Bali Pre-Travel Checklist: Visa, Arrival Card, Tourist Tax, etc

As regular visitors to Bali, we’ve passed through the airport more times than we can remember. Waiting times can vary from 20 minutes to 2 hours, depending on when you arrive and how many of the documents you've completed in advance.

We've put together this pre-travel checklist, listing everything you can do before your trip to ensure a quick and hassle-free arrival. Follow our tips and you'll cruise through Bali airport in under 20 minutes (slightly longer if you have checked luggage).

Things To Do BEFORE You Go To Bali

1. Check your passport meets entry requirements

Make sure you check that your passport meets these entry requirements:

It must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival. Ensure the expiry date is at least 6 months after your planned arrival date into Bali. This is calculated by calendar months.

It must be in pristine condition. Bali is notoriously strict on this entry requirement, with many documented stories of travellers being denied entry due to a small tear or a little water damage (such as this one). We’re not entirely sure why they are so strict on this requirement compared to elsewhere. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.

2. Sort your visa

There are two main visas for tourists arriving in Bali:

• Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) - officially the B1 tourist visa

• 60 Day Single Entry Visa - officially the C1 tourist visa

About the Visa-on-Arrival

If you’re from an eligible country and staying in Bali on vacation for less than 30 days, the best option is getting a Visa-on-Arrival (VOA), officially called the B1 tourist visa.

You can buy a VOA at the airport when you land in Bali, but we prefer getting ours online before we go. This saves waiting in line at the airport.

Eligible countries include the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and all European countries.

There is no processing time - confirmation of the VOA is automatic and immediate, so you can still apply for it last minute.

Your VOA is initially valid for 30 days from the day you enter. You can extend for an additional 30 days (giving you 60 in total), but the extension can only be done after you arrive in the country and requires visiting an immigration office for photos and fingerprints.

Getting your VOA online costs 500,000 IDR ⓘ plus processing fees. It’s the same price as buying it at the airport, only you won’t have to wait in line.

Applying for the VOA

As of January 2026, the VOA application process has been integrated into the All Indonesia Arrival Card (see section #3 below). When filling in the Arrival Card, you'll be asked if you already have a visa. Select "no" and you'll be given the option to apply after - look for the big green button.

It's the simplest way to apply and eliminates the need to re-enter your details multiple times.

This streamlined method can only be done within 3 days of your flight to Bali, since thats the earliest you can fill in the arrival card.

If you really want to sort your VOA earlier than this, it's technically still possible to apply up to 90 days before you arrive by using the full VOA form on the Indonesian visa portal. However, the full form isn't very user-friendly and often has technical glitches.

If you'd prefer to get your VOA at the airport, that's totally fine too. See the FAQs at the end of this guide for informtion about this.

About the 60 Day Single Entry Visa

If any of the following apply, you'll need the 60 day single entry visa (offically called the C1 tourist visa) instead:

• If you're not from a country eligible for VOA

• If you're staying over 60 days

• If you're staying over 30 days, but don't want to visit an immigration office to extend your VOA

The main difference when applying for this visa is that it needs to be manually approved by an immigration officer; this can take up to 5 working days, so it must be done well in advance.

For the 60 day visa, you'll need to upload your proof of onward travel and a bank statement showing at least $2,000 USD over the past 3 months.

Other Things To Know About Visas

All visas are connected to your passport number. In theory, you won't need to show anything at the e-gate.

However, we've found that the system isn’t always reliable, so we recommend saving a copy too. Do this as soon as it's confirmed by downloading the PDF or screenshotting it - you don't need to print anything.

3. Complete your arrival card

The All Indonesia Arrival Card is a replacement for the old customs form and health pass - combining them into one streamlined document. You can now get your VOA through the same form too.

All arrivals into Bali must complete the arrival card. You can add up to 10 people on one arrival card. Watch out for scam sites - it should be 100% free - you will not be asked for payment. But if you choose to get your VOA through this process, you'll be redirected to pay for that afterwards.

Here is a quick overview of what information you'll be asked for and some tips:

When To Do it?

You can only complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card within 3 days of your flight, as the form will only allow you to select an arrival date up to 72 hours ahead.

4. Pay the Bali Tourist Tax

The next thing to do before arriving in Bali is to pay the new Bali Tourist Tax (officially called the International Tourism Levy). This currently costs 150,000 IDR ⓘ.

This is a fairly new tax, so it's constantly evolving. Although officials don't check it at the airport, they have been known to check it at some major tourist attractions and some hotels too.

You’ll need to provide your passport number and arrival date as it’s linked to your passport.

When To Do It?

You can do this online up to 60 days before arrival. Confirmation is immediate, so you can do it last minute. You can also purchase this when you arrive. The counter is in the arrivals hall after you exit baggage reclaim.

5. Arrange Travel Insurance

Although travel insurance isn't a legal requirement to visit Bali, it would be unwise to go without it. The policies tend to be very affordable and can save you a lot of money if you need to claim.

It’s not uncommon for tourists to be involved in accidents on Bali’s chaotic roads or while taking part in activities like surfing. Flight disruptions are also common, especially if you’re connecting with local carriers.

We have a full guide to travel insurance in Bali where we reviewed different policies against some key considerations for visiting the island.

Don't want to read the full article? Here are our top picks:

• For Aussies: Cover-More (AU)

• For Kiwis: Cover-More (NZ)

• For Brits: Cover For You

• For Americans: Generali

• For Digital Nomads: Safety Wing

6. Get a SIM or e-SIM

Currently, the free WiFi at Bali airport rarely works. And even when it does work, it’s not stable for long. We like to make life easier by ensuring we have mobile data to access the internet straight away.

Getting an e-SIM

We always get data-only e-SIMs which are easy to set up and can be installed before you go. Here are the two providers we've had a great experience with and what we liked about each:

To learn more about e-SIMs or how to get a data and calls package (a little more complex), check our guide to SIMs and e-SIMs in Bali.

Getting a Physical SIM

If your phone doesn't support e-SIMs, you can opt for a physical SIM card instead. Rather than buying directly at the airport, we recommend pre-ordering online for a quick collection in the arrivals hall (you can also access a cheaper 8GB package online that isn't advertised at the kiosk).

There will be plenty of other opportunities to buy a SIM card later in your trip, including the option to have one delivered to your hotel for collection when you check in.

7. Pre-Arrange Your Hotel Transfer

There are several ways of getting from the airport to your hotel, here are the two we recommend:

Getting Through Bali Airport

Here’s a step-by-step guide of what to do when you land at Bali's international airport:

Step One: Immigration

When you land at Bali airport follow the signs towards immigration. If you still need a visa-on-arrival (VOA), stop at the dedicated counter to buy one.

More info about getting a VOA at the airport in the FAQs at the end of this article.

When you reach immigration, go straight to the e-gates on the left which are far quicker. You can use them if you have a biometric passport, identifiable from this logo somewhere on the cover: .

At the e-gates:

• Remove any covers on your passport - this is important.

• Place your passport face down on the reader.

• Stand in front of the camera to have your face scanned.

• Eventually, the gates should open and let you through.

Most of the time you should be through smoothly, occasionally you'll get sent to the immigration counter if something doesn't work.

Step Two: Baggage Collection

If you have checked luggage to collect, this is the next step. We rarely travel with checked luggage, not least because baggage collection at Bali airport can be tediously slow.

Don't buy a SIM card here. If you want to buy one at the airport, wait until the arrivals hall where they are cheaper (see step five below for details).

Step Three: Customs

Next, continue towards customs. Pull up the QR code you generated after completing the All Indonesia Arrival Card and scan this here.

If you completed one arrival card for your whole family, you must all pass through customs together.

Just after the counter, you may be asked to put your bag through another X-ray machine or even have it searched by an agent.

At this point, they are checking whether you have anything you should be paying customs duty on. Officially, you are allowed 'up to $500 worth of personal items', but the $500 value isn’t enforced providing the items are clearly for personal use.

We regularly travel through with phones, laptops, and cameras without bother. If the items are more unusual, it could arouse suspicion here.

If you’re bringing in more than 1L of alcohol or 200 cigarettes, prepare to have them confiscated. They are strict on this. Don't try sneaking in extra booze, it tends to get picked up by the x-ray and checked.

Step Four: Arrivals Hall

When you enter the arrivals hall, you’ll pass through an area with ATMs, foreign exchange counters, SIM card sales, and the Bali Tourist Tax counter.

• ATMS: The ATMs here are safe to use as they are owned by big Indonesian banks. For us they were fee-free, but this might differ by bank. It’s a good place to get out cash if you need to.
  ㅤ

• Foreign Exchange: If you need to exchange money, you can do it here too. You won’t get the best rate, but you won’t be scammed either.
  ㅤ

• SIM Cards: If you purchased an e-SIM, you should already be up and running with data by now. If you pre-ordered a SIM card for collection (as we recommended earlier) or plan to purchase one at the airport, you can do this in the arrivals hall. Keep in mind that it's not the cheapest place to buy a SIM card but it's very convenient.
  ㅤ

• Bali Tourist Tax: If you haven't paid the tax online as detailed earlier, you can pay it here instead.

Step Five: Getting To Your Accommodation

Private Transfer:

If you’ve pre-arranged a private transfer (or your hotel has on your behalf), your driver will be waiting for you after you exit the arrivals hall.

Gojek (Online Taxi):

If you’ve opted to use Gojek (like an Indonesian Uber), head to the Gojek waiting area (here’s the Google Maps pin) outside of international arrivals and order a ride on the app.

Between the arrivals hall and the Gojek waiting area, you’ll have to walk past an army of persistent drivers who will try to sell you a transfer. You can try negotiating with them. Otherwise, politely decline and continue towards the Gojek counter.

No matter what time of day, you’ll always be able to get a Gojek from the airport. They typically take a few minutes to arrive, but we’ve waited up to 15 minutes before.

During the day, the Gojek waiting area is staffed so you can show them the order and they'll let you know when the driver arrives. There’s also good free Wi-Fi here during the day if you didn’t manage to sort mobile data in advance.

Arriving late? In the past, we've arrived into Bali late at night (around 1.30am) and the Gojek waiting area has been closed. If this happens, you can still order your Gojek to this location via the app - but their Wi-Fi is off so you'll need to have mobile data pre-activated.

FAQs and Troubleshooting

Can I get my visa at the airport?

Yes, provided you are from an eligible country, you can purchase a Visa-on-Arrival at the airport.

When you arrive, you'll need to visit the VOA counter, located before immigration control. There's usually a line, which takes 5-30 minutes on a typical day, but can take up to 2hrs during peak periods such as July/August.

Both cash (IDR, USD, AUD, or EUR) and card payments are accepted. If paying in a foreign currency, you'll receive the change in IDR.

Do I need an onward ticket to enter Bali?

Having an onward ticket is a compulsory requirement for entering Bali. While the vast majority of people will never have their onward ticket checked, it can happen. It's better to be safe than sorry.

If you’re unsure when you’re leaving Bali, don’t use an onward ticket service - this can raise eyebrows as they aren’t always legit. Instead, head over to Skyscanner to find a cheap onward flight. Enter Indonesia > Everywhere and set the date to any time next month. This will reveal some cheap flights as low as £20, so it’s not the end of the world if you don’t use it.

Can I enter Bali with a damaged passport?

Unfortunately, no. Bali is notoriously strict on all passports being in pristine condition. If your passport has so much as a tear or a little water damage, you may be denied entry at the airport. We're not entirely sure why the rules on this are so strict compared to elsewhere. But it's better to be safe than sorry.