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.
Since June 10, 2015, Indonesia has finally introduced a visa-free regime with Russia.
I have compiled up-to-date and reliable information about visas and will summarize it here.
There are several types, as well as options for obtaining a visa to Indonesia for Russians. As for the species, it happens:
- upon arrival;
- tourist (drawn up 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 the options for obtaining a visa for travelers.
There is one interesting feature of the Indonesian migration policy that any traveler should know about - when departing from some airports in the country (Denpasar, Surabaya, Lombok, etc.), the tourist pays a fee of 150-200 thousand rupees (about $ 11-15). But sometimes this fee may already be included in the air ticket price (for example, in November 2015 I left the country from Medan airport - I did not pay the fee; the same was the case when flying within the country).
In this article, we will consider all types of Indonesian visas suitable for a traveler, and the methods of obtaining them (in Russia, in other Asian countries and upon arrival). In the end, we will compare all the options for applying for a visa and decide for whom which option will be the best.
For inspiration, here's a mesmerizing Indonesian travel video:
Indonesia Visa on Arrival - 2021
The most convenient way to get an Indonesian visa.
Attention: introduced in 2015 visa-free entry for Russians to Indonesia for a period of 30 days. Now a stamp is put for 30 days 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 the island of Batam;
- the ports of Pelabuhan Laut Sekupang, Pelabuhan Laut Sri Bintan, Pelabuhan Laut Batam Center and Pelabuhan Laut Tanjung Uban on the Riau Islands.
After obtaining a visa stamp, the period of stay in Indonesia cannot be extended, as well as obtaining a visa within the country or a residence permit. If you are interested in a long stay, you 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.
Indonesia visa on arrival for citizens of Belarus
For citizens of Belarus, the old scheme of obtaining a visa on arrival applies.
How to get a? Arriving in Indonesia, you just need to go to a special window, fill out the documents (questionnaire), and submit your fingerprints. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
How much does a visa cost? You will need to pay a fee of $ 35 (previously it was only $ 25, but in 2014 the cost of the visa increased).
Visa extension on arrival. This visa can be extended for one more month while already in Indonesia. You will need to go to the immigration police office and complete all the necessary paperwork. For renewal, a fee of 350 thousand rupees (about $ 30) is paid. If you do the extension of your Indonesian visa through an intermediary (for example, finding such craftsmen in Bali is as easy as shelling pears), then the cost of the extension will increase 2-3 times, but you do not need to go to the immigration office - they will do everything for you.
Tourist visa to Indonesia in 2021
Russians, if they wish or need, can make an Indonesian visa at home, in their country. Such a 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 for a long time in Asia, it is convenient to make a visa in one of the countries of this region (read more about this below - we analyze examples of obtaining an Indonesian visa in Thailand and Malaysia).
The address of the consular section of the Embassy of Indonesia 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 letter of invitation from a citizen of Indonesiawho will act as your sponsor. Such a person can be, for example, an Indonesian from whom you will rent a house or a car. One person can sponsor several tourists at once. You will also need to attach a copy of your sponsor ID to your package of documents.
If you don't want to look for a sponsor on your own, you can contact firms that will find a sponsor for you and send a letter from him - the service is easy to order 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 start over.
This visa will need to be renewed at the immigration offices or, as in the case of a tourist visa, through an intermediary firm.
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 the harsh Indonesian roads, crossed the equator, climbed volcanoes alone and lived for seven years by a Sumatran lake, read in my blog.
- Surely it will be useful for you to read the article on prices in Bali to find out how much food, transportation, and accommodation cost on this Indonesian island.
- We also have a separate article on the cost of living in Indonesia, which deals with prices on other islands in this country (Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, etc.).
Travel accommodation. Look for hotels on Rumguru - he compares the prices of various booking systems and finds the best one.
Visa processing in Asian countries
Another option for obtaining an Indonesian visa is to make it in one of the Asian countries. This option is perfect for those people who are already on a trip to Asia and suddenly decided that the next country on their list should certainly be Indonesia. It makes sense to make a visa in advance if you want to stay in Indonesia for more than a month, but you don’t want to spend 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 method of obtaining a visa is the best option.
Getting a visa in Bangkok, Thailand
For example, it is convenient and easy to apply for an Indonesian visa in Bangkok:
- the document will be done in three working days;
- the visa will be valid for 60 days;
- the set of documents is small;
- the possibility of failure is practically nil.
In addition to a passport (valid for at least 6 months - the 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 entering the country).
If you plan to stay in Indonesia for a longer period (after making a social visa), then, of course, you don't need return tickets with a departure from the country in just 2 months. There are two options: either buy the cheapest low-cost tickets (for example, for an AirAsia flight to Malaysia for 30-50 dollars), or make yourself a ticket reservation without paying its cost right away.
You will find the visa application form in the embassy building, it is easy to fill it out. With the application form and all the documents, go to the reception window, and then pay the fee - $ 50 (payment is accepted only in USD).
Obtaining a visa in Malaysia
It is somewhat more difficult to apply for a visa to Indonesia in the capital of Malaysia than in Bangkok.In addition, an additional document will be required, which is almost unrealistic for a traveler who is far from home - a bank statement on the availability of sufficient funds, the age of which should be no more than two days. Traveler's checks can be an alternative.
Some nuances of visa processing in Kuala Lumpur:
- The cost of making a visa here is $ 55.
- Another drawback is the queues, much more people apply for an Indonesian visa in Kuala Lumpur than in the capital of Thailand.
- But the visa processing time is shorter here - just one day.
- When submitting documents, each visa applicant must be present in person.
- Also, when submitting, you will need to make another document - a copy of the passport page on which there is a stamp on entry to Malaysia.
Alternatively, you can also get a tourist or social visa in Indonesia in Kota Kinabalu (a city in Borneo / Kalimantan) or in Georgetown (a city on Penang Island, in northern Malaysia, near the border with Thailand).
My personal experience. Before starting my two-month motorcycle tour of Sumatra in the fall of 2015, I applied for a 60-day visa in Georgetown, Penang. The registration took two days, the package of documents is minimal, the staff are responsive and help in filling out the questionnaire. From Penang Airport, by the way, you can easily and cheaply fly to many Indonesian cities.
Conclusions: how to get a visa to Indonesia in 2021
It all depends on your intentions regarding the timing of travel in Indonesia.
- If you are traveling for only 1 month, then the easiest way is to get a visa stamp at the airport, however, it will not work to extend it.
- If you want to save a little and not bother with the extension later, you can make a visa in advance (for example, in Bangkok or Penang). You need to pay $ 50 and you will be entitled to stay in Indonesia for up to 60 days without having to visit the immigration office.
- If you are traveling 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 her, you can live in this country for up to six months. Then the procedure can be repeated (go to another country and re-issue a visa). If you have no desire to go every month to the local FMS offices and look for a sponsor for yourself, but you have a couple of hundred extra dollars, then contact the intermediary firms - they will do everything for you.
