker or do u still need 7 days?
An agent won’t make it go any quicker, but it can be easier if you are moving around a lot. But you can still do it yourself because you can get to the Denpasar immigration office from Kuta, Ubud and Sanur so I would use that office. The application will ask for an address of where you are staying. Use the address of the hotel in Sanur.
Hey Dino!
I´m 19y old coming from Norway, going to bali to surf for 3 months from 1. Okt. Which visum should i apply for?
I would first try to get a 3 month social visa from the Indonesian Consulate in Norway. You have less than a month so I’d talk to them immediately. If you can’t get it, then you’ll just need to purchase a Visa on Arrival when you get to Bali and go through the extension process I outlined above. That’s only going to get you 60 days so you’ll need to make plans to leave the country at some point. Singapore will likely be your cheapest option. Go for a day or two. You can try Kuala Lumpur, but Singapore is much more interesting. Good luck.
Thanks for the reply! That´s a possibility. What if I attend to stay there from 1. Okt to around feb-march. Best regard from Norway
In that case, you could get any visa you want. When it expires, extend for another 30 days as I outlined above. After the extension expires, then you just need to leave. Perhaps you can go to Singapore for a day or two and come back. When you re-enter the country, get another 30 day VOA and extend again when that expires. Keep doing the same process over and over again.
Hey Dino. Thank you for the help! Best wishes
Thanks a lot for all this valuable information! Awesome! 🙂
Here’s another Norwegian with a related question. I normally get a 60 days visa from the embassy in Norway, but got confused by the “new” rules and thought I could extend the VOA at DPS without any hassle. Obviously not. Long story short, we’ll immediately travel on from DPS to Wakatobi and return too late get an extension before the VOA runs out. So, guess I’ll have to take a short trip to Singapore. How long do I have to stay outside Indonesia before I can return and get a
a) Free VOA
b) “Ordinary” USD35 VOA
Thank you so much for helping out! 😀
There is no limit for time out of the country. Sometimes I go to Singapore in the morning and fly back that afternoon. Just make sure you get your passport stamped so you need to actually enter Singapore and not just go from one gate at the airport to the next. Singapore is an easy place to get around so get on the MRT and go have a nice lunch in the city. Great food in Singapore.
Keep in mind, Singapore is increasingly becoming aware of visa runs and doesn’t seem to like it much. If asked at Singapore immigration if you’re on a visa run, say no. You’re there to visit a friend or maybe a quick meeting. better yet, just go for a couple days and see Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or East Timor…
Ah, I thought I had been through all the posts, but had overlooked one just below which answers my question. A few hours abroad and the stamp will do. Thank you! 🙂
No worries. Glad it helped and sorry for the late reply. Was off surfing in Mentawai.
Hi Dino,
Do you recommend applying for a 60 day visa before traveling to Bali or to do it once there, which involves 3 trips to Denpasar?
In the UK they ask me for a sponsor, what is exactly that and what information do I need to bring with me on the sponsor?
Thanks,
Marisa
Marisa, if you don’t have a sponsor, you’ll have to get a 30 day visa on arrival here, then apply for a 30 day extension as I outline in the post. A sponsor is someone in Indonesia who will be responsible for you while you are here. You need to add their name, address and phone number on your application when you apply at the Indonesian consulate in your country. I can’t remember if a letter from them is required as well.
Heyoo! So informative thank you! I tried scanning the comments so you wouldn’t have to repeat yourself but I don’t think it’s been answered; is a copy of my return flight necessary for the extension process? I planned on buying that last minute but have to renew my visa in the coming two weeks. Thanks!!
Hi Chrysanthos, yes, you’ll need a copy of your flight ticket out of the country dated before your extension expires. It is a required document for extending.
Great info! We paid for a visa on arrival and now need to renew. Three questions
1. I have 6 daughters, do they need to come with me each time I go to the office?
2. It sounds like we pay another $35USD when we extend our visa (on top of the $35 we originally paid), is this correct?
3. Since our VISAs expire on the Friday 15th (day 30) will I run into any problems by starting tomorrow (13th)? I feel like I might be behind on the process already…despite the fact that they told me to come in one week before it expired and not earlier when I was at the airport.
Thanks a ton!
Brandon
Hi Brandon, I’ve been trying to get an answer to your first question for some time and it appears it depends on the immigration officer – I know, very frustrating. Lately, immigration has been requiring all applicants to show up to each visit, but I think in your case, you should be fine going to the office yourself the first time and either picking up applications for your family or filling them out right there. Your kids will have to go to the second appointment to get their pictures taken. Make sure you ask if it’s ok that you pick up their passports for them when finished (the third appointment as outlined above). Let me know if you have any problems.
Yes, you must pay the $35 again when extending. There is a fee at the airport for the visa when you arrive and there is another fee for the extension.
Finally, if your visas expire on the 15th, you’re definitely behind. It won’t be a problem, but you may have to pay an overstay fee for each day you overstay. I’m not sure how many days that will be, but they’ll let you know. You may even be able to get through the process without a fee so I wouldn’t mention it until they do. Good luck!
Hi Dino, I am traveling with my partner (us and British citizens). We arrived in Jakarta on the 13th, are now in Ambon, and are moving for Banda islands tomorrow the 16th. We expect to stay 7-10 days. Can you recommend where we should apply for a visa extension and when, so as to avoid overstay fines? We are also moving onto Leo islands after Banda islands. Thank you so much!
Wow, I’ve never been up there. I bet it’s beautiful. Unfortunately, I have no advice for you. Here’s a list of immigration offices in Indonesia, but you need to contact them because not all process visa extensions. Some only handle passports for locals. Wish I had better information for you, but you’re pretty remote (which is a good thing for travel) so I just don’t know. Good luck.
greetings,
Thank you for providing such precious information to all!
I would like to be certain that I fully understand how to proceed in order to get a VOA extension during our future stay in Bali.
We will be in Bali for 35 days including arrival and departure day. (sadly I just found out about the 30 day limit.. Its now too late to change our dates as flights and hotel is booked). It will cost us a total of $70 usd each for the extra 5 days (live and learn).
Proceedure:
I print out the 3 pages of the form through your link on this website. (I noticed the form has a number, is this the same number for everyone or do I need to get a new form at the immigration office in Nusa Dua? I fill out the 3 pages with a black ink pen and bring it with me to Bali, along with all the required documentation.
Upon exiting the plane in Bali we proceed to immigration (at airport) and tell them that I want to pay for the tourist VOA because my stay may be longer than 30 days. (I know that it actually will be longer, should I tell them or pretend that I am unsure? If they ask to see our return flights it is clear that we will be there for 35 days…)
Once we have only 2 weeks remaining of our vacation time (not before because too early) we should go to the Nusa Dua office (we will be staying in Nusa Dua).
Day 1: Go to counter at entrance ask for a folder (pink and red) put in our pre-filled forms from your website, (or do we ask for new forms and fill those out? will the forms printed from the website be accepted? Should they be printed on 3 pages or recto verso? Take a number and wait.
Day 2: Go back on the day of apointment, head to cashier window (Nusa Dua), don’t take a number don’t wait in line) give them our receipts, wait for our names to be called. Follow there instructions for the rest.
Day 3: Go back on the day of apointment, head to window 3 (Nusa Dua), don’t take a number don’t wait in line.
Do I have it down to a T? Thank you for your detailed instructions. I have never done this before and would like to make it very easy and not stressful. Much appreciated!
Kindest regards, Claire
OOPS! I forgot to ask you where exactly (addy) is the Nusa Dua immigration office? I looked in the list of offices and cannot figure out where it is located. Thank you!!!!
Here you go. Link
Ah! Perfect!!! Thank you!!
Hi Claire,
Either use the forms that you printed or you can pick them up at immigration, either way is fine. You can be straight forward with immigration officers. They will not ask for your return flight at VOA at the airport. Just tell them you plan to stay longer than 30 days. You don’t need to go into specifics. They really don’t care.
To extend, once you give them your forms (one copy per person), they will tell you what to do next. When you return to the immigration office in Nusa Dua, go straight to the information booth at the front and tell them why you are there. Do this for each visit. They will direct you to the appropriate window. It’s that easy. Good luck.
Thank you so very much Dino!!! I very much appreciate your reply! Karma back to you!!!
Hi Dino,
Tomorrow, monday, I’m starting the process of extending the visa for my boyfriend and I. Wednesday we are leaving for Gili until Friday. When we arrive back in Sanur on Friday the immigration office will be closed. Are we in trouble if the date for our second visit is when we are in Gili or are we okay showing up next monday for the fingerprints?
Thank you so much for all the information!
Hi Christina, you can show up after the appointment date, just not before.
Hello,
Thank you for your detailed guide!
I have a question though – I need to extend my VOA soon, but I can only get hold of my FLIGHT ITINERARY and not the actual ticket (As i can only check in 14 days prior departure)
So, is a flight itinerary good enough to extend?
Thanks
Hi Ted. Yes, flight itinerary is good enough.
Hi there,
What happens if I cant provide passport copies and copies of visa page etc? Just wondering how im going to get hold of these.
Also, just noticed they are closed on the weekend. I cant get to the office until monday 25th and my visa runs out of the 30th. Will this be enough time?
You can make copies at immigration for a small fee. If you are going to the office in Denpasar, there is a copy center in the rear. Go in to the parking area for motorbikes and you will see the entrance. Keep going past that entrance toward the back of the building and turn right. You will see a little warung to your left. Just in front of the warung is the copy center. They charge about 1000 rupiah (about 7 cents US) for a copy.
If the 25th is the soonest you can get to the office, you should still be fine. That’s cutting it a bit close so worst case is that they’ll charge you for an extra day or two overstay (300,000 rupiah per day). Your extension will still get processed regardless.
Hello,
thank you for great website!
We are planning to go to East Timor and back to Indonesia in few days because of the visa extension. I’ve heard some rumour it is not possible. Do you have any information about this issue?
Thank you
It’s perfectly fine. I’ve gone there for visa runs several times. Good place for snorkeling and diving.
Thank you for your quick answer 🙂
Hello
I paid my 60 days on the airport. So to get the other 30 days i have to do same proceder like i want to extend my 30 days at the immigration?
Hi Oliver, I don’t understand your question. I was not aware that you could get 60 days at the airport. To get an extension, the procedures are pretty much the same for 30 and 60 day visas, but if you’re visa requires a sponsor, that person may be required to go to immigration as well. Hope that helps.
How did you manage to get the 60 days on arrival? What’s your nationality if I may ask?
Hi there,
Just some feedback on this. I used your post to get an idea on what to expect, but I honestly would recommend to everyone to do this in Mataram, Lombok. Its so much quicker. I went there on a busy Monday and had only like 10 minutes waiting time on my first day. Its also all in the same room, just next to each other, no hustlers pushing in front of you and behind the building there is a copy shop were you can print your etickets and make copies of your passport for just 10-20k. But the amazing thing is: I only needed two days! I went there at 8.30 am today, had my photos done and paid at 9.00, and they told me to come back at 3 pm to pick up my passport!
Right on!
Thanks for that contribution, Patrick. I’ve never tried to extend there myself, but have heard that it was a bit easier. Glad to get confirmation.
Thanks for confirmation this info is still accurate & operational! Since it’s possible to extend at Lombok & Bali, I guess there are immigration offices at Java as well? someone any experience with that?
we plan to fly in on Bali beginning of november and cycle the islands so we will need the 60 days as well. thanks in advance
Good afternoon. I was just wondering when you extend A 60 day tourist visa do they give you another 60 days or only 30? Thanks.
In most cases, you can only extend for 30 days. I got a 60 day visa about a year ago and they only extended for 30, but I have heard that in some cases visitors were allowed to extend longer, but it’s not common.
good day Dino
its such a nice things from you and I found it extremely helpfully, i have a question, when i enter to indonesia airport how can i be sure that if i ask to pay for the visa in the immigration, they will not ask me to leave the country ?
I suppose they can as there are no guarantees, but I’ve never heard of anyone being denied entry unless they had a criminal background or other serious immigration policy violation. Same with getting an extension. I suppose if you want to come to Bali and extend, you’ll have to take the chance, just like everyone else.
Hi, they only give 30days each time, totally 4times, you need a sponsor each time of extension
Awesome site, really helped us in our extension process.
Since you like to keep things current we wanted to update you with a curveball we got at the DPS office. They asked us twice — before filling out forms and during fingerprints where are you staying? And where will you be staying next 30 days? Do not say the same place (or even area maybe). If so, they will tell you that you can only extend at the Nusa Dua office.
Also in order to get the application forms you have to take a number and wait until they call you.
Last thing — I read somewhere on here that you really get 59 days because you count one day twice, but they gave us 60!
Cheers
Hi guys, quick query. Me and my girlfriend have done stages 1 and 2, the date we have been asked to come back is when we are in Gili ( hotels and crossing booked and paid for ). Is there anyway of requesting an alternate date to collect your passport, sooner or later? Failing that- do they just hold on to them, if I turn up a week later than specified pleading ignorance will it be straight forward to collect?
Any help on this would be amazing, debating whether or not to drive down there and get some info ( it’s the jimbaran office )
PS Thanks for the great blog saved us both the 1,000,000 to quoted by the visa agent, and both days took us less than 45 mins
Hi Joe, sure, you can just pick it up anytime after the date they give you. They’ll hold on to it, but I wouldn’t wait longer than a few days, a week at the most. The longer they keep it, the greater the chance they will lose something.
Hi there I’ve just read this and found it extremely helpful however it’s made me aware that I may not have enough time to extend my visa. I know that no two situations are the same but I was just wondering the likelihood of completing all of the above steps and recieving a new visa within 4 days?
Hi Ben, it’s unlikely that you’ll get it done any sooner, but you’ll still be able to get it completed. The worst case is that you’ll have to pay a fee for a couple extra days, but you’ll still get your extension.
Hey Dino, huge thanks for all of this information. Do you know if there’s an immigration office in Ubud? Or if there isn’t, where the closest one would be? I want to make sure I don’t get turned away for not going to the right office.
Hey Josh, unfortunately, there’s nothing close to you. You’ll have to go to Denpasar. Here’s the location.
Thanks Dino! One more question for you- when we give Immigration a copy of our travel itinerary to leave Bali, is it okay to show that it’s a roundtrip flight (with a return to Bali) or is it better to only show the portion leaving Bali?
The round trip is fine. I do it all the time and have never heard of anyone being denied re-entry because they left and came back. They know people are traveling and want to see other parts of Asia and abroad. All the best!
Everytime I’ve flown to Indonesia I’ve been asked at the airport from which I’m flying from to show proof of a flight out of Indonesia within the 30 days. Is it enough to say that I have a flight booked within the 60 days and explain to the airline that I will be extending my visa?
Miles, good question. Airlines are demanding this more and more. To answer, no, the 60 days is not good enough, but sometimes you can get through by arguing with them. I’ve made such a big stink over it at times that they’ve just let me through. Other times, I just confused them because often, they’re not entirely sure of the visa rules for Indonesia. It all depends on the airline and the flight attendant checking you in. Sometimes they care, sometimes they don’t. Fake tickets often work, but one time Southern China Air said they would verify it in their system so I ended up having to purchase a new ticket from my phone as I was checking in. Another time, Delta Airlines absolutely would not let me fly unless I changed my ticket to comply with the 30 day visa. The only guaranteed way around it is to get a visa that allows you to stay longer than 60 days. Wish I had a better answer for you.
Hi Dino,
Thanks for setting This up lot’s of questions will be answered. But I have one more. I have bought a visa on arrival but only stay 6 days longer then the 30 days. To avoid the hassle of extending I thought to take a flight to Kuala Lumpur and come back and get on normal 30 tourist visa. My question is… is it possible to get the free visa after you already bought the visa on arrival? Hope you can help me out. Thank you!
Hi Maaike, Yes. Once you return from KL, everything starts new again. You’ll get another 30 days. it’s up to you whether you get Visa Free or Visa on Arrival if you pay. Up to you. Hope that helps.
Thank you so much Dino. What a quick response!
Does anyone know if you can pay by cash at the kantor imigrasi nusa dua. Thanks
Hello! Thanks for all the infirmation, i do have 2 questions though-
1. I will be transiting through Bali en route to Australia next month and will have to pick up my checked luggage and re check in for my connecting flight. Do you know if I will need a visa to do this? (I’m assuming yes…)
2. I will return to Indonesia 28 days later, (assuming that the answer to my previous query is yes) will they allow me to purchase a visa at the airport despite the fact my first visa will not have expired?
Any help would be much appreciated!
Hi Helen:
1. If your transit is less than 30 days most people DO NOT need a visa. Indonesia has a 30 Day Visa Free policy that applies to most western countries.
2. No. If you decide to get a visa, it will be a 30 day Visa on Arrival, which is a single entry permit. That means once you leave it is no longer valid. Remember, depending on which country you are from, you can stay in Indonesia for 30 days without a visa.
Hi Dino,
Thanks so much for your response. I read it as ‘free visa’ as opposed to ‘visa free’, hence the confusion.
So to confirm, I should be able to enter Indonesia both times using the 30 day visa free option, despite my 2nd entry being prior to the initial 30 days not being up? Thanks again!
Yes, that is correct. All the best.
Hey Dino, I’m flying to Bali next week, i will pay for the visa on arrival. I have had terrible luck at airports and theyo constantly want proof of an out bound flight. Obviously seen i intend to extend, will i need proof of flight I need 60 days ( to show why I’m paying for the visa on arrival)???? Have you had any issues ?
Yes, it is increasingly becoming a problem. Some people get by just by showing the airline a fake ticket, but not sure I recommend this. They could try to verify it in the system. There are some services online (you’ll have to search Google) that will provide you a ticket for a small fee. It’s a real ticket, but with a cancellation policy. So they purchase a ticket for you, give you the ticket and itinerary, then cancel it. You can still show the airline the ticket. I’ve never tried it so can’t recommend it.
I’ve had varied success getting through when required to show an exit ticket. Sometimes I’ve been able to argue my way through it. Other times I just confused the airline and a few times, I’ve had to either change my departure date or purchase another ticket while checking in. It’s a mess.
At this point, I don’t know what to recommend since it’s completely up to the airline. Good luck!
If I have proof of departure within 60 days (as for the return ticket) will I encounter any problems while flying out from Canada?
Your help would be appreciated, thanks
Hi Sara, you won’t have a problem with immigration, but you might have a problem with the airline unless you have a visa for 60 days. You can only visit Indonesia for 30 days so some airlines (not all) may not let you fly unless your ticket shows you leaving within that time, even if you plan to extend for another 30 days. Sometimes I run into this problem when checking in, sometimes I don’t. It’s best to be prepared in case you need to change your ticket or buy another ticket to another country, say Singapore for a short trip.
Okay, so I´m sorry to bother you with another question again but I need some advice on this.
I am a Belgian citizen currently in Hong Kong. Plan on travelling further to Indonesia around November 14th and I wanted to stay until end of December for backpacking (so extend Visa on Arrival in denpasar airport).
Now, the problem with the tickets as the airline can be difficult. I have a ticket to denpasar and I want to book my return ticket that exceeds 30 days. So they will probably stop me because I don´t have a 60day visa that I can show them beforehand? What are my options on this?
Oh and I have a return ticket HK-Brussels in January
It really depends on the airline. They may let you fly. I just took an Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur and they didn’t ask.
If they do, they’ll make you book a new ticket at the airport counter. You can either change your exit flight or book a short trip to a neighboring country. I’ve had to do this from my mobile phone once. Without a visa, that’s really your only option – if they check.
Hello Dino,
I hope you can give me some advice with my issue. I have bought a flight to indonesia for 3 months, and will get a 60 day visa beforehand, and i was planning to extend for 30 more days in indonesia. I just saw that my passport will expire 2 weeks before the required 6 months validation (for the extra 30 days). Do you know if they will give me an extension anyway, since i am already there and have a flight back? Thanks for your help!
Hi Noraly, they’re not supposed to issue an extension if your passport will expire within six months, but as it is Indoensia, they often miss things like that. They may not notice it. If it were me, I’d go ahead with my plans anyway, but have a backup plan if the extension is denied (a quick trip to Singapore for example). Of course, the first thing I’d try is getting a new passport, but I’m sure you’ve already considered that. Good luck.
Hi Dino, Thanks for this very clarifying website!
I have some remaining questions though;
– we are travelling by bike and will leave Indonesia with a boat to Malaysia or singapore; Hence we don’t need or will have a flight out of the country? Can we do the extension by explaining our travel itinary or do we need a (fake) ticket? In the latter case any website you can recommend?
– do you have experience or information of Singaraja? Is it possible to do visa extensions overthere and would it be the same procedure?
– with respect to the timing of the request, any idea whether we have a change of getting the extension starting the request already in our first week (now we are in denpensar)? Traveling by bike makes us a bit less flexible and immigration offices are scarse, maybe they understand?
Hi Lien, you do’t have to leave by plane, but if you can show them some proof that you are leaving through another port of entry/exit, that would help. It’s not so much the plane ticket they want to see as it is the proof of leaving. I would provide everything you can, itinerary, other bookings – anything that shows you out of the country. Ultimately it will be up to their discretion. it will also depend on the immigration officer you go to. Some of them don’t know the rules themselves, and instead of giving you the right answer, it’s easier for them just to say you can’t do it. If you don’t get a credible answer, ask to speak with the supervisor. Sometimes they are more willing to let it go than to involve a supervisor who will find out that their subordinate doesn’t know the rules. Just play it through.
I haven’t gone through the process in Singaraja, but most of the procedures in Bali are the same, though they will be different in other parts of Indonesia.
Again, you can try doing it early, but it would be against their normal procedure, which they don’t like doing here. Explain your situation and they might let you process it. Same as above: if you don’t get the answer you like, ask to speak to the supervisor.
Wish I had better answers for you.
Thanks a lot Dino for your clarifying response!
I AM PLANNING TO VISIT INDONESIA AND STAY THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
I AM PLANNING TO COME FOR 60 DAYS FIRST AND THEN GET THE MULTIPLE ENTRY 12 MONTHS BUSINESS VISA.
SO WHILE COMING SHOULD I TAKE THE $35 VISA FOR 30 DAYS?
I AM PLANNING TO EXTEND IT AFTER THE FIRST 30 DAYS
SHOULD I HAVE RETURN TICKET WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS OR I CAN HAVE ONE AT THE END OF 60 DAYS EXITING INDONESIA?
I AM PLANNING TO GO TO SINGAPORE FOR STAMPING THE VISA.
HAVE ANYONE DONE THIS BEFORE? (BECAUSE I HEARD IT EASIER THERE)
CAN I GO TO MALAYSIA FOR STAMPING THE VISA BECAUSE FLIGHT IS CHEAPER (I DONT HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS)
Hi Sam,
If you are staying for 60 days ( I assume 30 day, then another 30 day extension) then yes, pay the $35 VOA fee when you arrive.
Yes, have some kind of exit ticket. It doesn’t have to be a return, but you do need to show proof of leaving the country.
Either Singapore or Malaysia are fine to get your visa stamp. More people use Singapore so it will be easier that way.
Should I have the return ticket within the first 30 days period?
Hi Dino, Can you still get a 60 day visa by getting a sponsor’s letter and putting in an application at the consulate in a major city in Australia. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years but am confused about whether this is still the way to proceed.
Hi Fern, I’m not sure. As far as I know you can still do that. I really don’t know all the rules for the 60 day social visa as my blog post was meant to address the extension process for 30 day VOA. That said I have some relationships with kantor imigrasi and I haven’t heard of any new changes with the 60 day visa process. Wish I had a better answer for you.
Hello Dino,
Amazing post! I have been trying to find details on how to extend a 30 day VOA and by far, yours has been the best. In fact, it answers almost all my questions. I say almost because I have one question (though I think I read something similar in the comments but just clarifying
So, if I get a VOA ($35) and wish to extend in another 30 days, do I have to have an outward ticket from Indonesia dated within the first 30 days of VOA or can I book one for the actual day I will be flying out? I am visiting the country on 26th November and would spend the new years and leave on 21st Jan, 2018. So, can I book my tickets for 21st Jan and show the same if asked, or do I need one within the first 30 days from 26th Nov?
Thank you once again for your post and in advance for your guidance.
Thanks for the kind words.
As far as Indonesia Immigration is concerned, your ticket on the day you leave is fine because you need to show it when you go to extend your visa, not when you arrive. You need to leave before the end of your 30 day extension so if your ticket to leave is on Jan 21st, you’re within those 30 days.
However, please keep in mind that you may have a problem with the airline. They are not supposed to let you fly unless you either have a visa or an exit ticket within 30 days, complying with Indonesia’s visa laws. We increasingly been seeing problems with the airlines. I’ve run into a problem several times myself and have had mixed results. I’ve argued my way through it a few times, have confused the people at the check-in counter other times and on a couple other occasions have had to rebook a new ticket while at the check-in counter (…never want to fly Delta again).
You can tell them that you plan to extend your visa, but that doesn’t usually work. You can also try to give the airline a fake ticket, which I know a lot of people do. Keep in mind, sometimes they’ll verify your flight in the computer. Good luck.
Hello Dino,
I have my visa extension on process now in Nusa Dua immigration and they told that I can come to pick up my passport on Monday. Do you know if there is time limit that I should pick up my passport? I’m visiting Gili Air now would like to stay one week here and therefore pick up passport the week after. Do you think there is any problem with that? would not like to rush back to Bali just because of my passport.
Sure, you can pick it up later, but I probably wouldn’t wait longer than a week.
Hello, thankyou for all of your advice I have found it very helpful.. quick question – I am currently in Bali and have started the 30 day extension process. On my first trip to immigration their computer system was down (not surprising) and they are processing applications manually. The immigration officer asked me to come back and I do not think that she gave me a receipt. I cannot be sure as it was a tad chaotic with so many people waiting and I know she wrote the date for my return on her piece of paper in red folder. When i return is it sufficient to use my australian drivers license as identification as I do not have a receipt for my application? Thankyou
Hi Nicole, they definitely should have given you a receipt so go there with your Australian driver’s license as you suggested. Bring any other ID you have as a back up. Just tell them that in the confusion with the computer malfunction, you were never issued a receipt. It may take the a while, but they’ll dig it up. Be sure to get a receipt from them on your next visit.
Hi there 🙂
I have a question.
I will land in Bali on december 3rd.
I have a ticket to australia on the 9th of january.
So I have to extend my visa before the 3rd of january right ?
But is it enough to show my ticket out of Bali to australia on the 9th of january ? Since thats later than my first visa expires?
When I get the extension it will last 30 more days, but Im already leaving 6 days after the new visa, so will I be able to come back into Bali ?
Would you say I should do a visa run before the 3rd of january when my first visa expires? Or get it extended even when I leave 9 days after firma quick stop to australia.
Hope you understand my questions.
Thank you ! 🙂
Best Andrea
*firma – was meant to be a little quick stop
🙂
Hi Andrea, your ticket is fine. Immigration won’t ask for it when you arrive, only when you extend and since you’re leaving well within the 30 day extension period, it is enough to show your ticket out of Bali to australia on the 9th of january. You can come back to Bali, but your extension will no longer apply, which is fine because you’ll get another 30 days when you come back. Hope that helps.
thank you so much, you have been more help than anyone I asked. Thanks for your time to answer all these questions!
I did read that the airline wanted a return ticket, is the one on january 9th fine, or do they want one within the first 30 days ?
Thank you. The ticket you have on the 9th is good enough for Indonesian immigration, but if the airline asks, it may not be good enough. I’ve had luck arguing my way through it, but it’s really up to the person who checks you in at the airport. Sometimes they know the rules, sometimes they don’t and sometimes they don’t care.
I am planning to stay in Indonesia for a long time.
Are there any limits on how many times I can extend the VOA?
Even after traveling out of country multiple times?
No, currently there are no limits. I do it all the time, but that could change. Singapore is also starting to crack down on people flying in and flying right back out on visa runs from Indonesia.
What about Malaysia.
I am holding a multiple entry 1 year visa for Malaysia
IS THERE ANY PROBLEM IF I DO BUSINESS ACTIVITIES LIKE MEETINGS AND NETWORKING IN SOCIAL VISA
I AM PLANNING TO APPLY FOR 6 MONTHS SOCIAL VISA
Hi Hamsu, your question is beyond the scope of this blog post. You’ll have to speak to immigration or an agent. Good luck.
I went to the Denpasar office yesterday to start the process. I took a ticket and went to the counter to ask for an extension application, but they told me to sit down and wait until my number was called, and did not look very impressed. It only took about 5 minutes for my number to be called, then I got an application, filled it out, took another ticket, waited until called, submitted it, and got my receipt.
One tip: there are some fields to fill out on the front of the application folder. The questions are all in Indonesian and it looks kind of like it might be for the immigration officials to fill out, not you. However they did want me to fill these out as well. Some of the questions are the same as on the application inside the folder (which does have English), so you can figure out what some of the questions are asking by referring to the application inside. For the others I had to ask the person at the counter what they mean.
Right, it appears that with the building upgrades they are also trying to organize things so just going up to the counter doesn’t appear to work anymore. I will make an update to this post in the next month or two and will also include a translation of the fields that need to be filled out on the forms. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Dino,
Thank you so much for your post it was so usefull.
I have to extend my visa for another 30 days and I’d like to know if I can begin already the process ( I arrived yersterday) or I have to wait?
I paid in the airport the 30 visa so that’s not s problem.
And I’d like also to know if there are sny buses from ubud to get there? I think I should go to Depsnsar.
Thanks in advance,
Marina
Thanks, Marina and welcome to Bali. Immigration doesn’t normally like processing extensions more than two weeks out. They may turn you away and ask you to come back if you try. I don’t know the bus schedule, but i’m sure there is a bus that can get you there. You can also try the Go-Jek App. Go-Jek is really cheap if you don’t mind riding on the back of a motorbike.
since this website was a tremendous help for us in the Visa extension process, I want to give feedback on how it went for us in Kantor Imigrassi of Singaraya (north coast, close to lovina)
The whole process was as described in the guidelines of Dino, except for the fact that the whole process was only completed in one week time span (first day in, after two days photographs & payment and three working days later pickup, while the stamp in pasport is dated on ‘Days 2″. The time spent at the immigration office however was very limited since there was almost no waiting queue. Also we weren’t sent to different officiers for check & photographs & fingerprints. All was done by one officier in a very friendly way.
Thanks again Dino! we are ready for an additional month Indonesia!
Thanks Lien, looks like I’ll have to try this in Lovina next time.
Hello Dino! Thank you for all the information, it´s very usefull! But I´m still having two more questions:
1. My Visa expires 16/ Dec. If I start the procedure on 8th of December (friday), It counts saturday (9th Dec..) and sunday (10th Dec.) for all the procedure? Or its better to start 11st of December?
2. Could I bring my photos, I´ve already take it, or they have to do it in the inmigritaion office. I mean, are some official pictures?
Thank you in advance! 🙂
Hi Ana,
1. To be safe, I would start on the 6th or 7th of December.
2. You can’t use your own photos. They have their own procedure for taking photos and fingerprinting. It’s pretty streamlined so you don’t save any more time or money by bringing your own.
Hope that helps. All the best.
Hi Dino,
Great site. Seeking some advice. I’m currently in Canngu, Bali and am booked to fly back to Australia on Friday. My total stay was supposed to be 28 days hence why I did not apply for a Visa.
My flight home is now at risk of being cancellled/delayed due to volcanic ash cloud. If it is delayed, this may push me over the 30 day mark. Do you know how this would be viewed by immigration and would you mind advising what you believe to be the best course of action?
Appreciate your support.
Hi Marcus, the official policy of immigration is that if the overstay was caused by a closure of the airport or if all flights in and out have been cancelled, then everyone gets a pass. You will not be charged an overstay fee. You don’t have to do anything.
If your overstay is due to an airline shut down or cancelled flight, you have to get a letter from the airline.
Hi Dino, thanks for your work on the site. When I arrived in Bali on Nov 7th I got the $35 VOA so I could extend. Later I booked a flight to Cambodia to visit a friend on December 8th. I figured I wouldn’t have to renew my visa, but my math is one day off. If I don’t do the renew process and just show up to fly out on the 8th will I be ok and just have to pay 350,000 IDR (which will be about the cost of the renew process and less time), or will I be in some sort of trouble? If so I will go thru the renew process, if it’s just the money for one day I’ll save myself the 3 trips to the immigration office. Any thoughts or recommendations are appreciated. Thanks
Hi Matt, that’s exactly what I would do. Just go to the airport and pay the fine. I think you’ll have to pay for two days, though. Remember to count the day you arrive and the day you leave in that 30 days total. Even so, I’d still just pay the fine if it were me. With all the volcano activity, they may give you a pass on the overstay.
Hi Dino, Thanks heaps for your advice, far better than flight centre for sure. Only 1 issue is the 3rd form that I downloaded from your site, it is in Indonesian, is that for us to complete or immigration.
Also a suggestion for you, this would be fabulous in print format for us oldies that do not trust internet, love to have paper copies
Thanks Deb. The part in Indonesian is for them. I was just informed by another traveler that immigration wasn’t accepting downloaded forms. She had to use a form given to her from them…just want to give you a heads up on that.
When you get to the first counter, they’ll give you the forms and the red folder (or pink).
Have just received an email from Flight Centre advising that VoA is no longer available for 30 day extra stay. Can someone clarify.
HI Dino,
Thanks for your excellent info on this site. Not sure if you can advise me regarding my situation. I arrived into Bali 8th Nov & have a flight out to India 7th Dec then back into Bali 16th Dec then flying to Australia 19th Dec. I did not apply for the VOA upon arrival because I wasn’t planning on staying more than 30 days. Now of course due to the Mt Agung situation, Air Asia will possibly cancel our flights which will mean I won’t be covered by any visa from 7th Dec to 19th Dec. As I didn’t apply for the VOA upon arrival I understand I cannot apply for a visa extension. Does this mean that I must fly out somewhere asap after 7th Dec regardless?? No point in going to India if we cant get there on the 8th Dec coz we are booked into an ashram meditation retreat and must be there 8th Dec. Any advise would be greatly appreciated Dino. Thanks
Hi Christine, you don’t need to get an extension if your flight was cancelled due to the volcano. Check the top comment in the comments section and you’ll see the procedures for cancelled flights. I also believe there is an immigration office on the second floor of the airport that might be able to help you.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions regarding overstaying your visa due to the volcano and airport closure.
The official policy of immigration is that if the overstay was caused by a closure of the airport or if all flights in and out have been cancelled, then everyone gets a pass. You will not be charged an overstay fee. You don’t have to do anything. When at the airport, just proceed to immigration and your gate as you normally would.
If your overstay is due to an airline shut down or cancelled flight, you have to get a letter from the airline.
From other sources: To prevent visa overstay or if you wish to exit the country using alternative airports, the Indonesian immigration service is also standing by at the Airline Command Post on the 2nd Floor, International Terminal of the Ngurah Rai International Airport to provide further assistance.
If you need further information regarding your flights schedule or travel option, please call Mt Agung Command Post at Ngurah Rai International Airport: (0361) 9351011 ext:6300.
For further information and updates regarding Mt. Agung situation please go to: http://www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/agung
International Airlines Contact Centre
1. Singapore Airlines: +6221 5507130 Ext. 32
2. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: +6221 29272222
3. Etihad Airways: +6221 5202268
4. Emirates: +6221 29345555
5. Air Asia: (0361) 760116, 755799
6. Qantas Airlines: (0361) 288331, 288333, 289280, 751472
7. Malaysian Airlines: (0361) 288511, 288716
8. Thai Airways Int Ltd: (0361) 288141, 288063
9. Lufthansa: (0361) 287069 ext 1312, 1311
10. China Airlines: (0361) 287840 ext 1107
11. Korean Air: (0361) 288511, 289402
12. Royal Brunei Airlines: (0361) 72618, 72619
13. Cathay Pacific Airways: (0361) 286001
14. British Airways: (0361) 288511
15. Air France: (0361) 755523
Hi Dino. Really great info. We are looking at two month stay from Australia next year to see if we might like to do a later semi retirement thing in Bali. Would you think getting a 60 day visa upfront would be better than the 30 day then extension option?
Hi Steve, yes. I did that from the US a couple years ago and it was easier than getting the 30 day extension here, but I had a sponsor in Indonesia already. If you don’t have one, you can still get the visa, but I’m not sure of the procedure. You’ll have to get in touch with the local consulate and ask them. Wish I could be more help.
Hello Dino, I arrived in Bali on 15.11. and leave in 19.12. I didnt make my visa and Im ready to pay penalty for each day. Do you know if is 350k or 1 million. Some people told me that is 350 and others 1 mil.. Thank you for you time and iformation.
Hi Jiri, last I checked it was IDR 300,000 per day, but it may have increased to IDR 350,000. haven’t overstayed in a long time so I’m not sure, but I know it’s not 1 mil.
Great blog post Dino, really helpful. Currently on Flores as I write and flying to Denpasar (Agung permitting) to spend Christmas/New Year in Bali on the 18th December.
Do you have any information on what days are holidays over the the Christmas/new year period – or know where I could find this? With Indonesia being a majority Islamic country I was wondering if they shut at all around this time of year – or maybe only for New Year?
We arrive in Bali on 18th December in the afternoon – and were hoping to start the process first thing the next day. (With any luck and some British ultra-politeness, I was going to ask if there is any chance – pretty pretty please with a cherry on top – whether they could have it finished before we go up to Ubud on Friday evening!).
Any info you know (or links) would be greatly appreciated.
Christmas and New Years are national holidays in Indonesia. I wouldn’t expect the offices to be closed any other business days than those, but sometimes they close early the day before. With fewer people in Indonesia because of the volcano, you may be able to get your passports back in time before you go to Ubud. Good luck!
Hi
Do you know approximately the length of time it will take for the whole process of applying for the extension and then waiting to come back for photos and then waiting again to come back to get your visa and passport?
Also do you know if you have to have completed this process before your visa runs out? For example if a 60 day visa was to run out on the 23rd and you started the process on say the 17th, however you still hadn’t received it back by the 23rd would this count as overstaying your visa even though you were in the process of re-applying?
Thank you!
Approximate time for extension is about 7-8 business days. If your visa runs out before the extension is completed, you usually won’t get fined. It’s happened to me a few times. The exception may be if you wait too long before you start the process. If you start the day before it expires, for example, expect to pay a fine. Hope that helps.
Hi Dino!
I arrive in Bali for a 5 day period, leave to go to Thailand and return 3 weeks later. Does my time in Thailand count towards my 30 days, or does it stop when I leave Thailand and resume when I enter Bali?
Hi Lauren,
I’m assuming you are coming in visa free. In that case, you get to stay for 30 days without a visa, but if you leave, say after 5 days, it all ends and when you come back in, you start fresh and get another 30 days. So if you’re here for 5 days, just come visa free. When you return, you can decide to enter visa free (if your stay is 30 days or less) or VOA if you plan to extend for an additional 30. Hope that helps.
Hello All,
We just completed our 30 day extension at Denpasar. It took about 7 days, entirely. The first day, they took our passport photocopies and return one set of duplicates (at the counter). SO THEY WANTED ONLY JUST 1 COPY of the passport and visa page and return flight reservation. Extras were returned.
There was a big standup poster near the counter about an online process to do the visa application. It stated all applications must be done on-line after Oct 2017 (I’m not 100% sure of date, but the date was prior to December 2017). Of course, the application room was full of foreigners doing the application the old-fashioned way…
Hi I came to Semarang on 17.12.2017 and wants to apply for work permit for 1 year Can you suggest what will be the best and cheapest way to do it. Also my friend wants to come here so can he get 60 days visa from India to Semarang ?
Hi Udit, I can’t really speak to the process for a work permit. You can get a 1 year business visa, but that just allows you to work here on your own or to consult for a local company. For example, a consultant, a blogger or digital nomad who has clients throughout the world. It doesn’t allow you to work at a hotel or other business while here. You would also be required to leave every 60 days and re-enter.
To get a work permit, your friend should first find a company to work for and have them arrange the work permit.
Getting a 60 social day visa is easier, but your friend will need to get it from the local Indonesian consulate in his country. It may also require a local sponsor. I wish I could be better help to you. Good luck!
Hi Dino
Awsome blogg filled with good information. But I still have one question. Iam planning to visit Bali and get visa on arrival and extend with 30 days. My return ticket, does it have to be within 30 days of arrival or can it be within 30-60 days after arrival since Iam planning to extend? Or will they not let me enter the country since it isnt sure if they will give me 30 days extension?
Thanks Rebaz, very good question. For immigration, you need to show a ticket within 30 days from the date you extend so getting it within 60 days from when you first arrive is good enough for them; however, your airline may be the problem. The airlines are increasingly checking tickets to make sure they comply with visa regulations. A Visa on Arrival is not good for more than 30 days so your airline may require a return ticket when you check in within those first 30 days. I had this problem twice when I left my home country in the US (once with Delta and once with China Southern). The fact that you plan on extending your visa may not be good enough because an extension is never guaranteed (although I have never heard of anyone getting denied).
It truly sucks, but it has become a big issue with the airlines lately. Some flight attendants check and some don’t. Some don’t even know what they’re looking for, but they’ve been told to check so in some cases you can argue your way through, but it’s a real hassle. Last time I flew with Air Asia, I had no problem. Good luck!
Thank you for the reply Dino, I will also fly with Airasia. Lets hope they let me in 🙂
Hi Dino
My friend called the Indonesia embassy in Sweden asking the same question for me. They said that I have to have a return ticket within 30 days or arrival since I dont have the 30 days extension. So iam wondering isnt it easier to just get free visa (30days) when I arrive, leave the country with a cheap flight to Singapore. Explore the country for a couple of days and then travel back to Bali and get free visa again for another 30 days? This way I dont need to worry about getting a Visa and extension in Bali?
Kind regards
Yes, that’s a great idea.
Thanks for this article, really useful. I arrived on 4th December with a VOA and have been living in Canggu ever since, planning on going to the immigration office this week to get the extension and follow the steps you suggested. I already have a flight from Jakarta to Singapore booked for 6th January, which I probably wont use as I wont to stay longer. If I take a photocopy of that flight with me to the office will they only extend my visa up to the date of my flight (the 6th) or is it always extended 30 days from the date of expiry of the VOA, regardess of when you apply fr the extension and regardless of the date of the flight. I can change the flight for a charge but im not sure when I need to be in Singapore yet so would rather just give the immigration office my existing flight details to save me re booking and then potentially rebooking again.
Thank you
My extension has always been good for 30 days, regardless of the date of my flight, but your flight is so soon after you extend, they may not accept it. I honestly don’t know because my flights have always been on or about the 30 day limit of the extension. Wish I had a better answer for you.
I plan on a VOA and extending. I understand I may only extend once for a 60 day visit. How long do I have to leave the country before I can enter again on a standard visa-on-arrival after that
Hi Jacob. There is no time limit. You can leave and enter the same day. I do it all the time. Make sure you get your passport stamped going in and out. Don’t just go to the next terminal and head back. Also be careful at immigration if you go to Singapore. Don’t tell them you’re on a visa run.
thanks a bunch!
Good afternoon, With the forms completed and signed for the 30 day extension visa . Can I take 5 in for my family members without their presence on the 1st day and then can I collect with their receipts on the last day.
I know they will all have to go for fingerprints and photos.
Thanks
Annette
Hi Annette, so sorry for the late reply. Yes, you can take all the forms in for your family members. The others only have to show for photos and fingerprints (second visit) as you have indicated. Good luck!
Hi im currently in Indonesia arrived (5th December) I plan to be here till the 16th January I entered on the no visa 30 day and plan to travel to England with .u girlfriend on the 16th January IV booked a ticket to Singapore for the 3rd of January and my return ticket back to Indonesia for the same day will this be a problem ? And what should I do when I arrive in Singapore
Steven, according to my count, you’re exactly at 30 days so it should not be a problem. When you get to Singapore, make sure you go through Singapore immigration. Don’t just go to your next gate. You need to get your passport stamped. They may notice your short stay and ask why you are coming to Singapore. Do not tell them you are on a visa run. Say anything else; meeting, shopping, etc.
I usually take the train (the MRT in Singapore is super easy) to a mall and buy something for my girlfriend or eat at one of my favorite restaurants.
Anyway, just come back in through immigration again as you leave. Be sure to have a copy of your ticket to England (digital is fine) for the airlines. Depending on the airline they may ask proof that you are not staying in Bali for more than 30 days. Enter back in Bali Visa Free. That’s it. Good luck.
Ok Thanks for replying so fast iv been reading alot of stuff people saying if you do it in same day you could be deported ect if I do come across an immigration officer who doesnt buy my story to going shopping or having a meeting as my flight is 3/4 hours after I arrive in Singapore what will happen
Yea, 3-4 hours is not long so you do run a bit of a risk, but you can also say that you are meeting a friend or business associate at the airport. That is not unusual, just have a believable story. I do one day visa runs all the time, but I usually arrive in the morning and leave late afternoon so a 2 hour meeting is believable.
You can tell them you need to by something from the Apple store. As far as they know, there are no certified Apple stores in Bali so you had to come to Singapore to buy a specific part. But if they ask to see the part….hmmm.
I just changed my flight to Singapore so I arrive at 14:00 instead of 18:00 and leaving at 21:55 do it gives me 7 hours now instead so should be more realistic. Thank you
Great info! Thank you! Question-I paid for voa, but am late beginning the extension process. Appears it will be cheaper (and less hassle) to just do a day trip to K.L. Get new visa on return to Bali. Would there be any problems with not extending my current visa and just doing a run for renewal instead? I wouldn’t think they’d notice or care, but you seem to have this down so figured I’d ask. Appreciate your time!
Hi John, sorry for the late reply – especially since it seems your question was a bit urgent – the holidays…
Yes, depending on how late you started the process, you can just go to Singapore or KL. They don’t care, as long as you leave the country. It’s certainly more expensive that way, but it avoids the hassle of immigration.
Hi,
Upon arrival to the airport you cannot extend your visa here, they send you to jimbaran
Wow, Dino, you do an incredible job of answering so many questions in these comments. I read down a bit and notice that in December 2017 folks are still able to extend these visas on arrival. However, just five days ago I spoke on the phone with the Indonesian embassy in Ankara. The women told me that the visas on arrival are definitely not extendable, not for Turkish passport holders (my wife), not for US passport holders (me). She was very clear on this point. What I read online and on your website contradicts this. Can you comment?
Bryan
Hi Bryan, thanks for the kind words. Not sure what she was talking about, but for US passport holders, we’re still doing extensions here. I’m pretty sure Turkish citizens can as well. I’m a US citizen and will be going in to extend mine on Monday. I have a VOA. Did she give you a reason? Previously, I was on a one year business visa and was not able to extend that, but know VOA and social visa are still extendable.
It’s pretty common for policies to be inconsistent among Indonesians, depending on which immigration officer you talk to, but that’s a big one. Sometimes they just don’t want to admit they don’t know something so they give you the safest answer. She’s just wrong, or misunderstood you.
I am a Philippine passport holder and wish to voluntarily pay $35 voa. Upon arriving at the airport I was advised by the immigration officer I dont have the option to pay $35. For asean countries it needs to be processed in our home country. The only visa I can get is voa for free. If I wish to stay longer, I need to apply other types of visa in my home country. I arrived at bandung airport in west java. How accurate is this? Please help. Thanks.
Hi Grace, sorry for the late reply, but I needed to confirm this information with my contacts at Kantor Imigrasi. That is correct, members of ASEAN countries cannot apply for a VOA at the airport. You can only enter visa free, which means you’re limited to 30 days. If you wish to stay longer, you must arrange it in your home country before you leave.
Hi there,
When I fly into Bali and want to PAY for the visa on arrival where do I go at the airport?
Once you arrive, you just follow the signs to the immigration counter. There is no other way to go. Before you get there on your left will be the counter for Visa on Arrival. It will likely be pretty empty, maybe one or two people in line. There are big signs so you can’t miss it.
Hi there,
Where is the immigration counter at the airport? Ill be flying in from Vietnam
Hi Dino! What a great post! I notice a very recent comment above regarding a sign at Denpasar immigration for applications online from Dec 2017, which would save at least one long drive to Denpasar! I’ve googled my heart out but can’t find an online application, do you know anything about it?
Yes, very good question. I’ll be adding it to my update. I’ve only briefly reviewed the site and it’s simple, terribly designed (as a web designer myself) and unintuitive, but I guess it’s my job to figure it out for everyone. Maybe my next post will be a tutorial on how to submit online applications. Here it is: https://izintinggal.imigrasi.go.id/IT-online/
If you use it, check back to let us know how it went. Good luck!
Hi Dino, thanks for the great post and I have a quick question. I’ll be arriving in Denpasar with my wife and 2 daughters early March and plan on staying on different islands for close to 60 days. When I visit the visa extension office on day 1 can I fill out all the forms on their behalf, so long as I have their passports, passport photos and departure plane tickets, or will they need to be present as well for each of the 3 visits? Appreciate your help and Cheers, Doug
HI Doug, they don’t need to be present on the first day, but they will need to go the second day to get their pictures and fingerprints. So you can go days 1 and 3, but they’ll need to be with you on day 2. Hope that helps.
Hello Dino – super helpful article, just what I needed. I have 8 days left for my children’s VOA “day 30″, and had no idea the extension process can take up to two weeks. In your insert about how to count the 30 days you write ” You must leave or extend by that 30th day”; does that mean as long as I have started the process (day 1) asap , tomorrow basically, but actually physically getting the newly extended passports back goes over the 30 days by a day or so, we are still ok? Thank you so much for your help.
Well, it’s really up to them. If you start a week before you’re visa expires and you get it back after the 30 days, you’ll likely be ok and not have to pay any fines; however, if you start only one day before it expires, they’ll tell you that you started too late and make you pay a few days for overstay. I’ve found that it’s a bit subjective, but I’ve often gotten my visa back late without paying any fines.
Another question Dino – can I do day 1 for the children by myself, and only bring them in for day 2 photo / fingerprinting, or do I need to bring them in for each of the 3 visits? Thank you!
Yes, the kids only need to go on day 2 to take photos and fingerprints. All other days you can go on their behalf.
Thank you Dino superstar.
Hi Dino
Thanks for the great post. I will be staying with my partner and 3 children for just under 90 days…so will be applying for a social cultural visa. Do you know whether the sponsor has to attend the extension process at immigration? Our friend is in Denpasar that will sponsor, but at the time of needing to extend the visa, we will most likely be in Lovina, possibly Amed. Also, can I put the extension in for my partner too, or do all the adults have to attend on day 1, then bring the kids day 2.
Cheers
Anna-Lisa
Hi Dino
Disregard the bit about my partner and kids coming day1 and 3, just found the answer below…but info regarding the sponsor (if you have it) would be appreciated.
Hi Anna-Lisa, since your question is a bit outside the scope of my article, I’ll try to answer as best I can. When I extended my 60 day social visa, my sponsor had to attend. They want to make sure the person is real and is compliant so for a 90 day cultural visa, it is likely you’ll have the same requirement.
I know kids and immediate family members do not need to go to all the appointments, but they look at this pretty closely. If they have the same last name, it will not be a problem. If the name is different, chances are, each person will need to attend each appointment. Hope that helps.
Hi Dino,
Thanks for the great post. Quick one, I am italian and I was planning to stay 30days in bali for a yoga course. Now I am hoping to extend 2more days. So in total, I would be staying 32 days in bali. ( I am already in bali) Do you think it is possible to pay for the 2 extra days at the airport? How does it work? Thanks a lot in advance
Hi Elisabetta, that’s probably easier than going through the whole extension process for just 2 days. You could also apply for a 60 day social visa at the Indonesian consulate in Italy. I’ve over-stayed 3 days once and it wasn’t a problem. It’s pretty routine. Passing through immigration at the airport, the officer will take you to a side office where they will explain the overstay and show you how much you owe. Make sure you allow yourself enough time at the airport and have enough cash with you. I believe it’s still IDR 300,000 per day. Good luck!
Hi. I’m applying for a job there. My 25 year old son would need to accompany me. He will doing on line college classes, not working. What do you recommend for our situation?
Thanks,
Star
That’s a little beyond my expertise. I would suggest asking your company if they can sponsor your son as well as you if you get the job. That’s probably not likely, though. If not, he can try applying for a social visa at the Indonesian consulate in your home country. The length of time is up to the immigration office. You can also check with some of the visa agents in Bali. You can try the guys at http://balibusinessconsulting.com/.
Thanks for info. I’m Australian. I paid for my visa on arrival and will go get a 30 day extension. All good so far. Now, the concern is that I haven’t booked a return flight as yet. I’m not sure of my departure date within the 30-60 day period. Will they will issue the extension? FYI. I’m building a Villa here, so my dates are flexible depending on the build / what’s needed.
Hi Chris, they won’t grant you an extension without a return ticket or some proof that you will leave before the end of the extension period. There are ways around that, which I can’t get into on a public blog post, but if you do some digging you can find some of the creative alternatives others have come up with.
Thanks mate.
Hello Dino,
I forgot to do my visa extensions in time and’ I am leaving in less than 2 days. I arrived the 16th dec 2017 so I have a more’ or less 2 weeks’ overstay. What do you think I should do ?
Thanks a lot
I don’t think they’ll do anything other than make you pay a really hefty fine at IDR 300,000 a day, but you might want to contact the immigration office rather than wait until you’re at the airport. You don’t want any bureaucracy to cause you to miss your flight out. Overstaying a few days is common, but two weeks may be a bigger deal, but I think as long as you’re willing to pay the fee, you should be alright.
Keep in mind that if you’re here Visa Free, it will be a bigger deal. In that case, I’d contact someone locally to get some help. I’d start with a reputable visa agent. Don’t trust anyone, make sure they’re legit. Good luck.
Hi Dino, thank you for the really elaborate article!
Just one question, what would you recommend me to do if I want to stay for 120 days in Indonesia? In this case when do you think I should do a visa run?
Thank you so much!
Hi Hilda, I would first try to get a social visa for that amount of time at the Indonesian consulate in your home country. Keep in mind, you’ll need a local sponsor. If that doesn’t work, I would come here on VOA and just extend, then fly out, rinse and repeat, just as I outline in the article. Good luck!
What kind of copy of you flight information do they need? A printed out confirmation, or can you show them an email with an exit date?
If you have a flight, you can download the confirmation. They need to make sure it’s legitimate so an email should be ok if it’s got flight number, date, time and confirmation number, all other details.
Ok, do they need it printed out? If I don’t have a flight yet, is that a problem?
To extend your visa, you need a printed copy. I don’t think they verify that it’s real or confirmed.
Wow! This article is perfect!!! Exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much for taking the time to write this down. Quick question, I “rented” a ticket on bestonwardticket (rent a ticket for visa purposes for 15usd$) for when I arrived in Bali. The ticket was valid for 48 hours and now it isn’t anymore, but I still have the confirmation email with the flight number, reservation number, date and name. Do you know if they check the validity of the ticket?
Thanks!
Last I heard they did not verify tickets at immigration, but that was a while ago. I really don’t think they have enough manpower to verify each ticket, but they could spot check. Have also not heard of anyone getting denied for using one of those ticket services. I always have a real ticket since I travel so much anyway. Keep in mind, when flying to another country, the airlines are supposed to check to see if your ticket matches the visa requirements of the country you are flying to. Sometimes they will verify. Wish a I had a more clear answer for you.
Hi Dino,
Im planning a trip to Bali (Im from Sweden), but I’m not sure how long I want to stay. If I do get a free 30-day visa(that is not allowed to extend) and if I leave to explore som other countries how long until I can return to Bali again? Is it I time period that you have to stay away? Maybe it is explained somewhere but I couldn’t find it!
Thanks a lot!
Hi Alexandra, there is no time period that you have to be away. All you need is a stamp on your passport that shows you left and entered another country. I’ve left in the morning to Singapore and have come back that same afternoon.
hello Dino
am in Indonesia .with free visa entry. now I want to get 1 year Indonesia visa .my agent said can apply by express . I saw a stamp of visa exemption.
is it possible to get one year here in Indonesia . thanks
I don’t know what Express is, but it just sounds like they try to get your visa to you sooner for a fee. Depending on your country, a one year visa is certainly available, but you’ll need to get approval from an Indonesian consulate outside of Indoenesia, which means you’ll need to leave the country for at least a day.
Hey Dino,
You did an amazing job with this article. Thank you.
Do you know if the VOA extension process is similar to the one in Jakarta? I know I’ll be staying in Jakarta for around 40 days.
Thank you, Kenneth. The process at each location should be the similar, but sometimes they are not. I’ve only done this in Bali, but others have told me there are slight differences. I’m not sure how Jakarta differs from Bali. Good luck!
Hello sir like to know can a Ghanaian with ghana passport travel to Indonesia without visa if no what next because there is no Indonesia embassy in Ghana West Africa to apply for visa application in case l need to applied thanks
Yes, Ghana is among the countries whose citizens can enter visa free.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Indonesia
Have to go back tomorrow which is a Friday. Surely it opens at 9am, and not 8 like it says on the website? Have to visit the Ngurah Rai office, as I live in canggu. I’m in. Phase 2, which is pretty quick eh?
I have to go to Ngurah Rai office, as I live in Canggu. Does that open at 8 or 9 on fridays? And the second phase is pretty quick eh? Just the picture?
Suk sama! ????????
Hi Garrett, not sure of the hours at the other offices other than what’s posted on the website, but I think you’re right. They likely open up at 9. If the photo machine is working like it’s supposed to, you should be able to get in and out fairly quickly, but it breaks down a lot. I’ve been there almost a full day due to it malfunctioning. Good luck.
Hi! Thanks for your great tips, really helpful!!
I’m going to be in Bali for 5 weeks in a few months and I’m considering getting the VOA but then not extending it. 30 days are allowed so I will be overstaying for 7 days and I don’t wanna spend 3 of those in immigration offices. I know this means I have to pay a fine, like 150€ I guess, but do you reckon I will have any problem doing this?
Hmm, a few days is usually not a problem and I assume 7 won’t be either, though I’ve never overstayed that long. I don’t recommend it, but my guess is that as long as you are willing to pay 7 days in overstay fees, you will be fine. You can probably get a flight to Singapore for the amount you will pay in fees.
Thank you for the very helpful article.
One quick question I have is can be is can I come on a free visa (not VOA) and then do a 5-7 day trip to Australia, or maybe Vietnam (have various real travel scenarios) and then come back for another 30 day free visa? Technically a “visa run” so I wanted to be sure that the free 30 day being gotten twice would not be critized vs two 30 day VOA. The extension process seems complicated albiet well explained by you, so I really wanna try and avoid it. Thank you!!
Oh sorry, but also wanted to ask if I need a departure ticket dated within 30 days if I get a free 30 day visa?
Also if you get a paid VOA do you need a plane ticket showing you will leave within 30 days, 60 days, or not at all? Only when you go to extend?
The only time immigration needs to see a departing ticket is when you extend. They don’t ask for it when you arrive; however, your airline may.
Hum… Actually, we took the plane the 9th of february 2018 and they ask us departing ticket when we wanted to check in…
Yes, I mention in my post above to be aware of this. Some airlines are now asking to see proof of exit to comply with visa regulations. if you don’t have a visa to stay longer, you need to have a departure ticket within 30 days of arrival or they might not let you fly.
Yes, you can do that as many times as you want.
Hi!
Is it possible to begin the process sooner than 2 weeks out? I arrived on Feb 2nd and was hoping to go to the visa office this Monday the 12th. Would they allow us to start the extension process?
They may turn you away and ask you to come back if you try to extend too early. Their rule is no sooner than two weeks, but like so many things in Indonesia, it depends on the person at the counter who will give you the application forms (your first day).
Hi, just coming back from Denpasar Immigration. First step done. We followed exactly your advised and all went perfect. even paid at the orange truck, exactly as you recommend. Thank you so much for the time you took writing all this so clearly. Immigration should also thank you. For sure, they have less information to give because of you ! Thanks again !
Wow Jean-Francois, thank you for the kind words!
Hey Dino,
On my receipt it says to come back at 2-3 pm. Can I go earlier in the morning to get it done, or do I need to wait on it?
Nothing wrong with trying, but they may ask you to come back.
Hey Dino,
I’m on day 3 and it says on my receipt to come at 2-3pm, but do I have to wait or can I get it done first thing in the morning?
Thanks,
Garrett
Hi Dino, I just finished getting my visa extended and I just wanted to say thank you so much for the help!! It definetly wouldn’t have been as easy without this article 🙂
Thanks you, Sarah!
Hi Dino, is it possible to extend to 60 days on arrival at the airport?
Simply put, no. You can’t do anything on arrival except purchase a VOA. Also, you cannot extend for 60 days, only 30 beyond your original 30. I think that’s what you meant, but just want to be clear.
Hello Mr. Dino This will be my first time flying by myself so I’m just quite nervous and I just need to ask a question regarding staying over 30 days in Indonesia. so my flight to Indonesia is on 27th of Feb and my departure ticket is on 2nd of April, obviously base on my arrival and departure date I’ll be staying over 30 days in the country but Me and my girlfriend in Indonesia also bought tickets to Japan within my arrival date and departure date in Indonesia. I will be staying in Japan for 2 weeks starting on 15th of March. so I won’t be spending more than 30 days in Indonesia. but I’m just worried that the day I fly to Indonesia, at the check-in counter, they will check my arrival date(27th of Feb) and departure date(2nd of April) which is over 30 days. they won’t grant me to 30 days free visa thingy and ask for my visa and since I don’t have visa I will get rejected? can I tell them that I have bought a ticket to japan within my arrival and departure date in Indonesia? can I use that reason so they will approve it? Thank you I hope to hear from you ASAP as I will have to depart in 1 week.
Timothy, good question. The short answer is yes, you can do it the way you suggested. As long as you are leaving Indonesia during that time, you’ll be fine. A couple things to remember… Indonesia will not ask you for your departure ticket upon arrival so no need to worry about them at all. The airline, however, may not let you fly because you are staying over 30 days and don’t have a visa. If they bring this up when you check in at the airport in your home country, just show them a copy of your ticket to Japan and you’ll be fine. To them, it will be considered 2 separate trips to Indonesia, both complying with 30-day visa requirements. Hope that helps. Good luck.
Thank you so much for this. I feel better now haha. THANKS A LOT MR. DINO God Bless you!
Hi Dino,
Thank you for you’re post!
I’m travelling from Canada. and my stay is over by one day, (in which I would just pay for the day), but i mighactually change my ticket prior to leaving Canada and stay for an extra month. Would it be better to apply for visa from Canada or just do a VOA?
Thank you,
Warmest regards,
Sandrine
Hi Sandrine. Yes, try to apply for a 60 day visa at the consulate in Canada first. You’ll need an Indonesian sponsor. If not that, then you can fly here for 30 days and extend a VOA or do a visa run for the second month.
Thanks for the info!
My original visa was for 60 days which I got in USA. It is good til March 2nd. I’m leaving to Singapore at 10:45pm on March 1st arriving in Singapore at 1:45am. Then returning same morning at 5:20am on March 2nd. My question is , Is this long enough of a stay before I return to Denpasar and get 30 day free visa. I will bring my return flight information that shows I’m returning to USA on March 26th just in case. Have you also heard any more rumors of being detained in Singapore for the purpose of visa runs?
Hi Gerry, that’s enough time for the visa as long as you get your passport stamped in Singapore, but I’d be concerned about Singapore immigration. If it were a day trip, it would be easy to just say that you are meeting someone, but since your stay is in the middle of the night, it may be a little harder. You just need to come up with a believable story why you are there, other than a visa run.
Hi Dino. Thanks for all the answers! By your answer to Gerry, i can see that the visarun from Bali to Singapore is a bad idea to tell about? I have to go to a visa office in Singapore to get visa to 30 days in Bali or do I just have to be in the country for a day or more and then i get the visa in Balis airport when I get back to Bali?
For the visa run, you don’t need to do anything other than have your passport stamped in Singapore (or any other country). Singapore immigration has nothing to do with it. You can do it in one day without even leaving the Singapore airport. Just make sure you go through the immigration counter and get your passport stamped with a Singapore visa so it is clear you entered the country. You can walk over to departures and check in to your flight back to Bali. Good luck.
Please sir I’m an Ivory coast passport Holder, I want to come to Indonesia I need a visa on arrival so I can Extend my stay after 30 days, what is required from me to Achieve the visa Extension?
Please peruse the post. You’ll find everything you need in it.
Hello,
I have a VOA and just came across this article; I had no idea I needed to allot 7 working days to complete the process. I heard it was a 3 day process. The reason this is an issue for me is because I arrived on Jan 30th 2018, and I am planning on going to the Denpasar immigration office tomorrow (Feb 27th. 2018). If I’m doing my math correctly, my visa will expire on March 1st, 2018 which means it will expire during the renewal process (even though I am starting the process BEFORE it expires). Has anyone else ran into this issue? What are the ramifications? Is it possible to pay for an expedited renewal process? My intention is to act in accordance with their immigration laws and not overstay my welcome, however, I must have received misinformation that has now put me in this position. Any advice would be immensely appreciated!
Thanks!
JP
Well, it is a 3-day process, sort of. You need to visit on 3 separate days, but they need time in between those days to process your paperwork.
It won’t be a big problem for immigration as your situation is quite common, but they may have you pay a few days for the overstay. They may also over look the fee. That has happened to me once. I started too late, but because the photo machine broke down, putting everyone behind a few days, they just assumed the delay was their fault and gave us all a pass. Happens a lot. I wouldn’t sweat it too much. The only thing you can do at this point is start the process as soon as possible. Good luck.
Just got my passport back with my new 30 day visa! They didnt seem to care that my first visa was due to expire during the renewal process. Given the fact that it took 9 days to complete the entire process and get my passport back, I’m sure that the majority of vistor’s first visa expire during the process. Just glad it went smoothly. Beats the heck out of flying out and back into the country.
As long as u apply for the extend before your visa expires nothing happens. Even you submit on the last day its fine. The only problem is that if there is a problem with the extension you already overstay but otherwise you wouldn’t have to pay a fee. I often did it on the last day and nothing happened stayed here for 6 years already.
Hi Dino,
So I have booked a flight from Aus to Bali on the 18th of April, and returning 5 weeks later, what am I suppose to do if my airlines rejects me because my flight home is not within the free 30 days? Do I just explain to them that I am paying for and extending my visa once in Bali? Is there anything I can do in Aus that will show to them I am extending my visa to 60 days?
Good question Chelsea. A few years ago I had a ticket with a return flight about 10 months after arrival. At check-in on my day of departure, Delta Airlines made me change my return ticket to 30 days. I tried to fight it, but they wouldn’t give and I almost missed my flight. When I got to Bali, I changed it back, but that cost me US $100 each time I changed it.
Sometimes you can argue your way through it. After all, you’re a customer so they may back down. Another option is to use a service that prints you a return ticket for a small fee, usually about $20. It may be a real flight that is alter cancelled or it may just be a bogus itinerary. It works, but obviously I can’t recommend any of those services. You’ll just have to search them on your own.
Doesn’t it suck that the airlines choose to verify your visa at check-in (after you’ve given them your money) and not when you’re booking the flight?
Hi Dino!
I’m going all over the place looking for answers to this – I have a British passport, and I have loads of validity left but only two pages left in the passport. I want to go to Bali within the next 2 – 3 weeks for a total of 60 days in order to attend a retreat at the end of April and spend a month with friends prior to that.
I’m wondering what the best solution is – will bali let me go in and extend my stay by 30 days with only two pages left? how much space does a visa extension take up in your passport?
Thanks!
Jess
Hi Jessica, Yes, 2 pages left is enough for the small visa stamp. Mine, a US passport, has 2-4 stamps on each page. Their only passport requirement is that you have at least 6 months left before it expires.
Hi Dino,
Hoping you might be able to help here. I am getting mixed messages regarding the extension of a 60 day tourist visa from Australia. The consulate website in Australia states it is not extendable, however I have seen many post inferring it is!? Some state it is still a 211 visa and therefore extendable in Indonesia for 30 days each time up to 6 months total. Others say only 1 renewal/ext for 30 days making a total of 90 days.
Hi Al, for a 60-day social visa, you can only extend once for 30 days. I was told this specifically by immigration. If you are on another type of visa, there may be other options, but if it’s social or tourism, one extension is the max. Your sponsor will need to come to the immigration office on the first day, just so they know your sponsor is a real person.
Thanks Dino,
The 60 day tourist visa for Australians doesn’t need a sponsor, would that make a difference?
Also in regards to the social bud visa does the sponsor have to go to immigration for each monthly renewal? Or only the first?
Hmmm, not sure about bud visa. That’s beyond the scope of this article, which is about the extension process for a 30 day VOA.
That stated, the sponsor requirement is based on the kind of visa you have not the country so just make sure you have the correct information. For 60-day social visa, only one 30-day extension is permitted and the sponsor needs to be present for the first meeting only. You may want to verify all this with an agent. Wish I could be more helpful.
Thank you for your useful information. I’m quite sure it helped a lot of people over here. Have a few doubts that you may, probably, help me with.
1st- If my VOA ends in a week, can I start the process of extension?
2nd- In the VOA extension, 1st visit done and I miss the date (1 or 2 days) for the 2nd visit (photo shoot). Will it be any problems?
Thank you for help.
1. Yes, you can start it now, even if you don’t get it back before it expires. You’ll likely not even pay a fine, but be prepared, just in case.
2. No,it won’t be a problem because you’ll get a number when you come back for the photoshoot. You’ll wait in the queue for that day. I wouldn’t wait too long, but one or two days is fine.
Good luck.
Thanks for your quick reply. You have been very helpful.
Hello there! 🙂 thanks for all the information! I now beforehand I am staying 40 days, I have a course and then I want to travel around a bit. Can I get a visa with those days excatly or do I have to go for the 30 days and extended it just because of 5 more days? Thanks!!!! :))
Hi, 30 day extension is all they offer. You can also apply for a 60 Day social visa at the Indonesian Consulate in your home country.
I just want to say thank you so much for this post, its so so helpful
You’re welcome and thanks for the kind words.
Heya,
Me and my boyfriend will need to follow this process when in Bali in May. I am hoping that we are able to: Go to the Denpasar office to begin the process, then go exploring the surrounding areas, go to the Nusa islands etc, and then go back to the office for stage 2 of the process. And then, while waiting, explore Eastern Bali etc.
In summary:
I am wondering whether the office are clear about when exactly you need to come back (eg 2 days, 3 days) for stage 2 and 3 of the visa application, or whether they call you up and ask you to return immediately for the next stage. If it is really clear when we must return, then in theory we can just carry on travelling Bali as usual, just making sure we are back in the office on time. Do you think that we should stay in the immediate vicinity (Denpasar) until the visa is attained, or would we be able to carry on our travels, making sure we go back to the office when necessary?
Kind regards,
Anna
You can travel as you like. You will receive a receipt with a date and time when to return for your second and third visits. They like you to come back at those times, but it isn’t necessary. You just can’t come back before the scheduled time or your documents will not be ready. I wouldn’t delay the second visit more than a day or two and I wouldn’t come back for the third visit more than a week after your passport is ready for pick up. The longer you wait, the greater your chances are that they can misplace things.
Thanks very much!! really helpful
Hello and thank you very much for those useful information! A friend of mine have to try it on Monday since it’s closed on the weekend, the only problem we have is that we have a flexible plane ticket back home and it’s set after the expire date of the visa. Is it enough to explain them that we will leave the country before the visa expires since we actually do that.
Hi Aaron, if it’s after the expiry date of the extension, they won’t accept it, but if you can make the case that you are actually leaving within 30 days, then you have a shot, but you need to provide proof. If you have any other bookings such as hotel or car rental or something solid you can show them that proves you will be in another country before the 30 days, then sometimes they will give in. Keep in mind, their first reaction will be that you can’t do it, but try to speak with a supervisor if you’re not getting anywhere. It still might not work, but sometimes they just say no because they’re afraid of making a mistake, even when they don’t know. It’s easier for them to just say no than to find the correct answer. Happens all the time. Good luck.
Thank you very much, we will give it a try otherwise I have to book a flight to Singapore and back to make it work !
Hi Dino,
I really need your help, I need to extend my visa whilst in Bali. I read your page before I came and bought the visa on arrival. I started off in Kuta and Seminyak but I read you can’t extend it that soon so I left it until I had been here for two weeks. I’m now in Ubud and leave on Friday to go to the Gillis, the plan was to go to Densapar Immigration Office tomorrow (Monday.) I read your page and knew it would take at least 3 days, so I presumed I would be done by Wednesday/Thursday at the latest. After reading it over I’ve read the whole process can take a week. I leave to go to the Gillis on Friday, so what should I do about extending my visa? I can’t keep come back and forth from the Gillis, so I’m not too sure what my best option would be? I will be in the Gillis for a week and I will be in Sanur on the 23rd of March, but my visa will run out 3 days later and I’m aware that it’s pushing it and should be done a maximum of a week before. I’m still going to go to the immigration office tomorrow as early as possible. Do you have any advise on what I should do? Thank you.
Hi Ellie,
Starting the extension process a week or two before your visa expires is a recommendation and not a hard and fast rule. In fact, they’ve been very lenient on extensions so if you extend your visa a day or two before it expires, it is very likely that you will not incur an overstay fee. That’s what people have been telling me. One person started the process the day before his visa was to expire and they processed it as normal, no additional fee. Of course, I can’t promise you anything, but I really think you’ll be fine if you wait until you come back from the Gilis to start the process as long as your visa hasn’t expired by the time you get to immigration.
Keep in mind, your 30 day extension will begin on the date your visa expires and not on the day you you get your visa back from immigration.
Hope that helps.
Hi Dino,
Thank you so much for that, but I’ve just worked it all out and if we left it until the day we arrive in Sanur which is the 23rd (Friday) that would be really pushing it for time as we leave Bali on the 28th so that wouldn’t be enough time to get everything done and processed plus our passports back or would it? Do you reckon we’re best going to the immigration office tomorrow as early as possible and explain the situation to them? Possibly still start the process and hope we can have Day 2 done before we leave on Friday, which unfortunately for us is Nyepi so I think it’s closed. Then leave the passports with them until we get back from the Gillis and arrive in Sanur on the 23rd and pick them up then? Sorry for the long messages, thank you for your help.
is the application form the same for 30 day tourist visa and social visa extension? Can you book a one-way fare to Bali from Australia and purchase a return flight just before you go to immigration to apply for extension?
It’s pretty much the same, but for the 60 day social visa, you need a sponsor. He or she needs to show on your first day of extending your visa so they know your sponsor is a real person. Regarding the ticket, I don’t know if they check. I provided a plane ticket that was not valid once and they did not verify. I know others have provided fake tickets. Though I can’t recommend doing that, it’s your call.
Hello there,
I’ve a question on the submission of return ticket at the immigration office.
What if the ticket is booked to the neighbouring country and I’ve no visa for that country example Singapore
And second what if I have the plane ticket proof but the ticket has been cancelled
Do they check if the ticket is still valid ?
You don’t need to show your visa for Singapore or any other country when applying for an extension at Indonesian immigration.
I don’t think they have the manpower to verify if tickets are real. Plenty of people have provided tickets that are not valid, myself included, and have not had a problem. I’ve also never heard of anyone getting caught providing an invalid ticket. I can’t recommend doing that, but it’s your call.
Thank you so much ????????
The above very helpful guidance states “The earliest you can start the extension process is two weeks”. Does that mean two weeks after you arrive on a 30 day VISA or two weeks before it expires? Nearly the same thing but not quite. Thanks. John
Hi John, good question and I should make it more clear. They want you to start the extension process no sooner than 2 weeks before your visa expires. Hope that helps.
Dino
Thanks. Much appreciated
John
Hi! I need to apply for a 60-day tourist visa in Bali and get it extended eventually as I will be there longer than 60 days. I have no idea where to start, do you recommend hiring a visa agent, if so can you recommend any reliable ones?
If you are not yet in Bali, you can apply for a 60 day tourist visa at the Indonesian consulate in your home country and then once you are here, you can extend that visa for another 60 days. Keep in mind, you’ll need a local to sponsor you for a 60-day social visa. That sponsor will need to show for the extension as well.
If you are already in Bali, there are a lot of agents here who can help you get started, but you’ll need to leave the country for at least a day (Singapore, Hong Kong, etc) to finish the process. Make sure you use someone very trustworthy because they’ll need your passport. You can try the guys at balibusinessconsulting.com. They seem to be a good team and pretty knowledgeable.
Hi Dino,
Awesome post, it has all the needed information!
In my case, I am staying in Bali for 33 days. Would you recommend me to just pay the overstay fee and avoid going 3 times to the office? or better I just do the visa extension?
Hi Dino I read your post and still confused what to do because I arrived in Bali march 21. Now surfing in java. Then in Ubud from march 31- april 5. Then fly to Lombok to surf from APRIL 5-13. Then Padang Padang from APRIL 13-20. Then Ubud from April 20-29. My 30 days ends April 19.. but as you can see I am not near the same immigration office for a week at a time in order to go back and forth to the office. What do you think I should do? Try and find a visa agent? Or just bail on any plans in Bali past April 19 and leave on the 19? Or pay the daily fee and just overstay my visa for 10 days? Please let me know what you think.. thanks Mel
PS. Also if I do try an extend it on April 14.. what is the closest immigration office to go to if I am in Padang Padang from April 14-19? Or would you hire an agent like the ones you spoke of at http://balibusinessconsulting.com/en/contacts/
Do you trust these guys ? Thanks mel
Jimbaran is the closest. I have not used Bali Business Consulting, but have heard good things about them. I may give them a try for a business visa next month, but as of now, I can’t recommend them.
I probably wouldn’t overstay for 10 days. Taking a day to fly to Singapore and back may be cheaper. If it were me, I’d arrange my schedule to be in close proximity of an immigration office, at least for the first 2 visits. You can pick up your passport at anytime after it is ready so it doesn’t have to be exactly on the day they give you. Anytime after is fine. That should give you some flexibility. Start the process while you are in Padang Padang. You can go to the office in Jimbaran.
Thanks Dino!!!
Hello Dino,
Thanks for the blog post.
I have a question…
I plan to apply for a 30 days VOA in Yogya and then extend one time in Denpasar. Is it possible to extend it one more time to have a total of 90 days ?
Thank you in advance !
ps : I can only apply for a VOA because i don’t have time for applying for a 60 days visa outside of Indonesia.
Robin
Hi Robin, only one 30-day extension allowed with a VOA. If you want to stay longer and can’t apply for a different visa, then your only option is to leave.
Hello there.. I’ve a question on collecting the passport
I’ve a workshop to attend tomorrow afternoon and the time I’ve given to collect the passport collided with my workshop time.
Can I collect the passport in the morning ? Or do I need to collect it only in the given time for me.
Hi Caroline, you can collect your passport anytime after it is ready, but I wouldn’t go earlier than the time they gave you. They’ll likely ask you to come back.
Dino,
If I overstay with Visa Free will I still be charged the 350,000 per day? Or is there a harsher penalty?
Hi Felix, it’s the same fee regardless of visa.
Hi , i thought they changed the overstay fee to 1 juta 1 mill rupiah last year dino??
Hi Keith, haven’t heard that, but I’ll double check with my contact at immigration. As far as I know, it’s still IDR 300,000 per day.
I am so confused. My daughter is traveling to Bali in July, she is arriving in Bali on 7/28 and her return flight is booked for 10/18 (which is more than 60 days). She will be diving and receiving her master dive license and was told she would need 10 weeks. They suggested she get the Extendable Visa on arrival, will that work with the travel dates planned and if so, is there anything she needs to do before arriving in Bali to obtain the Extendable VOA?
Hi Wendy, she can only extend for an additional 30 days with Visa on Arrival so if she is here longer than 60 days, she will need to leave the country in order to start her 30 days all over again. This is outlined above.
For immigration, there is no preparation for VOA. She just needs to have US $35 for the VOA fee, which she will pay before she enters the immigration line upon arrival.
Keep in mind a potential separate issue with the airlines. Some airlines try to comply with each country’s immigration policies. According to them, you’re only allowed to stay in Indonesia for 30 days max unless you have a visa that shows you can stay longer. She doesn’t, so they may make her change her return flight, or book another flight showing that she is leaving the country. I’ve had this problem with Delta Airlines. They did not let me fly to Bali unless I changed my return ticket from 7 months out to less than 30 days. Then once I got here, I changed it back because I extended my visa.
Thanks for the help Dino, I think I am starting, with your help, to understand this confusing process. Glad to know we are not the only ones confused. We will probably book a flight out of Bali for sometime in the interim to help work out the airline issue.
I am confused re the description of Day 2 above. Your passport is taken away on Day 1 (as has just happened to me) and you are given a receipt.in its place. Then the description of Day Two starts with
“In any case, upon your arrival, you’re supposed to go to Counter C, but it’s unmarked. It’s in the far corner right next to Counter 3. Hand them your passport and payment receipt.”
How can you do that when you do not have your passport? Is there a step missing where you get your passport back or do you mean ” Hand them BOTH your passport and payment receiptS”
Thanks
John
Hi John, you caught a mistake in my post. On day 2, you still won’t have your passport. You just need to give them your receipt. Sorry for the confusion. Making the correction now…
No problem. Thanks for the clarification, Dino.
Dear Dino,
Thanks for sharing all this! Its so helpfull.
Unfortunately we are in the country already without a visa and have to leave first to stay longer.
Is it possible to fly back and forth to Singapore on the same day?
Cheers,
JJ
Sure, I’ve done that a lot. If Singapore immigration asks if you are on a visa run, tell them no. Give a different reason for your trip.
Hi Dino, I entered Bali on 25th Feb’18 on a Social / Cultural Visa (60days).
I am checking in to a hotel in Kuta on 17th April to begin my visa extension to take me through to my exit flight on 14th May, ‘18.
When I originally applied for the S/C Visa at the Indonesian Consulate in Sydney I had to provide them with 4 new passport size photos. They used only 1. I have brought the remaining photos with me. Will the Consulate here use those photos instead of taking new photos ?
I have also been told that it is necessary to bring your sponsor with you when you apply for your first extension- do you have any knowledge of this ? I would think it could be a distinct advantage.
Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Judy
Hi Judy, they have a system on day 2 that involves fingerprinting and photos at the same time. You’ll need to get new photos taken at that time, even if you already have some of your own. Last time I checked, sponsors were required to show on day one. It doesn’t change any part of the process. They just need to make sure he or she is a real person.
Hi,
Do you know if the offices have a photocopy or should I find some other place earlier ?
Yes, in the back is a photocopy center (there is an image in my blog post of it). It’s cheap, but there could be a line so if you have a better place, I’d get your photocopies done before you go, but it’s up to you.
Hey Dino – thanks for your helpful article. I’ve a question about overstaying – seems I made a mistake on my flight bookings and will overstay an extended VOA by one day. I think it’s going to be cheaper to pay the 350,000 for the one extra day (day 61) rather than get a longer visa or do a visa run. Just wondering when and how this overstaying fee is paid? Thanks!
Yea, I’d do the same thing. When you go through immigration, they’ll pull you aside to pay the fee . There’s an office to the left where you pay. Add a little extra time at the airport before you leave because there may be a line and if others in front of you are disputing their fee, it could put you a little behind.
Hi Dino !
When I enter Bali and need to show an onward ticket, should it be a ticket out of Denpasar or can it be a ticket out of any other place in Indonesia, for example Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur ?
Thanks !!
Hi Adam, anywhere out of the country is fine. Doesn’t have to be Denpasar.
Hi Dino, I had my first visit to the visa office today and was told to come back Friday 13th. Would it be possible to go in on Monday 16th instead or does it have to be the date and time they give you?
Thank you!
Sure, you can go in later, just not before.
Dino I just heard of this visa agent that a friend uses and apparently is good. Can you tell me if you have heard about them. It costs $700,000 IR to have the agent do this. I am staying in Padang Padang and supposed to meet the agent Friday . Can you tell me if you have heard anything positive or negative about this company ?
zandoconsultants.com
Sorry, Mel, I don’t know anything about them. I don’t trust their 1 page website with no business information. They also only have one Google review within the last 10 months. I have never used an agent so can’t really recommend any. That being said, I friend of mine likes the folks at balibusinessconsulting.com. I may give them a try with a business visa soon, but have not yet used them.
Hi Dino
Thank you for this article.
A friend told me that it would be a good idea to wear long pants instead of shorts at the immigration office. What is your experience with that?
That used to be the case years ago, but now, it doesn’t matter. I wear shorts, t-shirt and flips when I go. They understand that most of us are tourists and may not have anything other than beach wear.
Thank you!
Hi Dino,
Thank you to share it. I follow your advice and pay my visa at arrival, and then extend for 30 days. How can I do if i need to extend for 30 more days. I postponed my flight. Is there possibility or I have to do a visa run?
Thank you so much for advices
Yup, for VOA one extension is all you are allowed per visit. Now you’ll need to do a visa run and when you return, you can start the process all over. All the best!
Hello , thanks for your wonderful advice . Is it really necessary to show an exit ticket ? I was here last year and didn’t have to have an exit ticket although I used an agent . This year I’d like to try myself but since I’m not sure where I’m going next I don’t have a ticket out .
Thanks
Hi Susan, yes, you must have an exit ticket. Immigration won’t process your extension without it.
Hi Dino,
Was just a bit confused about the fee. Do you have to pay a fee twice then? You had said that in the airport on arrival, to go to the visa on arrival counter just before immigration to ask to pay the 35$ usd and tell them you’re intending to stay over 30 days.
And then when you go to the immigration office (2weeks before expiry) to actually do the process, you also have to pay another 355,000IDR? So does that mean the whole process would cost roughly 60$usd?
Love your post by the way! Super helpful!
Thanks, Mika. Yes, the fee you pay at the airport is for the VOA. The fee you pay later is for the extension.
But if the country of my passport does not require a fee normally for a 30day VOA, do I still need to pay it in order to get an extension later?
Your country of origin has nothing to do with the fee to enter Indonesia. VOA has a fee. If you did not pay a fee previously, then you entered Visa Free. You cannot extend when you enter Visa Free. This is clearly explained in my post. Please read it thoroughly and it should answer all your questions.
Ooh I understand now! My bad, I just re-read the beginning of the post, it does explain very clearly. Thanks for the help!
Thanks Dino. One more important question. My visa expires April 19. My flight leaves bali on April 23 , just 4 days after my visa expires. If I do not extend my visa , will I be charged $350,000 times 4 ?
Do you think it is worth just paying this fee at the airport instead of going through all the trouble to extend my visa ? I am in Padang Padang now, and on April 20 I plan to go to Ubud for 3 nights. Will I be able to check into the hotel in Ubud on April 20 if my visa expires on April 19th? What would you do in this situation? Hire the visa agent at Bali business consulting? Or just pay the fee of $101 USD at the airport for leaving four days after my visa expires? Please let me know soon.. thanks so much . Mel
Yes, IDR 350,000 for each day you overstay.
I can’t encourage anyone to intentionally overstay as technically, it’s against the law, but if it were me, I would probably just pay the fee and choose not to extend. It depends on what is most important to you, saving money or avoiding the hassle of the extension process. As for the hotel in Ubud, I guess they can make a stink over your expired visa, but I’ve never heard of that happening. All the best.
Dear Dino,
Do you know about agency that extend the visa in one day ?
If I pay the fine for being 8 days longer of the 30 days visa on arrival, can I enter without any problem for future travel to Indonesia ?
Thanks
Ale
Don’t any agency who can do it one day. It’s not up to the agency. The process is determined by immigration.
The record of your overstay goes into their system. That’s why I don’t recommend it. Whether that is a cause for denying you an extension or not allowing you to enter another time is unknown. Some countries will be reluctant to let you enter if you’ve overstayed in the past. Indonesia is relatively lenient in that regard, but 8 days is kind of long so it is a risk.
Hi My daughter went to Bali on 9th April and didn’t get a visa. Me and my husband are meeting her there and traveling home together on 12th May which means she will overstay by 4 days. Not sure whether we can change our flights to return to uk on the 8th May or can she pay IDR 350000 for each day and if so would she be able to go to Indonesia again?
Yes, she can pay the overstay fee. I’ve been in and out of Indonesia for years and overstayed a few days about a year ago. Not a problem. It’s not advisable, of course, but Indonesia is pretty lenient on overstays so no problem coming back in at a later date. Just be sure to add some extra time at the airport when you leave. She’ll approach immigration as she normally would, hand them her passport and they will notice the overstay. They’ll ask her to step into the immigration office where there will likely be other travelers there for the same reason. They’ll calculate the fee and give her a bill. She’ll need to pay it right there. They are generally very nice and professional about it. Good luck!
Thank you so much for your help Dino. Can you pay by card or do you need IDR?
Mich
I’m not sure. I think they make it easy for you to access your money since they know you’ll be boarding a plane shortly so I imagine you could pay by card, but I don’t know that for sure. I paid with cash. There is an ATM as well.
Thank you so much for the great advice. Thinking of going to Singapore for a couple of days as we have never been there. But now we have the option.
Kind Regards
Mich
Dino if I do the Singapore run how long do ihave to be there? Can I go and come back on the same day? I can borrow a friends business card to say I am there for a meeting.
Yes, I go just for the day all the time.
Hi! I am panicking a bit here, because I was not given a visa upon entry. I told the officer that I was staying for 50 days, but he said «that’s fine, just go», and sent me on my way. I have tried emailing the immigration office here in Bali but cannot get through to them because of a malfunctioning email address on their end. What do I do?! I have contacted the Norwegian embassy, but they do not have answers for me either.
Hi Hedda, the problem is, you entered visa free. You are trying to extend a visa that you do not have, which is almost impossible.
You’ve got a couple of options, but likely you’ll have to leave the country. If you’ve got the money, just book a flight to Singapore for a day or two. Sometimes I fly there in the morning and come back that afternoon. Read the part in my post about the visa run; however, do not tell Singapore immigration that you are on a visa run. As far as they know, you are meeting a friend or doing some quick shopping or something believable.
You can try going to the immigration office and talking to them about what happened. The first person you speak with will not be able to help you because it’s not their call. So then ask to speak to their supervisor. Even then, you’ll likely not get anywhere.
You can also talk to an agent. I am in the process of using Bali Business Consulting for a longer term business visa, and so far, they seem really good. You can try them.
Good luck.
Dino! I got a 21 days social visa from the embassy instead of 60 days. It says on the visa Maximum stay: 21 days. Any idea why? Also, my passport’s got 5 month’s to expiry. Any idea if i could get an extension in this case?
I don’t know why, but it’s likely due to the limited time on your passport. Renew your passport and they should give you a longer stay.
Hi Dino,
you say that: “The earliest you can start is two weeks before your visa expires. If you try to do it sooner, they can turn you away and tell you to come back later.”
I was thinking of going on my arrival day as I am the nearest to Denpasar. Is it for certain better to wait the two weeks?
(I can’t ask for a visa abroad as there is not enough time to have it ready.
Thanks,
Mar
It’s their rule, but you can always go there and plead your case.
Hey Dino, Im Stev from Hungary. I tried to extrnd my visa but at the imigration office in nusa dua tehy said my sponsor must be balinasion (someone who has balinasion ID) I never read it before anywhere. I had an indonesian guy as a sponsor,but he is not from Bali. What should I do?
Yea, it’s strange, especially since immigration is a federal bureau, but they do need someone local. All I can recommend is find a local living in Bali. Or you can change your type of visa. It sounds like you may have a 60-day social/cultural visa, which doesn’t have much advantage over a 30 day VOA. Since you’re already here, your options are limited if you can’t find a Balinese. You may have to leave for a day or two and come back in. Wish I had something better. Good luck.
Hi Dino,
thanks a lot for you good description. i had problems, when i wanted to take my plane to denpasar but the system didn’t let me go because my flight back was 38 Day later and i had no visa. so in a crazy rush i had to book a flight from denpasar to somewhere else, so it looked like i don’t stay for more than 30 days. i had luck in the misfortune, cause i got a flight to singapore for 110€. But it was a big drama in the first place. and the thing is, i booked my flights with a travel agency and they said ( like the www) that its no problem and i can buy a visa on arrival and then buy the extra days. so you all should believe Dino.
Now my queastion:
Im traveling around and my longest stay is on Lombok for 11 days. So Im affraid that my second visa won’t be finished in time.
Dino what do you think?
I just need 11 extra days. Do you know how much the penalty per day is, if i don’t get the second visa? might that be easier and cheaper for me?
Thanks for your help, greetings Franca
Hi Franca, thank you.
Overstaying 11 days is a bit costly at IDR 300,000 a day. I wouldn’t do it if it were me. I’d find a flight out, say to Singapore again or KL. Also keep in mind there is an immigration office in Mataram that I heard was quite good. All the best.
Okay thaks a lot Dino, what would we do without you : ) !!!
I‘ll go to the office in Mataram and hope it won‘t tske longer than 10 Days for the second visa.
Greetings Franca
Hey Dino! You legend, this write up is awesome!
I just had quick question for clarification…
I’m from Aus, partner is from the UK. We are planning to stay about 50 days, we have booked a flight for the 51st day.
We will definitely pay for the 30 day visa and look to extend when we are in Bali.
Do we need to have evidence of a flight leaving within those 30 days? Or is it acceptable to have the flight booked as long as it is within 60 days?
From what I’ve read I think we’re okay but just triple checking! Also praying that the airlines which give you grief don’t include Malaysia Airlines 🙂
Many thanks in advance!!!
Thanks, Jess.
If I understand you correctly, the ticket you have for the 51st day is good enough for immigration. You don’t need it when you arrive (your first 30 days in Bali), but when you go to immigration to extend, you’ll need proof of an exit ticket before the end of the 30-day extension period (your second 30 days). In your case, your ticket is 21 days out so within the 30 day period for the extension. Sounds like you’re all set.
Hi Dino,
Thats a really amazing post. I already did three visa runs and on my last visa run i decided to go with VOA (as of 18th March). I got my extension until 18th may. Now, I am in a dilema how to further increase my visa?. When I did my visa run, I usually stayed in Singapore for 3-4 days. Should I do the same going to malaysia?. What will you suggest?.
Hi Rafi, if you got your VOA on March 18th, I would be sure to check the date on your visa extension because by my count, it should expire by the 15th or 16th of May, not the 18th. Where you go doesn’t really matter, you just need to leave the country. I’ve gotten good deals to Singapore, KL and Gili. Also Bangkok and Hong Kong, but because they are further, you’ll pay more. All great places to see, nonetheless and they all worked fine for the visa run.
Hi Dino,
Thanks for your reply man. For me I need eVisa for malaysia. I was planning to go to malaysia but they say it takes around 20 daya tp get visa from the day of applying and i think i am already late to apply for that. Whats your take on that?.
Hi Dino,
Superb post! This has definitely cleared a lot of confusion for me as I plan on staying in Bali for 60 days.
I do have one more query – specifically the VOA fee. I’ll be travelling from Thailand to Bali, and I don’t exactly have USD on hand with me (not to mention I’m a UK resident). Will the airport immigration office accept card? Or will is it strictly cash? – If so, is USD the only accepted currency?
Many thanks in advance, I can’t wait for Bali!
(though I’m not looking forward to spending 3 days in the immigration office…)
Huewinn
Thanks Ms. Chan.
I’m going to have to get back to you on the currency. I know they accept US dollars and Indonesian rupiah and they don’t take credit cards. I’ll see if I can find out from my sources what other currencies they accept. Back soon.
thanks a lot!
I’ve done some digging around, and this website states other methods of payment: Pay USD 35 (AUD, IDR, EUR also accepted)
source: bali.com/visa-on-arrival.html
Hopefully I’ll be able to sort this out without losing too much money in currency exchange!
I just did this two days ago! They have atms right behind the kiosk to pay for the visa extension! 🙂
Awesome, just confirmed as well. Thanks Annalisa!
Hi dino,
Thanks for the instructions. I would like to know if i have to pick up the passport on day 3 at the date they provide me. Is it also possible to leave the passport there for 2 weeks and then pick it up?
Thanks
You don’t have to pick it up on the exact date as long as you don’t go there before it’s ready. A few days later is fine; however, I would not wait 2 weeks. You’re just asking for trouble – lost, misplaced, etc.
Hi Dino,
Your blog is really informative. Currently, i am in Jakarta and my visa expires this week. I will be travelling to Singapore and return to Jakarta so as to get a new visa this week. What I am confused about is whether to show my return ticket back to jakarta or to Australia?. Will the airplane representatives or SG immigration cause any problem if I show my return ticket to Indonesia?.
You’ll have no problem with Singapore immigration. They won’t ask for a ticket. Regarding the airlines, they may not ask either, but if they do, all you need to show them is a ticket out of the country (Indonesia) within 30 days so they’ll want to see your ticket from Jakarta to Australia. Hope that helps.
Thanks Dino
Hello Dino am from Tanzania my visa finish since 6 April and I want to travel back to my country so what about overstay how much they will ask me to pay and if I didn’t pay
That’s a long overstay. It’s IDR 300,000 a day. I have no idea what happens with an overstay that long so I’d consult with a professional if I were you, either a reliable agent or an immigration attorney. Good luck.
Hi there,
Is there facilities to print flight tickets/visa page?
If not, is there somewhere you could recommend to print in Jakarta?
Thanks,
Caitlin
I’m not sure if they can print from a disc if that’s what you need, but they can make photocopies in the shop in back of the parking area.
Thank you for that much information!
I have an important extra information about the choice of the immigration office you have to go to:
We are staying in Padang Bai and wanted to extend our VOA in Denpasar (closest office to here). But we were turmed away, we have to go to the immigration office in Singaraja, because P.B. is in Karangasem. So be sure you have a confrmation of a hotel that is next to the office you go to!
Now we might just do a visa run…
Hi Dino,
Which according to you is the best airport for return after visa run ?. Do you face any issue if you do a good number of visa run to Bali airport?.
Hi! I’m staying in the canggu area and was wondering if Despansar is the right office for me to go to? Also… does anyone know the office hours for Ramadan? It apparently starts tomorrow. Thank you!! 🙂
Hi, yes Denpasar is probably your closest office. I’m not aware of any special hours for ramadan.
My girlfriend just informed me that government offices may be closed tomorrow, the first day of ramadan.
Thanks Dino! We ended up not being able to go today… our visas expire May 30th if we go on the 22nd is that enough time? I’ve been told 10-7 days before is ideal, but is that business days? Thanks so much! You’ve been a life saver! 🙂
Sorry one more thing… I see above you told Eric he could represent his family on visits 1 and 3. Would I be able to that for my boyfriend? He’s sick.
You may be able to get the application for him and submit it along with his documentation, but you won’t be able to do anything else on his behalf because you both have different last names.
Yes, you can go anytime between now and when your visa expires.
Hi Dino,
Thank you for the awesome write up! I have three questions, as we are about to embark on our 50 day trip to Bali:
1. Am I able to bring passport photos with me, or do they require you take them on-site?
2. My spouse and I will be traveling with our two kids (under 10). Do they need to be present on each visit to the office, or is this something that can be taken care of simply with their passports and one of us?
3. Does each adult need to be present each time, or can some of it be handled by one individual?
As stated above, we are traveling with two smaller children. Having them always makes every scenario like this more complicated, so we just want to see what we can get around without having them sit still for hours. 🙂
Thank you!
Thanks Eric:
1. You won’t use your own photos. They have a process and need you to take your photo and fingerprints at the same time.
2. You can go for all 3 of them on your first and third visit, but they will need to attend the second visit for photo and fingerprints.
3. You can go for your wife on first and third visit.
Hope that helps and have fun!
Hey Dino,
my girlfriend and I are going to Indo in August. We are from Germany and we will stay for over 30 (round about 36) days. Flights to our home Country are already booked. To avoid extra costs and we also want to see Singapore or Kuala Lumpur we want to make a visa run. Jakarta – Singopore or Kuala Lumpur – Medan. We will stay in singapore or kuala lumpur for 1 or 2 nights. Do you see any Problems to get a free Tourist visa both times?
Lukas
Do you see any Problems on getting a
Hi Lukas,
If you’re staying less than 30 days each time you enter, then you can get Visa Free both times. Each time you fly out and come back in, your 30 days starts all over again so it sounds like your plan is solid and you’re safe to come and go without paying for the Visa on Arrival.
Nice to hear. German Ministry of foreign affairs wrote that there are some issues with visa runs. but in our case it is not a typical visa run.
Thank you!
When paying for a visa, does indonesia ask for proof of onward travel. Can I wait to see if I get my visa extended or do I have to buy two exit tickets?
Immigration officers in Bali do not ask for this when you enter the country (the airlines often do). For immigration, you will only need to show an exit ticket when extending your visa. Hope this helps.
Hi Dino—-I appreciate all the info! Question for you from the US.
—Do you know if there is a tourist visa for up to 60 days to Bali that is NOT the social/cultural 211 visa? We’ve come across the term “tourist visa” as well as “social/cultural visa” and wondering if there’s a difference.
—We might be staying 7 weeks. We would like to get an up-to-60 day tourist visa BEFORE we leave the USA, that does not require a sponsor. Is there one?
—We are aware of the “free visa” (30 days), the VOA extendable visa (30 days plus one 30-day extension), and the social/cultural visa of up to 60 days that can extended a few times (that also requires a sponsor).
Terima kasih! John
Hi Jon, good question and I try to answer questions about other visas as much as I can although they’re a little out of the scope of this article. In regard to your question, I really don’t know that much about the cultural visa, but I’m pretty sure that you would need a sponsor; however, I just don’t know. A visa agent might know more. Wish I had a better answer for you.
I read your post before I entered to Bali and trusted on it because of the comments and the dates. I’m from Chile (We have Visa free) , and the information above is wrong. Yesterday when I went to the VOA counter to pay for the 35usd, which will allow me to extend the visa for another 30 days, everyone told me it was impossible, because if you have Visa Free entry, you cannot apply for VOA (“Just explain to them that you intend to extend your visa beyond 30 days and they’ll understand.”) WRONG. I spoke with a lot of persons separately, and all of them told the same. They also showed me the computers and the list of the countries…
Finally I had to enter with the Visa Free, I cannot extend it, have to leave the country (250usd the cheapest flight on that dates) and interrupt my trip with my family (my mom has cancer, and haven´t seen her in more than a year).
Thanks for the problems, (deleted comment in Espanol about the author being a goat)
Thanks for your feedback Diego, and I’m sorry for your problems. I approved your comment, but deleted the insult. I should make it more clear that everyone entering Indonesia needs to check the regulations for their own country. Additionally, not everyone who applies for a VOA is granted one. Entrance depends on a number of factors including your country of origin, validity of your passport and history of entering Indonesia (and other countries) legally among others. Perhaps I’ll make some updates to my post to make things more clear.
I think it was made clear in the post that if you don’t get the VOA on arrival you cannot extend. HE also states check voa status. I’m sorry for your problems but the information in the article is factual helpful and most of all accurate.
Hi Dino,. First, thank you for providing such clear info on the whole confusing visa extension process. We are hoping to just pay for our 3 day overstay when we leave. Are you able to confirm if the fee is still 350k per day. (I heard it might go up to 1m?). We leave June 11. Thanks in advance
Hi Ken, that rumor has been going around so about a month ago I confirmed with my sources that it is still $300K. Unless it has gone up since then, it’s still the same. By the way, overstay is only $300K, not $350K. I just corrected it in my post. Thanks for catching it for me.
Hello Dino,
First of all, thank you for the great article. It is very helpful and accurate.
We’re planning on getting an Indonesian visa in Kuala Lumpur, and I’ve heard they only deliver 30-day visas. However, I wonder if that visa can be extended up to 4 times, or not? I tried to contact them, but no response.
Thank you :).
Most 60-day social visa’s can only be extended once for 30 days. Then you have to leave the country and start all over again. If you get your visa at the Indonesian consulate in KL, tell them that you want to extend more than once, or that you want to stay longer. I tried that in LA and they only gave me one extension, but there are different types of social visas so you may find one that you can extend for longer. If you can’t get a hold of them on the phone, then you’ll just have to go there.
Wish I had a better answer for you, but my article is about the VOA extension process and unfortunately, I’m not too experienced with 60-day visas. Good luck!
Edit: just thought of something… I had no problem speaking on the phone with the people in LA. They were pretty nice and answered all my questions. You can try calling them if you can’t get through to KL. I don’t have the phone number on me, but I’m sure there is a website you can find with a simple Google search.
Thank you for your detailed answer!
Hello there..
I have a question. Is it okay if I do the second visit in 6days of applying ?! As I’m doing a ttc I’m applying for visa extension tomorrow which is exactly 14 days prior to visa expiry but the problem is I won’t be able to do the second visit for 6days as the course timings are 7:30 to 3pm. What do you think I should do ?!
As far as I know, you can go to your second visit on the day of, or any day after, the date they assign you. I would verify this, however, when you go for your first visit, just to make sure.
Thank you
Hi there! Your site is so helpful/ thank you!!
I foolishly didn’t realize this was a 3 day process, and my 30th day is this Sunday. If I start the process tomorrow ( Thursday, my 27th day) will that work??? Like do they allow you to stay if you have started the process??
Yes, you’re fine as long as you begin before your visa expires. Just for clarity, it take longer than 3 days. You’ll go to immigration on 3 separate days, but there will be a few days in between. Depending on how busy they are, it could be from 1-2 weeks from start to finish.
Hi Dino, great post! I just need an urgent answer about my current situation please ????
So my friends and I arrived in Kuta on the 22nd of May and we were planning on renewing our visa in another 2 weeks.
A lady told us to call an agent as the office is closed for a long time.
1. Do you think we can do it either on the 5th and then hopefully recieve it on the 8th?
2. When does the immigration offices open (including Lombok)
3. Do you think we could get it done in Lombok around the 15th or 16th and hope to have it done on the 22nd
4. Do we just go with an agent and spend a lot of money doing so?
Thank you!
Hi Alessa, because of the holiday, visa extensions are running about a month to complete in Bali. Lombok may be your best bet because that office is usually less crowded.
Hi Dino,
Thank you for all these precious informations .
Do you know if it is possible to send another person at the immigration office to do that for me ? At least for the first visit ?
Cause I am in a weird situations were I need to renew my Visa but can’t stay so many days at the same spot, waiting for the return of my passeport.
I am currently in Manado and will be in Bali for a week, right in the midlle of the end of my first month, then back to Manado.
And I have some friends that stay in Manado and could do that for me, if there is a possibility !
Thank you for your time.
Ben
It used to be no problem, but recently immigration has been a little more strict about that. You may still be able to do it if you provide a good enough reason. “Good enough” depends on the immigration officer at the time. You will need to be there on day 2 for your photo and finger print – no getting out of that one. If you need someone to pick up your passport for you on day 3, they’ll need to have a power of attorney (get it from a local notary).
Hi Dino,
Firstly thanks so much for the info I wish I read this before arriving in Bali. Anyway I’m in hospital in kuta and my 30day (didn’t pay on entry) visa expires in a few days and I’m not expected to be out of hospital prior to this date. What would you recommend? I have an agent I can use and the hospital has said they will write me a letter. Do u think they will e tend my visa or will I be forced to leave the country once I’m out and pay the fee? I was thinking about contact the Canadian embassy in Jakarta for help. What would you recommend? Thanks in advance James
They’re supposed to let you extend if you overstay, but have a letter from the the hospital. Don’t wait, though. Go to immigration as soon as you get out and show them the letter when you apply.
Heads up to anyone in Bali at the moment and wants to extend there VOA due to Ramadan Visas are taking longer to obtain I went this morning to Denpasar to extend my visa which runs out on the 10th of June and was told I would be unable to due to Ramadan as the visa process is taking far longer as they are closed a lot over the next few weeks and I would not get my passport back till the 22nd of June and my flight is before then. Therefore instead they told me to just go to the airport on the date of my flight and pay the visa overstay.
Hi Dino,
First of all, thank you for the great information in this blog.
I frequently arrange retreats for small groups in Bali who are coming for around 7 – 14 days.
There seems to be a lot of confusion with regards to if the facilitator needs to have a special visa to bring a group, for example from the US or Australia and do a yoga or meditation retreat which might include 2 – 3 yoga sessions a day as well as some tours with a local guide & driver.
In general my understanding is that as long as they are not collecting any payments or advertising to local clientele, the regular tourist visa on arrival is legal but if they decide to stay longer, even work for one of the local retreat centers and get paid, they would obviously need a working permit.
Do you have any information on this particular kind of situation?
Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Ales, you’re exactly right. You can lead your retreat group and even use the center To lead yoga classes for that group, but you can’t accept money while you’re here. In other words, you’d need a different kind of visa to work as a yoga instructor in Bali, exactly as you explained it. Hope that helps.
Dino, great article. Much like Ales, I am in a similar situation. Where did you get your advice, or where is this listed in their visa terms. I am not able to find a reference to not having to obtain a different visa, or able to run a retreat on a tourist visa. I’d love to know, since it would be great to be able to do such a thing without the extra hoops to jump through.
.
Hi! We need to extend the Visa in Ramadan’s time, so the office only opens from 4th to 8th of June. Our Visa expires on 10th.
We must go on 4th to make the first part of the Visa extension and pray for the second day will be from 6 to 8th.
Do you think we have possibilities to make it?
They’ve been really backed up due to the holiday. Normally you’d get your visa back in time, but unlikely during Ramadan. They will make allowances though, so as long as you start before it expires, you won’t have to pay an overstay fee, even if you don’t get it back before the original expiration date. Just make sure to ask them if you’ll get it back before you leave Indonesia.
Hey there, I did the first part of voa extension last week at the jimbaran office (on the 28th May). The return date they gave me for the the second part of the process is not until June 6th. I asked if it was possible to pay to speed up the process as this was a longer wait than I was expecting, but they said no. So you may be lucky to get yours done in the time frame you are hoping for! Go earlier if you can!
Wow this country is run by idiots.
Hi – my visa expires 6th June and I went to see an agent today and he said if I process it now I won’t get passport back until after the holidays – but I may have to leave bali before then ? Any suggestions? He said I could pay 1.5million and should get it back before they close for holidays. Are all the immigration offices closed throughout?
Yea, they’ll be closed off and on throughout the holiday and it really has things backed up. Last I heard it was taking them a month to process extensions. Unfortunately, immigration isn’t providing any solutions. They’re telling people to go to the airport and pay the overstay fee. Pretty irresponsible if you ask me. I wish I had better news for you.
Hi There,
Really helpful info thank you! I paid for my 60 day visa as I entered Bali recently, but have lost the ticket they issue with it. Do you think this will matter? I’m stressing it will interfere with me be able to extend? I have it with me my whole visit but think the new place I checked into have let it fall out when taking my details on checkin.
That’s fine. They’ll see the visa stamped in your passport.
Hi Dino!
Thanks for the great article.
I need to extend my visa, however, I fly from depensaar to Sumbawa on the 15th of June and return on the 23rd while my visa expires on the 24th (the day after returning from Sumbawa.
It is required for me to have my passport for the Sumbawa flight (lion/wings airline). Thus I want to know: will the receipt issued for visa extention application serve as a suffiecent passport for this internal flight?
The last thing I want is to be denied access o the flight because the immigration offices have my passport.
Hi Brandon, the receipt they give you is supposed to be fine to use as a passport (along with other picture ID) for domestic travel. I used it once and had no problem, but considering This is Indonesia, not all airport personnel are aware of the rules.
Hi Dino.
Great article and post-article. Very helpful.
Do you know if I can extend my visa to the seconds 30 days in lombok or it just can be done in Bali?
Thanks before hand.
Absolutely. You can go to the immigration office in Mataram. I heard it was better and less crowded than Bali.
Hi Dino, thanks for all the info! So if I start the process before the visa expires but don’t finish it before, do I need to pay the over stay fine?
Nope, you’re good. As long as you begin before it expires you won’t pay a fee.
This is great, you are so right on the money! even if I’ve done this myself on several occasion in the past 15 years, I learned a few things always changes, since it’s been 3 years since last time, I did learn a few things.
You somehow make something terribly boring and frustrating into a good read – thumbs up.
However i don’t think I saw mentioned that multiple entry visa is much better than Voa and visa runs for long term (more than 2 months) stay.
10 points for this website! all valuable info.
there is just one thing im concern about. some comments about ramadan schedule/office hours.
my visa expires on june 21th and i just heard that offices will close from june 8 to june 20 which i think is crazy. i tried checking on their website but im not able to find any confirmation about this. you guys have some info please?
thanks
Unfortunately we don’t have their hours for Ramadan. It should be easy since it’s a government office, but it’s really hard to keep up with those things. The holiday hours change more than you’d think. That said, I don’t think they’re closed for that long. They are backed up and visa extensions are taking about a month at the moment, but that’s all I know for sure. Wish I could be more helpful.
Thank you for this great and very thorough informative article! We’ve just done the process, in Denpasar, there where two slight changes:
1. Bringing a Photo not nescessary;
2. Counter for day two (to retreive ticket for photo) now marked.
3. Pickup passport time is in the afternoon (from 13).
Hi, I’m going to Bali this march. I am from the Philippines which means we have 30 days visa free and we can’t get any visa for an extension on the airport just like Australian and any other westerners.
My question is
1. Can I leave the country before my 30 days expire and be back again for 2-3 days? Can I stay again in bali for 30 days?
Actually, Australians can get the extension now, but you’re right, you can’t. Anyone from any of the ASEAN countries, of which the Philippines is a member, must apply for an extension from their home country first.
To answer your questions, yes, you can simply leave the country and come back in for another 30 days. No time limit on how long you have to be gone. Just zip out and zip back in.
Hey I’d love to stay in Bali around a year possibly more, I’ll see how it goes. I’m interested in business visa. What details I need for that (if you know) and can I get this on arrival. I heard it can last a year and be repeated several times. Thanks x
Hi Cherise, though it’s beyond the scope of my post, I know you can get a business visa for 1 year, but you need to get it before you arrive and it has to be sponsored by a local Indonesian company. There are services in Bali that do, but I have none to recommend to you. I’ve tried two and they were both terrible experiences. Once you get it, you will still be required to leave every 60 days. Good luck.
Hi Dino, what a great page this is – not sure if this question has been answered or not…
I (probably like many others) booked a >30 day trip before I knew of the 30-day limit – regarding the overstay fines, if I (actually we, there’s four of us) come in on the 30-day visa-free thing (coming from the UK) and then stay for 32 days, does the overstay fine simply apply just as if I had a 30-day VOA? Getting a VOA and then applying for extensions for 2 days seems onerous – happy to pay the fine instead.
Cheers!
Sorry for the late reply, just saw this. Yes, if it were me, I’d just pay the 2 days overstay rather than go through the extension, even for visa free. It’s the same as VOA overstay.
Hi Dino, nice page! Thank you for the detail information. Sorry if I missed out, but could you please let us know how many days in a year as a tourist we can stay in Indonesia? Just a bit confuse because we are planning to go this April for 2 months and then we want to come again later in Nov for 2 months.
The amount of time you’re allowed to stay in Bali is not cumulative so you’re fine. You can come and go as many times as you want. Enter visa free if you’re going to stay less than 30 days each time.
Hi Dino,
Thanks for all of the great info. I’m not sure if you already answered this question, but I’ll ask anyway. I’m traveling with my family of 4 this summer and we’ll be staying for 33 days (We arrived June 13th and leave July 15th). Because it exceeds the 30 days, I just obtained a 60 day visa for each of us from our local consulate and our passports were returned today saying that the visa must be used by July 11th, 4 days before the end of our trip. My question for you is whether the 60 visa must be simply activated before July 11th or must we complete our visit and leave Indonesia by that date?
Yes, you’re fine as long as you enter the country before July 11th so all sounds good.
Dino! this blog has helped me SO much! thankyou <3
My extension application forms and passport have been submitted. money paid. my date for my 2nd appointment for photos&interview is on my '29th day'. (4 days after my first appointment!!)
i don't know how long it will take to be granted from this point.
do i risk a fine if my last appointment is the next day or later?
how likey (if at all) is it for the extension to not go through(for any reason)?
please note- it is now possible to turn up to the Denpasar office during lunch hours, get a printed ticket number and wait for desks to open.
i was pleasantly surprised by how little time i had to wait there considering it was the day after Easter holidays, AND after lunch.
it wasn't the ordeal i expected. scans/prints of passport and plane ticket are available onsite but will cost (2,000 for passport, 5,000 ticket)
it was however my second visit that day, i panicked when the nearest cash machines wouldn't give me money, due to the wording on the ATM, i thought my bank was treating my cards as stolen and i came back to Ubud.. only to discover that other machines worked fine.(i tried both 1mill and half mill withdrawal with no luck in denpasar)
point being- bring enough cash, don't rely on the nearest machines as apparently they don't like all foreign cards at the machines nearby (mines kiwibank NZ).
and apparently it is also common for machines to run out of cash around popular holiday times.
thanks again Dino!!
Thanks for the tips Lisa. BTW, you won’t get a fine. As long as you start the process before your 30 days is up, you’re good.
Thanks for all this info! Do you happen to know if we are flying from Padang to Bali via Kuala Lumpur, will that count as exiting and re-entering Indonesia (so we could do another Free Visa on arrival when we land in Bali)? Our total Indo trip is 32 days so we’re wondering if we can do that on two free visas if we’re connecting in a different country halfway through our trip…? Thanks again!
Yes, it doesn’t matter where you leave from as long as you leave the country, you can come back in visa free. Do it as many times as you like.
Hi Dino
I am going to Bali on monday 🙂
Thanks for a lot of great info.
The indonessian embasy could’t make my visa in time, before my departure, so my question is: Do you know how long it takes for the immigration offices to get me another 30 days in Bali? I am staying for ca. 1½ month, so I need the extendion….
Or could I just get that at the airport, when I arrive?
Sorry if you already posted this somewhere… There’s a looooot of comments 🙂
You can’t extend at the airport when you arrive. You’ll have to come in, purchase a Visa on Arrival, and then go to an immigration office after about 2 weeks to extend your visa. By the way, when you purchase a VOA, you can go through the fast line at immigration with all the locals.
Thank you so much 🙂
Hi, Dino.
Thanks for a very helpful article. I’m in Bali and I was wonderring if it’s a complete waste of time to try to extend my VOA earlier than two weeks before it expires. Right now, I have three weeks left before the first 30 days are up, but I’d like to get the extension out of the way.
What would you advise?
Thanks in advance
The 2 weeks is their rule. Not sure if they’ll let you extend before then. I’ve never tried.
Hey great post, I have a problem My things were stolen, among other things, my receipt and the provisional passport, what options do I have now?
That sucks. Go to the immigration office and bring other identification if you have it. Explain to them what happened and they’ll be able to match you with your passport.
Hey, very great, helpful post. Btw, the fee has risen from 355k to 500k.. Got there at the Denpasar office as it opened here on Monday and was out in about 45 minutes after filling in the forms; back this Wednesday for photo and following Monday for pickup. Their photo machine seemed to be working today, but their receipt printer was broken, so they gave a different receipt to pay when returning to take a photo, and can’t be paid at a bank in the meantime. Interesting place. Reminds me of visits to the Motor Vehicle Division in the US.
Does anyone knows if you can pay the renewal fee of 500k IDR directly at immigration? The receipt that the officer gave me doesn’t have any billing number/bank details. I have to go back tomorrow for the photos and I tried already to call the immigration office with no results.
The immigration office in Denpasar used to have a Kantor Pos van in the parking area where you can pay. Is that still there?
Not sure, I should have checked yesterday when I filed the application. Tomorrow morning I’ll be there first thing in the morning and hopefully the van is there
Yes, the orange van is still there. I paid yesterday.
It looks like a food truck lol
Hah, yea, I know. I should mention that in the article.
By the way, did they increase the fee to IDR 500,000 now?
Hi Dino, thank you so so much for all of this amazing info.
I’m Canadian, heading to Bali at the end of August. I want to stay for a while. i just want to make sure I’m reading this right. so you suggest arriving in Bali and pay VOA. and then i can extend it? I don’t have to do anything before i leave? How many times can i extend this? dumb question, but if i leave to go to thailand for a week and then come back for thirty days do i get a free visa?
do you not recommend the social cultural visa B-211?
I’m going solo so I’m nervous i don’t want to get into any trouble.
thanks so much for your advice
Hi Giuliana, you can extend only once per visit so you get 30 days with a VOA, then extend for another 30 days and leave. But once you come back in everything starts all over again. You can enter, extend, leave and come back in as many times as you want. Hope that helps.
Hi, great article.
Do you know that how many times I can do these VOA in a year?
Just one question if someone can help please… Due to Lebaran the immigration offices will be closed during all this week and I have a VOA that will expire on the 11th of June, anyone knows if it’s ok to start the process only next Monday (10th) 1 day before the expiration date? Will I need to pay something because my visa will expire during the extension? Thank you so much ??
You’re fine. They know things will be delayed for the holiday. As long as you start the process before it expires, you won’t get fined.
Thank you so much for the quick reply Dino ?? Wish you all the best!
Thanks for your post, very informative.
Hi Dino, thank you so much for taking time to explain. As I m not english speaker native, I might have missed an information, I apologie if I ask something already explained. I saw we have to take a tourist visa on our arrival to be able to extend. But on a french website explaining how to extend, they said to take the visa free and then to extend if we are not staying more than 30 days. I am leaving in one month and just found out this heavy process. As many of us, I will be away from immigration office in a very tiny village where the taxi cost much to get a city. It s kind of wasting vacation… I try to simulate through an on line agency here, but they say it s too late…So my questions are : are you 100% sure we have to pay the tourist visa as soon we arrive if we extend for few days ( staying 44 days), and if we fly to kuala lumpur to come back or To singapor, does it work? You say it s been trouble for people going to singapore to extend… Maybe since you updated, news informations came up? I ll be in Java, arriving through bandung. thank you so much for you possible help !
Hi Typhaine, the only way to extend is if you get a visa on arrival. If you don’t, you enter the country “visa free,” which essentially means you don’t have a visa. Therefore, you cannot extend a visa you do not have. It sounds like the French website you noted gave you misleading information.
Don’t worry about Singapore. I go there all the time on 1-day visa runs. Just make sure you don’t tell the immigration officer you are on a visa run.
Hi Dino, Super helpfull blog, Ive been coming to bali for many years, but this time I tight too much the dates to extend. I arrived on 21 may 2019, and my departure flight to singapore is on 20th of july 2019. Ive just realized that the 30 days in fact are 29 days, because it counts the day that you arrive and the day that you depart. Then I should leave indonesia on the 18th or 19th of july?
My 2 month will be first month from 21 may – 19 june and my second month from 19 june – 18 july is this correct? it will great if you can help me.
If I need to pay overstay, when I pay, when I leave the country on the airport? thanks in advance, Josep
We need to entend our 30 day VOA. We tried to go twice last week but they were closed due to the holidays. We went again this morning at 10am and they said they are only dealing with 100 people per day and we were already too late. We have the forms and have been told to go back at 8am tomorrow. We are near Jimbaran at the moment, but the problem is we go to Sideman on the 15th June. Although it’s not ideal we don’t mind coming back once to pick up the passports for the 3rd visit but don’t really want to have to come back twice.
How likely is it we will be called back for our 2nd visit by the 14th June (so hand in forms and docs first thing 11th June – is there any hope we may get our 2nd visit date this week too)?
If Dino or anyone with resent visit to the Ngurah Rai office could advise that would be great. Visa expires 25th June.
Thanks, Sarah
Thought I’d answer my own question to help others. Got there at 7.45 am this morning and doors were already open. Took tickets and we were one of the first to take them – just 5 people before us. It took over an our for the first of our type of ticket to be called. I was told straight away we would have to come back for photos in a week (18th June) and pick up the passport in 2 weeks (25th June). I asked if it could be any earlier for photos and he said no way is it possible as they are too busy. Maybe it is because of the holidays, but at the moment the process is taking longer than others have previously mentioned. We were in there for 2 and a half hours in total even though we were one of the first there.
To confirm the fee is now 500,000 as of 2nd May. (So total fee is now 1 million – 500,000 at airport and 500,000 at immigration)
Also to confirm there is a orange van at the Ngurah Rai office that takes payment.
Hope this helps others.
Thanks, Sarah
Thanks Sarah, I will update my post with the new information.
Hi Dino, I am in Bali actually under a VOA extension already. I plan to fly to Singapore to apply for a B211 and come back. I would like to pass by an agent in Singapore but don’t know which one. Any suggestion ?
he Dino,
yes the fee has changed to 500k and the fine for overstaying has been raised to 1.000.000 a day since 3th of may! several of my friends had to pay the fine
also the voa extention need to be done between 8 untill 11 at nusa dua imigrassi
Also be on time with the apply because with me it took little under 2 weeks (12 days)
cheers, and thank u!
Thank you so much for this blog, very informative and it helps me ALOT. I feel empowered lol.
Just went down to the Nusa Dua office this morning for my 2nd trip… arrived at 9 am… the photos and fingerprints only took 5 mins and I was done! Happy days!
Hi, we are due to stay in Ubud when we apply for the visa but by the time of our second visit (for interviews and photos) we will be in Sanur. Is this likely to case us problems? Where should we say we are staying in the interview? Thanks!
Both Sanur and Ubud locations require you to use the Denpasar office.
Hi Dino,
I used your very helpful guide for getting my visa yesterday. Thanks! One thing to note for you and others though is that at the airport (or, at least at Denpasar airport) the USD price was $38 and not $35. It’s still 500k but the USD price was higher. We had $70 exactly so had to pay for visa in local currency and the other in USD. Worthwhile noting for anyone arriving from now on who is checking this post.
Hey Dino,
is it possible to show a fake flight ticket to them while extending the visa?
I don’t know exactly when I’m going to leave Indonesia (if course within 60 days).
I know people who have done that successfully, though I can’t recommend it in a public forum.
Tried to contact you privately but couldn’t find a mail or so 😉
I have another question regarding that. May I message you somewhere else?
Hey Dino, I’m just asking you here as I need a quick advice.
Do (you think) they check the booking reference number with the airline or do they just accept the flight ticket as I give it to them
Do I need a photocopy of my boarding pass when i entered the country of Indonesia when I’m going to extend my 30 day visa ?
No photocopy of your boarding pass is necessary, just copy of your departure ticket.
Ive just pay penatly for over stay 1 day and now they charge 1.000.000 idr per person per day, then better think twice if you want to over stay, its not cheap anymore, my family is 3 members and we pay 3 millions for 1 extra day. We did Visa run for 1 day to singapore with no extra question asked in either of the 2 countries.
Hello Dino, thank you a Lot for all this helpful informations! I’ve a question more, just to be sure… I’m going to visit Bali on September the 3rd, my plan is to stay 2 month, (asking for the Visa on Arrival at Denpansar Airport). I red that i need to buy a coming back flight ticket to show them (at check-in) before to land from Italy, but, can i book a flight that lands after 50 days (explaining that i’m planning to get a Visa on Arrival and extending it to 60 days) or do i ned to buy a flight within the 30 days?
Thank you in advance
Luigi
Hi Luigi, to be clear, Bali only requires you to show a return flight ticket when you go to extend your visa on arrival. So, say you arrive and stay for 3 weeks, then make an appontment to extend your visa beyond the 30 day limit, that’s when you need to show your return ticket. You do not need one when you first arrive.
That said, sometimes the airline you fly will require an exit ticket. So when you check in with the Airline when you leave Italy, the airline “may”ask you for a return ticket within 30 days. that has happened to me, but not always. it depends on the airline and often, it depends on the person checking you in at the airport. Hope that helps.
Thank you. So much.
Dino, please update your text. In May 2019 the overstay penalty was tripled to US$70 (Rp 1 million) per person per day!
Should also point out that you can only use the Denpasar Immigration office if your address is in Denpasar City, Kab. Bangli, Tabanan, Klungkung, Gianyar, or Kec. Mengwi, Abiansemal, or Petang. Otherwise you need to go to the Ngurah Rai office, between Jimbaran and Nusa Dua, unless you’re in the north when you should go to Singaraja office.
Hi, thanks for the post. I understand that this post is for Bali Visa Ext. Here’s a bit of info. when extending your visa in Lombok. All is the same for the paperwork, accept you can hand in the application, pay the fee and get fingerprinted all on the same day. Pick up your extended 30 days three days later. I am hoping it’s the same rule that allows me to extend 2 weeks before it expires. Cheers
One quick question if i have completed my first 60 days and head to Singapore for a visa run could i once back in Indonesia purchase another VOA and extended that one. Also if so could i do this process for each time my 60 day visa runs out. Thank you
Thank you so much for your very helpful blog. We went to the office in Singaraja ourselves. We stayed in Lovina Beach and hailed a bemo, cost of 5,000IDR each (we were quoted 300,000 for a taxi). We hardly had to wait at all and the staff were helpful and friendly. Lovina is a pretty nice place to spend a few days and the Immigration office is only 10 minutes down the main road. Saved heaps of money. The main hassle was getting the photocopies in Ubud, should have waited until Lovina.
Hi, any idea if anyone at immigration actually checks the address where we’re staying? I’m currently in Canggu (served by the Ngurah Rai) office but am leaving for Ubud (served by Denpasar) in a few days. Am I okay listing the Ubud address on my extension application? Not to mention that Denpasar is WAY closer to my Canggu address than Ngurah Rai…
Thanks!
I’m almost certain they do not check for address.
Hi Dino,
My very elderly parents are in Bali at the moment and we’re due to fly home to NZ tonight – but my father has ended up in hospital due to a nasty chest infection. The airline they were due to fly home on has cancelled their seats as they consider my father too unwell to fly. Their visitors visa is due to expire in 2 days. Flights for the next 2 days to NZ are all full – which will mean by the time my father does get the all clear to fly and they can actually get on a flight they will have overstayed by a few days. They are very concerned about this. Do you happen to know what the consequence of this will be?
Sorry for the late reply Michelle. You probably have already figured this out, but as long as you can document everything with doctor’s notes, proof of reasons for cancelled flights, immigration should accommodate you; however, according to their guidelines, you still may have to pay a fee.
Hi Dino
Nice article, thanks a lot!
We are planning an approx. 4 month trip to Bali next year. I just wanted to make sure that there still is no limit on how many times we can apply for a visa. It sounds that it is easier to just leave the country and go back again than dealing with immigration offices. So is that still an option?
Side question: how (un)safe do you think it is to provide photography services for tourists for money without having a registered company?
Thanks in advance!
Yes, you can still go in and out as many times as you want. I do it all the time. As far as performing business here, you’re not supposed to do it, but a lot of people do. They just make sure they stay under the radar because if you’re caught, you’ll pay a fine and may be required to leave.
Hi Dino! My question is that i’m extending my visa , but between my first and second visit at the immigration office , i would like to leave the island. Only for 2 days i’m flying to Surabaya. Are they gonna let me to fly without my passport?? Thanks for your answer!
You get a receipt from them when they take your passport. You can fly within Indonesia with that receipt and another form of ID.
Hi Dino, I am coming to Indonesia next month. As I do not want to stay in the same place for a week, do you know if I can do my initial visit then come back, say a week later for my second visit, or do my 1st and 2nd trip as directed but return at a later date for my 3rd trip? or do I need to return on the exact dates they give. I’m just trying to work it around my trip around it. Thanks, this post has been so helpful in preparing me for my trip. Laurie.
You can can’t come earlier than the day scheduled, but you can come back on any day you want afterward. Try to get them as close to the scheduled date as you can. I just picked up my visa about 5 days later than scheduled (3rd visit) and it was not a problem.
hi
can I ask what the visa deal is for my 7 year old ? same prices ?
I want to come for a reccie to ok at schools and work opportunities – (we need out of Scotland for a while and have red great things about some of the schools there – I have not been since 2003 so I am sure I will see changes. !)
My though was to get a 60 day visa in advance , then extend that if I need to – when we come back it will be for a fun school year – Is it still possible to do 60 day advance – extend this 4 x = 180 days – then leave , apply for 60 days somewhere else , and come back and do all of that again ?
As for work I am an experienced community musician and choir leader with vast experience in special needs adn mental health support. I was hoping to use these skills – and perhaps teach English online/in person. I don’t need to save , just get by . I also buy , sell and make silver jewellery and used to buy in Bali – will be researching new silver techniques and looking into using a workshop there .
Would be great to hear any tips – I am a single parent , experienced SE Asia and Africa traveller
Chandra
oh yeah !
Also info on business visa as this may be another avenue ?
Obviously not so easy to go in and out with a wee one .
CHandra
Canggu have to go to the Nusa Dua office! I got turned away from the Denpasar location.
Amazing post by the way. Spot on, to the very detail of the faulty ticket printing machine!
Hi Dino. This site is awesome. Thanks so much. Apologies if you have answered something similar to this scenario… my family of 4 has booked flights (PER – DPS) to stay in indo for 62 days.. oops. Shit! cost of changing flights is as much as flights. Could we potentially fly into Bali and get 30 day free visa, after 28 days fly out cheaply and internationally (Singapore?) for a 5 day stay, and then return to Bali to get another free 30 day visa? Looking forward to your reply. Thanks. ?
Yup. That’s exactly how it works. Once you leave Bali, the30 days starts all over again when you re-enter.
Hi Dino,
We are in Bali now since one week and will extend our visa. If we go to the emigration tomorrow is this too early?
I have heard that you can only start the extension two weeks before expiry but is this the actual situation?
Do you have any information?
Thanhs four your reply
Corinna
I am Pakistani citizen, how to get Indonesian visa or for Bali? any online visa service?
Unfortunately, you are not eligible for visa free or visa on arrival so this article would not apply. You’ll have to go to the Indonesian Embassy in Pakistan.
I’m sorry if someone has asked this question before. I’m wondering if I can extend the visa at an immigration office in a different city than where I initially enter Indonesia. For example, I enter from Denpasar and then travel to Jakarta when my visa is about to expire. Can I extend it in Jakarta since that’s where I am at that moment? I can’t imagine that I have to go back to Denpasar everytime I need to get the extension.
Yes, you can extend from the nearest office. It doesn’t need to be the same city where you entered.
Hey very nice infos ! I was wondering would you know if we go by land in Indonesia from Malaysia is it possible to pay for the 30 days visa when we get there ? Thank you
Sorry, I don’t any details about the land crossing from Malaysia.
Hi Dino, thanks so much for your work on this post and for helping everyone with their questions. Very kind of you.
I’ve been scouring the Q&As but can’t see my question answered, so wondered if you could help.
I’m planning to fly to Indonesia soon and spend a couple of months (60 days max) in Bali, so I’m planning on doing visa on arrival then extending in Bali.
Will most airlines demand you show an exit ticket for a date before 30 days from entry, before letting you check in? I was planning to buy my Indonesia exit ticket, but it would be for a date longer than 30 days from entry (although shorter than 60 days).
Most flights are non-refundable, so it seems crazy that the only way to get into Indonesia and do the extension is to buy a flight out then just write it off and not use it, but is that the case? I guess airlines vary on how strictly they check these, but in my experience most in Asia are pretty hot on checking for exit tickets. Hoping that if I can at least show an exit ticket they’d let me on, even if it’s for a date longer than 30 days from entry.
Many thanks for any pointers, very best.
Jamie.
Hi Jamie, thanks.
I’ve been flying mostly Air Asia for the last couple of years and they never ask me anymore. They used to, but I haven’t been asked in a long time. About a year and a half ago, I flew China Southern out of SFO and they demanded to see a return ticket. There are ways around this issue that have worked. There are services that print you a ticket for a small fee. Then i guess they cancel it or something. I’m sure you can find something online. Haven’t used it myself, but I know there are other, DIY ways of getting by this issue that have worked. Can’t really go into detail in a public forum.
Imigration will have repeat fingerprints and photos of the same person each time an extension is applied for.
Thanks for all the info ! I just wanted to confirmed if I have a Canadian passeport and plan to stay in Indonesia for 60 days if I pay for the Visa on arrival (when I arrive in Bali) I wont need anythings else and everything is good (No need to go back or hire an agent) ?
Do you also know if I stop by Kuala Lumpur on my way to Banda Aceh is the 60 days Visa is still working if I go out the country?
Thanks again and have a great day
The rule for stops at other countries is that if you actually leave the airport and get your passport stamped, then it counts. Your next visit to Indonesia can be for 30 days visa free or 30 days VOA. Canadian citizens can do either.
Thank you Dino !
I’m still not sure if I understand (langage barrier sorry ).
If I get the VOA when I arrive in Bali do I get to stay 60 days (meaning I get the visa free 30 days+ the 30 days of the VOA ).
Thanks again 🙂
Hi Marie, no problem. You arrive and get to stay for 30 days with the VOA. Then, before that 30 days ends, you’ll need to go to one of the immigration offices to get an additional 30 day extension. So yes, when you use the VOA, you get to say for 60 days provided that you are approved. The overwhelming majority of people who apply are approved. They just want to make sure that you have never overstayed your visa in the past or violated any rules.
Super 🙂 Thanks for the quick answer ! I really appreciate it.
Thanks for sharing the nice information. hope to get more visa updates from your side
Hi Dino,
My family and I are leaving for Bali on January 1st 2020. We already have a 60 day tourist visa from the Indonesian embassy in Denmark (no sponsor required), but we plan to stay in Indonesia for app. 85 days. Would I need to find a local sponsor while I am in Indonesia for the visa extension? Or is my only option to fly to Singapore for a few days and come back? I would like to avoid the trip to Singapore, as my wife and I are travelling with 4 kids. Can I extend the visa as soon as I arrive, or should I wait until a few weeks before the 60 day tourist visa expires?
Best regards,
Tore
Hi Tore, since you’re only staying an additional 25 days beyond your original 60 days, you can extend, but you can’t do it right when you get there. You can only extend up to 2 weeks before your original visa expires unless there is a major holiday during that time, then I would go a little earlier. During major holidays like Christmas, Ramadan and Nyepi, the whole system gets backed up and they ask people to get an early start. Also, for the first and last visit, your family doesn’t need to be there. They just need to go for the second visit to get their photos taken. Hope that helps.
Dear Dino,
I hope you are still commenting on this post. It’s very helpful! What I wasnt able to see is where I can pay the extra day fine. I fly back home with 31 days (should have looked that up before purchase of ticket..) but it seems paying the one day fine would be easiest. Do you know when and where I pay for this? Is this at the airport when leaving the country or do I still need to go to immigration?
Kind regards,
Meike
Hi Meike, you will pay as you leave so make sure you allow a little extra time at the airport. At the immigration counter, they’ll pull you into an office where you’ll pay the overstay fee. It’s pretty simple, but there could be someone in line in front of you who will try to dispute the charge. that could hold things up.
Hi Dino, I know I should probably know this considering how many times I have done this, but I keep forgetting (or possibly blocking). When I extend my social visa the second and third time do I need to give immigration photocopies of my exit ticket and sponsor letter again? And how many trips does it take since you don’t have to do the photos and fingerprinting? Thanks
Hi Dino,
For the 3rd visit to pick up the passport Is it possible to pick it up at a later date or do I have to go on the date they say it is ready? (I didn’t think to ask when I was there for the 1st visit).
Thank you
Tania
I was supposed to collect it on the 26th of December but asked immigration if I could collect it in Jan. Picked it up yesterday.
Great post, really appreciate all the information, Thanks a lot for writing it!
My few questions are:
1. I got the 60 day visa in Singapore and arrived to Indonesia 4 days later. The visa expiry of the 60’th day is counted from the arrival date, and not the issuing date, right? (just to be on the safe side)
2. Every time I’ll be extending my visa by 30 days I need to purchase new plain tickets, to prove I’ll be leaving the country within the next 30 days?
Thanks,
Hi I’m going n jombang I use kediri I’m away to seek my fourth extension will they bring me in for interview I used agent in Malaysia I did not give bank account or return flight I’m wondering if this is problem if interview
Excellent post, thanks. We’re planning a Bali trip, getting Visa on Arrival, paying for an extension for another 30 days, then flying out to Singapore. Question is, on checking in for our inbound flight to Denpasar from the UK, our onward ticket to Singapore will have a date greater than the initial 30 days allowed. Is the airline likely to refuse to board, despite us telling them our plans to get VoA and extend to a maximum of 60 days?
It depends on the airline and the person checking you in. It’s a rule, but many of them don’t know it or don’t bother with it.
I just booked my ticket & then I read this…bummer! Can you not apply for an extended visitors visa, in the US, at a consulate before you go? My husband & I went to Bali last year and paid the penalty for our 1 day overstay. At that time, we were ‘sort of’ lead to believe that we could have applied ahead of time for the extended visa. The last 29 days of this trip I’m in a coarse in Abude & won’t be able to get away for visa extension. I’m hearing: it takes a few days to do this, needs to be done in Denpansar, and can’t be initiated till about 10 days prior to expiring(in the middle of my coarse!). Perhaps I should just rebook this ticket instead of spending 4 to 5 days of my extended 10 days dealing with this hassle?
Sorry for the late reply to your question. You can apply for an extended visa, but you will likely need someone in Indonesia to sponsor you. May be easier to just rebook the ticket. Good luck!
Really nice blog thanks for sharing this
Thanks, dear for such a piece of great knowledge.
Hi there,
What if I can’t go to the immigration office on the day that the stamp says to go get my photo taken? Can I go later or does it have to be on that day?
You can go on a later day.
Went to immigration office today in Jimbaran for the renewal 30 days visa and told us sponsors is required. We got 60 days visa from Toronto originally. Just for update information. Thanks
Hi, You wrote that ASEAN passport holders cannot extend their 30 days VISA on arrival with another 30 days. Would you please reconfirm because that’s confusing. Thank you
Also for info, Kantor Imigrasi Bali refused to accept a sponsor with an ID from Jakarta. The original 60 days visa was issued in Singapore with a Jakarta sponsor. The 30 days extension in Bali was rejected because the sponsor should have a Bali ID.
Hi there! One quick question, i will do a visa rum next month. Do u think i need to pass Singapore immigration and get a stamp, or i just can transit and go straight to another plane without passing immigration? Thank u!
Definitely get your passport stamped.
Hi Dino, really helpful. Just spent 30 days on a “free” visa. Am returning shortly but for over 60 days as I’m doing some diving training. I have someone to sponsor me. Does it matter if I apply for a 60 day tourist or social cultural visa? Is either easier to extend beyond 60 days?
Thanks for your help.
Sorry Claire, I just now saw this. Normally, you can’t extend a visa free because technically, you don’t have a visa; however, I have no idea how Indonesia is accommodating travelers during the pandemic so you’ll have to check with Kantor Immigrasi.
Hi Dino,
Do you know if there is an online resource to download the forms for a VOA extension? I want this so I don’t need to go in person on the first day just to submit the form
yes, there are some good covid groups on Facebook that have up to date info on this. Good luck
Great! thank you for summary of information. I saw pictures of Bali on Worldee and Im planning to visit Bali this year.
This a very great post. I must tell you that you are a very wonderful writer. Sustainable City
Nice post! The information you provided is very helpful if someone is planning to create a Medical Test for Visa. I think Medical Test for Visa is a better way to get all the information about Visa Medical Screening.
Hi ,
I have arrived in Indonesia on E-Social Visa B211A on Nov 22,2020. Due to COVID My Visa Validity is 30 Days not 60 Days. Yesterday I went in Denpasser Kantor Imgirasi to Extend my visa with my Sponsor ( My wife ).. I have all Documents Passport Copy , Visa Copy, return tickets, Sponsor (Wife KTP), Local Domicile letter for my wife but they returned us back claiming I also need a Domicile Letter from local village to extend my visa….we check online there is no need for Domicile letter for foreigner but they returned us back…Can you please help us to register a complaint as my visa is going to expire on 21st December
You made some good points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found most people will go along with with your website.
Hi Dino, really helpful post, thank you! Just an additional question regarding the requirement to present a return flight when applying for the VOA extension: Do you know if it must be a flight out of Indonesia or would a flight back home from Singapore work as well? I’m asking because we will be flying back to Switzerland from Singapore and plan to maybe travel from Indonesia (Sumatra) to Singapore by boat before the return flight.