Planning a Bali vacation from India? While making arrangements for flights and hotels for Bali packages seems quite easy, the visa feels like a daunting task. It’s one of the first thoughts that comes to mind when you start your vacation planning, because it has the potential to make or break it.
If you are visiting Bali from India, then you need to know about getting an Indonesian visa, also often referred to as the Bali visa. This short guide on the Bali visa for Indians highlights the key elements to make planning smooth for a memorable holiday without any visa glitches.
Bali Tourist Visa Types
First and foremost, the question that arises is: ‘Do Indians need a visa for Bali?’ The answer is yes, Indians need a visa to enter Indonesia.
Bali Visa on Arrival
However, there is a Bali visa on arrival for Indian tourists available, which makes it quite an easy process without cumbersome documentation or relying on timely approvals. It is the most commonly chosen visa for Indian travellers to Bali for the same reason. With this visa, you can travel, visit friends and family, and attend business meetings in Bali and other Indonesian destinations. A visa on arrival can be acquired for a 30-day stay and can be extended once. Also known as the B1 visa, this visa is only applicable for a single entry into Indonesia.
There are three ways to obtain a Bali Visa on Arrival:
- Apply and pay before you arrive at Bali: The visa can be submitted before you arrive at Bali through the official Indonesian online visa portal. You log on, put in all the necessary details, upload documents, and pay using debit or credit cards. You will get a digital copy of the visa.
- Apply for a visa online before arrival and pay in Bali: You can also apply before you travel and pay the visa fee once you reach Bali Airport. However, you will receive the visa once you reach Bali after paying the visa fees through a debit or credit card via SIMPONI, which is the payment system used by Indonesian banks.
- Apply and Pay for a visa in Bali: This is the traditional, old-fashioned way of getting the Visa on Arrival. It is not in digital form. You will get a visa sticker, which will be attached to your passport after you pay for your visa at the immigration checkpoint in Bali.
Though you can also avail a Visa on Arrival after reaching Bali, getting the electronic Visa on Arrival before your Bali departure is a better option as the timeline is shorter and much faster compared to getting it at the Bali Immigration counter.
Bali Tourist Visa
Indians coming to Bali for more than 30 days can apply for a Single-entry Tourist visa or a C1 visa. However, most Indian travellers prefer the visa-on-arrival B1 visa to explore Bali, and the C1 visa is not an often-used option.
Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa
Both the above-mentioned visas are single-entry visas with extension options. However, if you are planning a trip where you want to exit Bali, visit another destination, and re-enter Bali, then you should opt for the multiple-entry D1 Tourism visa. You can spend up to 180 days, though you would require a sponsor for this type of visa.
Bali Visa Requirements for Indians
Applying for a Bali visa-on-arrival is easy. You can do it from the comforts of your home with just a laptop, good internet speed and a few moments to spare. Just make sure you have the following documents ready and a valid credit or debit card in case you are paying right away.
- Always start by checking your passport. It is now a mandatory requirement, not just for a Bali visa, but also for many destinations, that you present a valid passport with at least six months beyond your planned departure once your trip concludes.
- You will require a return ticket that reflects as concrete proof that you will leave Bali once your purpose of visit is completed or your visa has expired, whichever happens first.
- A recent colour photograph no older than three months is required in a specific dimension as per the visa guidelines.
These requirements are all you need for a Bali visa-on-arrival. For the C1 and D1 Tourist visas, the documentation requirement is a bit more comprehensive and includes additional paperwork such as bank statements as proof of funds to cover your stay in Indonesia, proof of accommodation, and a travel itinerary, to name a few.
Visa Processing Time and Visa Fees
So, how long does it take to get a Bali visa? If you have applied for a digital visa on arrival, you will get the visa approval within one day. It is quick and delivered to the email address you provided while submitting your visa application. However, even if it takes just a day to receive the visa, it is best to apply a bit early and not wait for the visa to come through at the last minute.
For C1 and D1 tourist visas, it takes around five to seven working days after successful submission of the visa application and payment of the fees. If you plan to apply for this visa type, apply a month before your departure date so that it does not linger as a last-minute task.
With a visa received well in advance, it reduces your stress and frees your time to attend to other components of your journey. The Bali visa cost for Indian travellers is as follows:
- Visa on Arrival: IDR 500,000, which is around INR 2,700 per visa.
- B1 Tourist Visa (single entry for longer stays): IDR 1,000,000, which is approximately INR 5,400 per visa.
- D1 Tourist Visa (Multiple entry for longer stays): The one-year visa costs IDR 3,000,000. That’s around INR 16,200 per visa.
Visa charges for Bali from India may also differ from one visa service provider to another.
Things to Remember
- Ensure all your documents are proper and in order, leaving no room for unnecessary visa rejection.
- That being said, a visa approval is totally in the hands of the immigration officer, and if rejected, the visa fees will not be refunded.
- Take note of additional formalities, like filling up the All Indonesia Arrival Card and paying the mandatory tourism tax of INR 150,000.
- Double-check your visa once you receive it, and make note of the validity, as overstaying your visa in Indonesia will attract heavy fines.
Conclusion
For Indian passport holders, Indonesia’s Visa on Arrival makes visiting Bali quite easy. It is the most travel-friendly way to enjoy short-duration escapes to Bali, where you do not have to go through exhaustive paperwork or get a sponsor for your visa. Just a simple online submission and a few formality queries at the immigration counter, and you are in Bali!
For longer stays, tourist visas are the way to go. To avoid any confusion, we insist that you take the aid of a visa expert so that you can simply let go of the visa worries and focus on other aspects of your trip, like checking the best time to visit Bali, shortlisting the best attractions to visit, and getting your bags ready for a wonderful time in Bali. Surely you would take the help of a Bali Travel Guide for your travel plan. We suggest you do the same for the Bali visa as well.
