We tell you what types of visas to Indonesia exist and how much they cost, we describe the nuances and methods of obtaining a visa for Russians and citizens of Belarus in 2021.
On June 10, 2015, Indonesia finally introduced a visa-free regime with Russia.
I have collected up-to-date and reliable information about visas and will summarize it here.
There are several types and options for obtaining an Indonesian visa for Russians. As for the types, it happens:
- upon arrival;
- tourist (issued in advance);
- social.
As in any other country, there are also various business and study visas, but we will not talk about them - we will only consider options for obtaining a visa for travelers.
There is one interesting feature of Indonesian migration policy that any traveler should know about - when flying from some airports in the country (Denpasar, Surabaya, Lombok, etc.), a tourist pays a fee of 150-200 thousand rupees (about $11-15). But sometimes this fee may already be included in the price of the air ticket (for example, in November 2015, I left the country from Medan airport - I did not pay the fee; the same thing happened when flying domestically).
In this article we will look at all types of Indonesian visas suitable for a traveler, and how to obtain them (in Russia, in other Asian countries and upon arrival). At the end, we will compare all the visa options and decide for whom which option will be the best.
For inspiration, here is a fascinating video about traveling around Indonesia:
Indonesia Visa on Arrival - 2021
The most convenient option for obtaining an Indonesian visa.
Attention: in 2015, visa-free entry was introduced for Russians into Indonesia for a period of 30 days. Now a 30-day stamp is issued if a tourist arrives at one of 9 immigration control points (5 airports and 4 ports):
- Ngurah Rai in Denpasar, Bali;
- Soekarno-Hatta in Jakarta, Java;
- Juanda in Surabaya;
- Kuala Namu in Medan in Sumatra;
- Hang Nadim on Batam Island;
- the ports of Pelabuhan Laut Sekupang, Pelabuhan Laut Sri Bintan, Pelabuhan Laut Batam Center and Pelabuhan Laut Tanjung Uban in the Riau Islands.
Once you receive a visa stamp, your stay in Indonesia cannot be extended, nor can you obtain a domestic visa or residence permit. If you are interested in a longer stay, you will need to apply for a tourist visa in advance (see below). The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival.
We advise you to take care of insurance in advance - it never hurts.
Customs regulations
Indonesian customs rules are somewhat different from usual. In addition to the standard restrictions on the amount of imported alcohol, vegetables and animals, tourists are prohibited from carrying fresh fruits, medicines and products from China in their luggage.
How to fill out a customs declaration
The customs declaration can be obtained directly on the plane. It is filled in block letters in black or blue. The checkboxes are placed depending on whether something in your luggage falls under the declared items. If yes, then you will be asked to go through the red corridor.
Migration card
There is no need to worry about receiving the form in advance: the migration card will also be given during the flight. It consists of two forms: arrival and departure. You should not lose it while staying on the island: this will entail a fine and problems with departure. A migration card must be filled out for each arriving family member, including children.
Indonesia Tourist Visa 2021
Russians, if desired or necessary, can apply for an Indonesian visa at home, in their own country. This visa is issued for 1 or 2 months at the discretion of the consulate.
It can also be done in any other country: for travelers who travel around Asia for a long time, it is convenient to get a visa in one of the countries in this region (read more about this below - we look at examples of obtaining an Indonesian visa in Thailand and Malaysia).
Address of the consular section of the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow: Novokuznetskaya, 12.
Social visa
It can also be obtained either in Russia or in another country.
To apply for a social visa, you will additionally need an invitation letter from an Indonesian citizen who will act as your sponsor. Such a person could be, for example, an Indonesian from whom you will rent a house or car. One person can be a sponsor for several tourists at once. You will also need to attach a copy of your sponsor's ID to the package of documents.
If you don’t want to look for a sponsor yourself, you can turn to companies that will find a sponsor for you and send you a letter from him - the service can be easily ordered in Bali, it will cost about $35.
Social visa to Indonesia is issued for 1 or 2 months. Its advantage is that it can be extended 4 times without leaving the country. That is, you can legally stay on any islands in Indonesia for up to six months. If this is not enough for you, then you can go to a neighboring country and re-apply for a social visa. And the countdown will begin again.
This visa will need to be extended at immigration offices or, as in the case of a tourist visa, through an intermediary company.
For those who want to know more about Indonesia:
- In the fall of 2015, I traveled around Sumatra on my motorcycle. Read about how I traveled along harsh Indonesian roads, crossed the equator, climbed volcanoes alone and lived by a Sumatran lake for seven years on my blog.
- Surely it will be useful for you to read the article about prices in Bali to find out how much food, transport, and housing cost on this Indonesian island.
- We also have a separate article about the cost of living in Indonesia, which talks about prices on other islands of this country (Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, etc.).
(Photo: mariusz kluzniak / flickr.com)
Accommodation while traveling. Search for hotels on Rumguru - it compares prices of a variety of booking systems and finds the best one.
Additional expenses
Among the obligatory expenses should be added the fee for legalization of documents. The exact amount depends on the number of papers. Legal agencies in Russia offer to perform this procedure for 5–6 thousand rubles per document. But you can count on a significant discount if a large package is legalized.
Visa recipients who do not have close relatives, friends or good acquaintances in Bali will most likely need to purchase an invitation from an Indonesian sponsor. Such letters are provided by agencies and centers for a fee. You can look for a friend in Bali on social networks yourself. There are also almost selfless people among the locals. They can invite guests from another country, demanding the same service in return. But much more often, Balinese offer to pay for a sponsorship letter.
If you want to save money, you can make photographs and copies yourself. Prepare plenty of them, perhaps you will need them in Bali. For example, when extending a visa.
Anyone who does not live in Moscow will have to provide for travel and accommodation costs in the capital. But residents of the province have the opportunity to turn to intermediaries. Commercial visa centers are ready to issue visas for their clients. For example, the cost of a service, which includes consultation, assistance in filling out an application, checking documents and submitting them to the Indonesian Embassy, is at least $75 without courier delivery.
Applying for a visa in Asian countries
Another option for obtaining an Indonesian visa is to do it in one of the Asian countries. This option is perfect for those people who are already traveling around Asia and suddenly decided that the next country on their list should definitely be Indonesia. It makes sense to apply for a visa in advance if you want to stay in Indonesia for more than a month, but you don’t want to waste time and effort on extending a monthly visa upon arrival, which was already discussed above. If you plan to stay in the country of 17,000 islands for about two months, then this visa method is the best option.
Obtaining a visa in Bangkok, Thailand
For example, it is convenient and easy to apply for an Indonesian visa in Bangkok:
- the document will be completed within three working days;
- the visa will be valid for 60 days;
- the set of documents is small;
- the possibility of failure is almost zero.
In addition to your passport (which is valid for at least 6 months - a standard rule for most Asian countries), a copy of it, a completed application form in English and two photographs (4x6), you will need to have return tickets or tickets to a third country (departure from Indonesia must be no later than 60 days after entry into the country).
If your plans are to stay in Indonesia for a longer period (and then apply for a social visa), then, of course, you don’t need return tickets leaving the country in just 2 months. There are two options: either buy the cheapest low-cost tickets (for example, an AirAsia flight to Malaysia for 30-50 dollars), or make a reservation for yourself without paying the cost right away.
You will find the visa application form in the embassy building; it is easy to fill out. With the application form and all documents, go to the reception window, and then pay the fee - $50 (payment is accepted only in USD).
(Photo: jeffwerner / flickr.com)
Obtaining a visa in Malaysia
Obtaining a visa to Indonesia in the capital of Malaysia is somewhat more difficult than in Bangkok. In addition, you will need an additional document, which is almost impossible for a traveler who is far from home to obtain - a bank account statement confirming the availability of sufficient funds, which should be no more than two days old. Traveler's checks can be an alternative.
Some nuances of obtaining a visa in Kuala Lumpur:
- The cost of obtaining a visa here is $55.
- Another drawback is the queues; significantly more people apply for an Indonesian visa in Kuala Lumpur than in the capital of Thailand.
- But the visa processing time is shorter here - only one day.
- Each visa applicant must be present in person when submitting documents.
- Also, when submitting, you will need to make one more document - a copy of the passport page on which there is a stamp about entry into Malaysia.
Alternatively, you can also get an Indonesian tourist or social visa in Kota Kinabalu (a city on Borneo/Kalimantan) or in George Town (a city on the island of Penang, in northern Malaysia, near the border with Thailand).
My personal experience. Before starting my two-month motorcycle trip to Sumatra in the fall of 2015, I applied for a 60-day visa in George Town, Penang. The registration took two days, the package of documents was minimal, the employees were responsive and helped in filling out the application form. From Penang Airport, by the way, you can easily and cheaply fly to many Indonesian cities.
Conclusions: how to best obtain a visa to Indonesia in 2021
It all depends on your intentions regarding the timing of your trip to Indonesia.
- If you are traveling for only 1 month, then the easiest way is to get a visa stamp at the airport, although you will not be able to extend it.
- If you want to save a little and not bother with an extension later, you can apply for a visa in advance (for example, in Bangkok or Penang). Pay $50 and you will be allowed to stay in Indonesia for up to 60 days without having to visit an immigration office.
- If you are going to Indonesia for a long time (a large-scale trip to the islands or a settled life in Bali), then it is better to get a social visa. Thanks to it, you can live in this country for up to six months. Then the procedure can be repeated (travel to another country and apply for a visa again). If you don’t want to go every month to the local branches of the Federal Migration Service and look for a sponsor, but have a couple of hundred extra dollars, then contact intermediary companies - they will do everything for you.
First photo: dcgreer / flickr.com.
Questionnaire
Arrive at the immigration center at least a week before your visa expires. Take a ticket at the terminal and wait your turn. When you see your number, then come up to receive the form.
It was the first time I had seen and filled out a visa extension form, so I asked a bunch of questions to the man who was filling out the same form next to me. Don't hesitate to ask the employees. There are a few stupid questions in the questionnaire. For example, the name and address of a family member who remains in their homeland. Why do they need this, I don't know
