Indonesian Visa Discussion (Including Bali)

[MEL_Traveller]

Other posters - would you recommend "Bali Fast Track" - seems a bit exxy at $US52 for 2 persons - but I go crazy waiting in queues and our flight only arrives at 18:50 so we'll keen to be on our way. The same service with car transfer to hotel jumps to $US115 (for fast track and transfer) - our hotel offers a transfer service for $200.

OMG. 1000% worth it.

We landed at around 9pm… absolute rush hour. Queues were snaking.

We had no checked luggage and were out the arrivals door in about 7 minutes from disembarking.

Friends arrived on the weeks either side of us and reported 90-120 mins to get through.

Fast track used to be AUD30 per person. Now it’s more than double I think.

@RooFlyer: Fast track is a separate service, they handle everything for you from the minute you arrive. You give them the cash for the VOA, they go to the desk, pay, get the stamp and move you to the next station. Front of the queue every time.

From memory there are three queues…immigration, VOA, and customs (declaration), oh, and then bag screening. Fast track used the crew lane (empty), then we just stood by a pillar as the agent went to get the VOA stuff, we joined the fast moving queue to scan the QR code for customs, then whisked to the front of the final point for customs screening.

Now… if you had have checked luggage, you of course have to wait for that. And it can take time… 30-60 minutes. Fast track can’t help you with that, but they do give you a small lounge to sit in and they take your bag tags to collect your luggage for you.

 

[RooFlyer]

@MEL_Traveller - can you use 'Fast Track' with a e-VOA (the one you get and pay for before arrival)? And in any event, where do you sign up for it?

And when you say From memory there are three queues…immigration, VOA, and customs , you mean for "on Arrival" VOA. If you have the e-VOA (obtained before arrival), there are only 2 queues? No checked bags for me.

 

[SYD]

@MEL_Traveller - can you use 'Fast Track' with a e-VOA (the one you get and pay for before arrival)? And in any event, where do you sign up for it?

And when you say From memory there are three queues…immigration, VOA, and customs , you mean for "on Arrival" VOA. If you have the e-VOA (obtained before arrival), there are only 2 queues? No checked bags for me.

There are three queues.

1. VOA for those who prefer to pay on the day (N/A if you’ve already paid online)
2. Immigration - you need a VOA or eVOA
3. Customs - you need a QR code

 

[MEL_Traveller]

@MEL_Traveller - can you use 'Fast Track' with a e-VOA (the one you get and pay for before arrival)? And in any event, where do you sign up for it?

And when you say From memory there are three queues…immigration, VOA, and customs , you mean for "on Arrival" VOA. If you have the e-VOA (obtained before arrival), there are only 2 queues? No checked bags for me.

Yes, you can use fast track even if you have e-VOA. Fast track doesn’t include the VOA price, they just get if for you as part of the process.

Pushka and others have the details on the e-VOA lines… I guess you skip the line to buy that if you already have have it.

I’ve never done it because of fast track. You wait 30 seconds, which is quicker than having to fill it out on line!

I think the comment above that fast track is not officially back is right. There are only a couple of companies offering it, and the price has doubled, or tripled. I guess their ‘fee’ to the airport has correspondingly increased due to it not being ‘official’. The other companies that used to offer it now have a disclaimer on their website saying it has now been banned.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks all - and apologies again to @luxury-lizard for borrowing the thread.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

You have done a good job asking all the right questions Rooey - we are actually off to Bali next Sat so most of what has been posted of great interest to us also

FWIW we paid for Bali Fast Track last year and they didn’t front for our arrival. My #1 man at work has just been in Bali for 3 weeks and I am sure he told me they tried to book Bali Fast Track but indeed no longer available - I will check that at 7am morrow and post back

 

[luxury-lizard]

Hum - Bali Fast Track is still offered - see BALI FAST TRACK | Skip line on immigration | Vip lounge. Friends used it about 1 month ago. Not sure if I should "spring" for the $US54 only to have no one show up - we leave/arrive Sept 12 (a bit off-topic but on SQ J for 45K AC points - beats QF and VA "domestic" style J)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hum - Bali Fast Track is still offered - see BALI FAST TRACK | Skip line on immigration | Vip lounge. Friends used it about 1 month ago. Not sure if I should "spring" for the $US54 only to have no one show up - we leave/arrive Sept 12 (a bit off-topic but on SQ J for 45K AC points - beats QF and VA "domestic" style J)

2 sets of friends have used it in the last month, one just last week.

No issues with anyone (not) turning up!

I wonder if CE’s experience was due to timing… I think last year is when it was official banned. Or it might have been a covid issue. Certainly it seems reliable now.

 

[bam71]

We came up here on Saturday. Used GA J, which offered fast track for immigration. Arrived around 2pm local time and the place was empty. We were through in around 10-15mins, the hold up were some who had not done their customs declarations and didn’t have the QR code. Couldn’t find our driver - called and he apologised as he was stuck in traffic, and our fight got in a tad early. Arrived around 10mins later. The traffic inbound to the airport was NASTY! Not sure what was going on, neither did our driver

 

[Cruiser Elite]

OK YES Bali Fast Track is indeed still operating - the day my #1 man arrived Sunday July 30 Bali Fast was closed for 1 day for ALL providers whatever reason but was open again on July 31 - my man was advised via email at 16:00 on July 29 that Bali Fast Track was closed for their arrival - all fees they had paid were promptly refunded - this is the actual providor used - Baili Fast Forward.

When no one turned up to meet us last year it was just a case that they 'forgot' - welcome to Indonesia. We finally got multiple emails totally apologizing for non attendance - they did refund fees and did insist on providing free outgoing Fast Track which was totally useless if you are flying J as there is special check-in counter which is always very quiet.

Also outbound there is no such thing as an APEC Channel which there is supposed to be in all APEC countries. There is also no priority line for J at immigration and Bali Fast cannot assist with this - you stand in line with everybody else.

FWIW my man's had a 2 hour process to enter Bali on July 30 - he said if Bali Fast Forward was operating he would still definitely use their services as previous experience with them was quick and seamless -= I may or may not use them Saturday when I arrive. I do hold APEC Card but the Ette does not - I am less than 100% certain that an APEC Channel will be open next Sat even though it should be - I am less than certain the 60+ channel will be open - I will make a call on use or not use Bali Fast Forward in next couple days after I contact them.

I hope above is of some benefit to others.

 

[SYD]

We came up here on Saturday. Used GA J, which offered fast track for immigration.

So what did that look like? I flew in to CGK on QF J and then DPS on CX J. Both airports had signs “First / Business Class” immigration lines but nothing obvious beyond the sign…

 

[Pushka]

We came up here on Saturday. Used GA J, which offered fast track for immigration. Arrived around 2pm local time and the place was empty. We were through in around 10-15mins, the hold up were some who had not done their customs declarations and didn’t have the QR code. Couldn’t find our driver - called and he apologised as he was stuck in traffic, and our fight got in a tad early. Arrived around 10mins later. The traffic inbound to the airport was NASTY! Not sure what was going on, neither did our driver

Weather pretty nice right now hey? We were on the Qantas Melb flight, arrived 30 minutes early at 9.30pm, airport deserted and out within 30 minutes. We had eVisa and customs QR code done prior. Main hold up was for those doing the customs form but we walked straight past. And like I said, at customs, use the left lane. Also same for immigration, people tend to queue up as soon as they arrive at the Foreign Passports area but keep walking left and the queues likely shorter. Left is King (was going to say Right but that would confound everybody

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Weather pretty nice right now hey? We were on the Qantas Melb flight, arrived 30 minutes early at 9.30pm, airport deserted and out within 30 minutes. We had eVisa and customs QR code done prior. Main hold up was for those doing the customs form but we walked straight past. And like I said, at customs, use the left lane. Also same for immigration, people tend to queue up as soon as they arrive at the Foreign Passports area but keep walking left and the queues likely shorter. Left is King (was going to say Right but that would confound everybody

Shows how variable it can be! We arrived on the same QF flight from MEL a couple months ago and the queues for immigration were huge… the whole hall was packed. There were at least half a dozen - if not more- flight arriving from Australia for starters.

 

[bam71]

So what did that look like? I flew in to CGK on QF J and then DPS on CX J. Both airports had signs “First / Business Class” immigration lines but nothing obvious beyond the sign…

A GA staff member asked to see our BP’s when we got off, and told us where to find it. It was on the Right hand side, and just said “Special” next to one that said VIP. There were other staff there as well checking our BP’s to make sure we were in the right one. Wouldn’t really have mattered though, as there were very few people arriving.

 

[Pushka]

Shows how variable it can be! We arrived on the same QF flight from MEL a couple months ago and the queues for immigration were huge… the whole hall was packed. There were at least half a dozen - if not more- flight arriving from Australia for starters.

Yuck. I think a Jetstar flight took off just before us in Melbourne.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yuck. I think a Jetstar flight took off just before us in Melbourne.

Our QF flight wasn’t early… maybe a few minutes late. But there were VA flights from OOL, SYD, MEL, BNE, JQ flights from the same, and QF from SYD. So maybe 9 aussie flights? Plus all the other traffic from other countries!

 

[RooFlyer]

, people tend to queue up as soon as they arrive at the Foreign Passports area but keep walking left and the queues likely shorter.

Just like the old LAX immigration used to be like. All the lemmings joined queues as soon as they got in the hall but if you kept walking about 10 or 15 booths on, you could often get a clear run.

 

[jase05]

OK YES Bali Fast Track is indeed still operating - the day my #1 man arrived Sunday July 30 Bali Fast was closed for 1 day for ALL providers whatever reason but was open again on July 31 - my man was advised via email at 16:00 on July 29 that Bali Fast Track was closed for their arrival - all fees they had paid were promptly refunded - this is the actual providor used - Baili Fast Forward.

Fast track was closed the evening we arrived at DPS back in July.
We have a friend that is a tour guide in Bali and he commented that Fast track has been getting closed and random times recently

 

[Gold Member]

Some personal insights and a couple of questions to the Pro’s.

Regarding Immigration queues:

- It pays to visually scan the Immigration desks to see how many staff are manning them. I’ve had some desks range from unmanned, intermittent staffing, 1x staff, and sometimes you’ll even find 2x staff one behind the other which can be difficult to spot from a distance - queue up in that line, all else being equal.
- At the start of your queueing snafu, be prepared to change lines and lose some positions if you closely monitor the staffing and progress of other lines around you and can quickly establish a faster line.
- Pay attention to the possible citizenship/nationalities of those lined up ahead and around you. IME, there are some nationalities that either get picked on at Immigration more than others, or just don’t get it and waste everyone’s else’s time in that line.
- There was a comment made up thread that GA J offered “Special/VIP” fast track. Is that the desks to the very far right designated for locals? Any chance of waving my DYKWIA card or J BP to gain access on a non-GA flight?
- As mentioned, peak is mid-late evening when most of the Aussie flights arrive. However, it does get a bit better during non-peak season (outside of school hols etc).

Regarding transport:

- I usually just walk straight past all the touts another 50 metres to the air conditioned and comfortable Grab lounge where I can book a rideshare. If you don’t have a local sim, one of the staff will hotspot their phone so you can book one via wifi. Around the island I use either Grab or GoJek depending on price and proximity.
- If you’re planning to use the Toll bridges, ask the rideshare driver in advance before they arrive since many don’t have toll access. Grab and Uber apps have translation features so you can type in English and they’ll understand and converse. But if you’ve incorrectly assumed they do have toll access, this can be a nightmare if traffic is bad and you’re in a rush on the way to airport (lesson learnt for me).

 

[RooFlyer]

- Pay attention to the possible citizenship/nationalities of those lined up ahead and around you. IME, there are some nationalities that either get picked on at Immigration more than others, or just don’t get it and waste everyone’s else’s time in that line.

Thanks @Gold Member . Again, that's just like the old LAX. Yes, some passports you don't want to be behind!!