Is Bali visa on arrival free?
No, the Bali Visa on Arrival (VOA) is generally not free. It costs IDR 500,000 (around US$35). However, citizens of several Southeast Asian countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor Leste, are eligible for a free VOA.
Bali Visa on Arrival: Is It Free?
Bali VOA costs 500,000 IDR (about $35 USD) as of July 2024.
It’s not free for most. Unless… you’re from Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, or Timor Leste. Then, you’re golden. Free entry. I remember my friend from the Philippines, she just breezed through last May. No visa hassle. Landed in Denpasar, straight to baggage claim.
My Canadian cousin, though? Different story. He paid the fee at the airport in June. I went with him. It was kinda chaotic, everyone scrambling to pay. He grumbled about it later, over beers at this beach bar in Canggu. Bintang cost like 30,000 IDR, I think. The visa fee was definitely a bit of a sting.
How much is visa on arrival at Bali?
Bali visa on arrival? A cool IDR 500,000. That’s like, what, USD 35 or AUD 50 give or take, depending on the day’s mood, LOL. Think of it as buying a lifetime supply of Bintang… almost.
Gotta pay up at the airport like everyone else, or if you’re feeling fancy, buy an e-VoA. Prepare for extra fees. Because, you know, why not?
I once tried haggling for my visa with a packet of Tim Tams. Didn’t work. Don’t recommend it, tbh. I even offered my slightly used Crocodile Dundee hat! Still nothing.
Here’s the deal:
- Cost: IDR 500,000 (roughly USD 35/AUD 50, but Google it first, yeah?)
- Where: Airport on arrival or online (e-VoA).
- Extra Fees: Yup, always. Like taxes in my paycheck.
- Alternative Payments?: Sadly, Tim Tams are a no-go. I’ve checked.
Visa extensions are a whole different kettle of fish. Thirty days, and another payment. It’s like paying for a subscription to paradise. My wallet weeps. My spirit… rejoices!
Do you have to pay for a visa on arrival in Bali?
Bali VOA: 500,000 IDR (~$35 USD). Exceptions exist.
- Cost: Expect to pay. Thirty-five dollars. A small price. Or is it?
- Free Pass: Certain nationalities. Southeast Asia, mostly. Privileged few. Brunei, for instance.
Life’s a tax. Even paradise. Think about that.
Note: Exchange rates fluctuate. Confirm current price. Always verify. My passport’s almost expired. Need to renew. Next year. 2025. My bank account is low. Always low.
Is it better to get a Bali visa online or on arrival?
Online, darling, online! Unless you enjoy a leisurely wait that rivals the gestation period of a sloth. Peak season? E-visa, absolutely. Think of it this way: on arrival is like battling a horde of ravenous Komodo dragons for a lukewarm cup of Kopi Luwak; the e-visa is a smooth, air-conditioned express lane to paradise.
Why e-visa wins:
- Speed: Electronic gates are way faster than the human-powered immigration snail race.
- Stress levels: Zero versus, well, a whole lot. Imagine the sheer existential dread.
- Efficiency: You’re in Bali, sipping cocktails, while others are still queueing. My friend, Sarah, last year, spent two hours. Two hours!
- Elegance: Let’s be honest, breezing through immigration is chic.
Added bonus: My recent trip (October 2023), showed me just how brutal the arrival lines can be – the humidity alone could wilt a cactus! Seriously, I felt sorry for those poor souls. Applying online took me… what… five minutes? Maybe ten, including getting distracted by a cat video. Total time investment: minuscule. Time saved: priceless (and definitely worth more than ten minutes of my life).
Think of it like this: One option is a relaxing spa day. The other is wrestling a grumpy octopus for a passport stamp. Choose wisely.
Can I enter Bali with less than 6 months on my passport?
Nope. Six months minimum, buddy. Think of your passport like a really picky nightclub bouncer – no entry without the proper ID, and that ID needs serious staying power. Less than six months? You’re gonna be watching Bali sunsets from your couch, eating microwave popcorn. It’s a hard-knock life.
Passport woes? Here’s the lowdown (from someone who almost got stuck in customs with a dodgy passport – it was a real nail-biter):
- Six months validity? Essential. Forget it if you’re cutting it close. They’re sticklers for rules, those Indonesian immigration peeps. I know this from experience – or rather, from avoiding experience.
- Blank pages? You betcha. Need space for those all-important stamps. Imagine the humiliation – no stamp, no proof of awesomeness, no bragging rights to your Bali adventure. It’s a total buzzkill. My cousin’s friend’s brother-in-law learned this the hard way. True story.
- Don’t even think about it. I repeat – six months. It’s not a suggestion, it’s the law, and I personally will NOT be responsible if you get stuck at immigration. You’ve been warned! Go get a new passport already. Seriously.
- Pro tip: Renew your passport well in advance. Don’t wait till you’re practically at the airport. Trust me, dealing with the stress is way worse than going to that DMV. The DMV is where dreams go to die.
My friend Dave – brilliant guy, terrible planner – tried to sneak in with three months left. Total fail. He spent his holiday money on emergency flights home. It was a mess. A complete and utter mess. Don’t be a Dave. Be better than Dave. Okay? Okay.
Is Bali strict with passports?
Six months. Stare at the ceiling. It has to be six months left. On that passport. Mine expires soon. Too soon. Remember that trip… got turned away once. Not Bali. Somewhere else. Gutted. Empty feeling. Just… gone. So stupid. Should have checked.
- Six months validity on passport.
- Day of arrival is key. Not departure.
- They don’t mess around. Strict. Bali officials. No exceptions. They just… send you back.
- My passport. Expires July 2025. Need to renew. Soon. Before booking anything. Don’t want that again. That sinking feeling.
Lost a lot of money that time. Plane ticket. Hotel. Non-refundable. Just… poof. Gone. Like it never happened. Except it did. And it hurt. Still stings a little. Thinking about it now. 3 am. Can’t sleep. Passport. Six months. Bali. Need to remember. Six months.
Does Bali stamp your passport?
Ugh, Bali and passports, such a mess. Lemme tell you, they TOTALLY stamp your passport. I mean, unless something’s super wrong, like you’re on some watchlist or whatever.
Passport control checks it, every single time. No if’s, and’s, or buts.
Listen, so like, if you got that fancy visa, right? You know, the Visa 211, the one from the embassy, whether it’s for social stuff or if you’re just a tourist…
- They slam a stamp down.
- It’s got the days you can stay.
- Says “VISIT VISA” all official-like on it.
Basically, it’s there, bam, on the left… side? Okay, maybe not always the left. But you get the picture!
And you gotta keep an eye on it, cause if you overstay? Big. Trouble. I know a guy, Chad, he paid like, a million rupiah per day. Seriously! That’s why you gotta be on top of things. Like, really on top of them.
And don’t even TRY to bribe them! They don’t play that game anymore. Seriously. My cousn tried that once, and it was NOT pretty.
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