Citizens of Azerbaijan need an Indonesia visa, but it is one of the easiest visas there is. It is either obtained at the border or arranged online before the flight in the e-VOA format.
Which means that to make the Bali dream happen you do not have to go to an embassy, gather documents and wait for weeks. You pay 35 dollars, show your passport and return ticket, and in exchange you get 30 days of Bali.
But in recent years Indonesia has added several new rules to entry: an electronic customs declaration, the Bali tourist levy, a health form. Those who do not know them lose time in the queue at Denpasar airport. In this article we explain how the visa is obtained, the extension rule and all the extra steps of entering Bali.
Indonesia visa: brief facts
| Visa type | Visa on arrival (VOA) or online e-VOA |
| Fee | 500,000 rupiah, about 35 dollars |
| Length of stay | 30 days, extendable once by another 30 |
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months |
| Extra steps | Electronic customs declaration, Bali tourist levy of 150,000 rupiah |
| Direct flight | None, via Doha, Dubai, Istanbul or Singapore |
How is an Indonesia visa obtained: at the border or online?
Both options are the same visa at the same price; the difference is only in convenience. The visa on arrival is bought at a special kiosk at Denpasar and Jakarta airports: you show your passport and return ticket and pay 500,000 rupiah. The problem is the queue — in season an hour’s wait at that kiosk is normal.
The online e-VOA, meanwhile, is arranged on the official portal of the Indonesian Immigration Service before the flight: you upload a passport scan, a photo and the ticket, pay the fee by card, and the visa arrives by email. At the airport you go straight to the immigration queue. We always recommend the e-VOA; the official portal is the e-Visa site of the Indonesian Immigration Service, and intermediary sites charge 2–3 times more for the same visa.
How can the 30 days be extended?
The visa obtained at the border can be extended once by another 30 days, which means you can stay in Indonesia for 60 days in all. The extension is done at an immigration office inside the country and the fee is again 500,000 rupiah. Those who took an e-VOA can do the extension online too, which saves them the queue at the Bali immigration office. Start the extension at least 7 days before the visa expires. To stay longer than 60 days you need a different type of visa in advance; the visa on arrival does not give that.
The extra steps of entering Bali
- Electronic customs declaration. Filled in on the Indonesian customs site before the flight, and a QR code is issued. It is free.
- Bali tourist levy. Every foreign tourist arriving on the island of Bali pays 150,000 rupiah, about 10 dollars. It can be paid online in advance, and there is a kiosk at the airport too. This does not apply to the other regions of Indonesia.
- Health form. In some periods an electronic health declaration is required, and the airline reminds you when you buy the ticket.
Read next: A Philippines visa: the Ankara embassy, the 9(a) visa and the eTravel registration
How do you fly from Baku to Bali?
There is no direct flight. People fly to Denpasar with Qatar Airways via Doha, Emirates via Dubai, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul and Singapore Airlines via Singapore. The whole journey takes 14–17 hours. When going via Singapore, citizens of Azerbaijan can use the 96-hour visa-free transit right and go into the city, but there are conditions, so check in advance. Baku–Bali ticket prices rise in July-August and around New Year, while April-May and September-October are both cheap and the best time for the weather.
A Bali trip is one of the most popular long-haul destinations among travellers from Azerbaijan, and Bali tour packages are prepared both for honeymoons and for family holidays. Since the visa is obtained at the border, the document preparation on such tours is minimal.
Points to know before the trip
- Season. April–October is the dry season. November–March is the rainy season, but the rain is usually short-lived.
- Money. The rupiah. There are ATMs everywhere and cards work in hotels and restaurants. Change dollars only at official exchange offices; there are many cases of cheating at street kiosks.
- Transport. There is no public transport in Bali, and a car with a driver or a scooter hire is the main option. For a scooter an international driving licence is required and the police check.
- Medicines. Indonesia’s drug laws are very strict, so take prescription medicines with a doctor’s letter.
Frequently asked questions about the Indonesia visa
Can you go to Jakarta and Yogyakarta on an Indonesia visa too?
Yes, the visa is valid for all of Indonesia. The Bali tourist levy, though, is only for Bali.
Is the fee paid for children as well?
Yes, the visa fee is paid for every passenger regardless of age. The child must have their own passport.
Can you work or work remotely on an Indonesia visa?
The visa on arrival is for tourism only. For those working remotely Indonesia applies a separate «digital nomad» visa, which has to be obtained online in advance.
In closing
The Indonesia visa is the easiest part of a Bali trip: 35 dollars and 10 minutes on the official portal. The main thing is to take the e-VOA from the official site rather than an intermediary and to pay the customs declaration and the Bali levy in advance. The Viza.az team helps with formalising the e-VOA, choosing the flight route and planning the Bali trip.
You can read more about the Indonesia destination and the service fees or fill in the application form.
Note: the information here is as of the publication date. The fees and entry rules can change, so look at the official portal once more before the trip.
