Indonesia: visa and entry rules

Indonesia's borders: every crossing point

Indonesia is an archipelago, and it has only three land neighbours:

With Malaysia: Entikong — Tebedu on Kalimantan, the country's main land crossing.
With Timor-Leste: Mota'ain on the island of Timor.
With Papua New Guinea: Skouw near Jayapura.

Practically all entry is by air and by sea. The main gateways are Denpasar on Bali and Jakarta; ferries from Singapore and Malaysia arrive at Batam and Bintan.

A visa on arrival is not issued at every checkpoint. The list is approved separately, and at minor crossings and small ports it may not be available — a route through a land border is worth planning with that in mind.

Within the country people move between the islands by air and by boat, and that is not a border matter: domestic flights have nothing to do with visas.

Bringing a car into Indonesia

Hardly anyone drives here under their own steam — the country is an island nation, and entry by car is only possible via Kalimantan from Malaysia.

Import is handled under the customs temporary-import procedure, and the documentation requirements depend on the crossing point; the procedure here is stricter than in mainland Asia.

An International Driving Permit is mandatory; a national licence on its own is not accepted.

Traffic drives on the left.

Renting a scooter on Bali requires category A on your licence — that is exactly what is checked, and it is also what the insurer looks at after an accident.

Travelling to Indonesia with a pet

Bringing animals into Bali is banned. The island is closed to imports of dogs and cats because of rabies, and this is no formality: the animal is turned back or confiscated.

Import to the other islands is possible on an import permit arranged in advance.

A microchip and a rabies vaccination are mandatory, and an antibody titre test is required.

Quarantine is applied — the length depends on the island and on the country of departure.

Of everything in this section, this is the hardest destination to travel to with an animal, and it needs to be planned more than a week ahead.

Overstaying your visa in Indonesia

A fine of 1,000,000 rupiah for every day of overstay. This is one of the highest daily rates in the region, and it mounts up quickly.

Beyond 60 days of overstay — deportation and inclusion on the list of people refused entry.

An extension costs incomparably less than the fine and is done online — practically every overstay here happens through carelessness rather than necessity.

Deportation is at your own expense, including the ticket.