Indonesian Visa Discussion (Including Bali)

[SYD]

In a weird coincidence I wasn't able to check in to Cathay online yesterday for our flight LHR-HK-DPS today. I thought they knew we had visa issue. Nup. They needed to see we had a flight out of Bali. It is on Jetstar. So there we were in the F lounge check in area for Cathay having to show them our Jetstar flight booking. Oh the shame. Yet on the way to Bali first time round on Qantas, booked as a single journey, they didn't even bother asking anything about getting out again.

Ah, I seem to recall a similar issue last year - also CX but MAD-HKG-DPS and then JQ to PER. Except, we just couldn’t complete the OLCI but fortunately not asked to show the QF onward ticket with JQ. At least PER-SYD was QF….

 

[Captain Halliday]

They needed to see we had a flight out of Bali. It is on Jetstar.

Do you blame them?

A ticket for Jetstar doesn’t necessarily mean you have a flight out…

 

[Captain Halliday]

In a weird coincidence I wasn't able to check in to Cathay online yesterday for our flight LHR-HK-DPS today. I thought they knew we had visa issue. Nup. They needed to see we had a flight out of Bali. It is on Jetstar. So there we were in the F lounge check in area for Cathay having to show them our Jetstar flight booking. Oh the shame. Yet on the way to Bali first time round on Qantas, booked as a single journey, they didn't even bother asking anything about getting out again.

I’m with @SYD. I doubt it’ll be an issue.

We entered on the 18th too (as you well know), departed in the 27th and re-entered on the 28th without issue.

Different circumstances being a flight cancellation, but there were no issues with reentry, or with the second departure the next day.

 

[SYD]

We entered on the 18th too (as you well know), departed in the 27th and re-entered on the 28th without issue.

Different circumstances being a flight cancellation, but there were no issues with reentry, or with the second departure the next day.

Was that on one (same) eVOA or you just paid a second fee on arrival the 2nd time?

 

[Captain Halliday]

Was that on one (same) eVOA or you just paid a second fee on arrival the 2nd time?

Same eVOA. Only paid once.

Edit: I also think expecting ~300 pax to apply for and pay for a new visa for one additional night due to a flight cancellation would have been harsh.

Some of the pax were already angry - needing a new visa would only have made things worse.

 

[Pushka]

Same eVOA. Only paid once.

Edit: I also think expecting ~300 pax to apply for and pay for a new visa for one additional night due to a flight cancellation would have been harsh.

Some of the pax were already angry - needing a new visa would only have made things worse.

I wonder if the egates actually record entry (on first entry)

I’ll find out in 6 hours I guess.

 

[Pushka]

I wonder if the egates actually record entry (on first entry)

I’ll find out in 6 hours I guess.

Well, it’s a known issue and another visa is required. Which means lining up at VOA but they can’t take payment so you need to go to another desk. I wonder if every single entry visa has this issue but most don’t return to find out or get a multi entry one.

There seemed to be large queues everywhere today and people using gates were being directed to the immigration line which if you have an EVISA but have to line up at the counter (eg for kids) it’s really quick.

So many line up at the declarations counter with no idea what is required then get jammed up in the queue. One woman today was even arguing with the officer. And another group of guys was lining up, with trolley of course while another went back to do the online version and stopped the queue until people started squeezing past them.

 

[flyingfan]

Applying for this and working through the website was a lot of not fun. It was hard to find and confirm things and of course there was the language barrier.

After my first application for a multiple-entry visa went through, they asked for a letter from a company, sponsor or something or other. I ended up drafting my own letter saying exactly what I was doing (a status run) and uploaded it. Then I received a notification my visa had been approved.

In the end I didn’t need it and didn’t clear immigration in Bali - I was able to transit and go upstairs to departures for my turnaround flight, but I did want a fallback option in case something went awry and I’ve read many stories of long queues for manual processing.

 

[Pushka]

Applying for this and working through the website was a lot of not fun. It was hard to find and confirm things and of course there was the language barrier.

After my first application for a multiple-entry visa went through, they asked for a letter from a company, sponsor or something or other. I ended up drafting my own letter saying exactly what I was doing (a status run) and uploaded it. Then I received a notification my visa had been approved.

In the end I didn’t need it and didn’t clear immigration in Bali - I was able to transit and go upstairs to departures for my turnaround flight, but I did want a fallback option in case something went awry and I’ve read many stories of long queues for manual processing.

One thing that's stupid is requiring a jpg for one set of documents (passport I think) then a pdf of the same document at the next stage.

I heard yesterday it might be abolished come October. We are heading back (part status run) on 31st October. Wish us luck.

 

[SYD]

One thing that's stupid is requiring a jpg for one set of documents (passport I think) then a pdf of the same document at the next stage.

I heard yesterday it might be abolished come October. We are heading back (part status run) on 31st October. Wish us luck.

I have to do one for travel next week (to Europe) and the return. But I’m expecting Christmas in Europe to be eVOA free… Which does make flying west via CGK even cheaper.

 

[flyingfan]

One thing that's stupid is requiring a jpg for one set of documents (passport I think) then a pdf of the same document at the next stage.

I had to upload the passport biodata page and a separate passport photo, both of which I did as jpg. I uploaded my intinerary in pdf.

 

[Pushka]

I had to upload the passport biodata page and a separate passport photo, both of which I did as jpg. I uploaded my intinerary in pdf.

Was that for the multi? For the 30 day one the first page requires jpg of passport and second page pdf.



The second page is pdf

 

[flyingfan]

Multi, I had two status runs to DPS.
I realise what I did - I uploaded my passport / photo on the first page (jpg), and on the second page for those Main Document I uploaded my two separate QF e-ticket PDFs, because they were nested itineraries and I wanted to prove I had return tickets. I totally missed they wanted the passport again in PDF - my brain must have just rationalised ‘surely not!’

PS I do not condone deliberately disobeying instructions and definitely not providing misleading info on applications, just reporting what I did to make it work for me. I made good-faith attempts to do what they wanted but even their email contact I tried just resulted in bouncebacks.

 

[Pushka]

Multi, I had two status runs to DPS.
I realise what I did - I uploaded my passport / photo on the first page (jpg), and on the second page for those Main Document I uploaded my two separate QF e-ticket PDFs, because they were nested itineraries and I wanted to prove I had return tickets. I totally missed they wanted the passport again in PDF - my brain must have just rationalised ‘surely not!’

PS I do not condone deliberately disobeying instructions and definitely not providing misleading info on applications, just reporting what I did to make it work for me. I made good-faith attempts to do what they wanted but even their email contact I tried just resulted in bouncebacks.

I thought about doing similar as we had nested itineraries too but then decided that, actually it's now a life decision, to keep it simple and not provide too much info anymore. However I didn't expect that their system doesn't actually check you 'out' when we left the first time, meaning that the original eVisa was still stuck in the system and I couldn't apply for another online. Our exit from Bali the second time was a breeze and made me realise how shambolic the first exit was.

 

[SYD]

I just lodged a new application (just the 30 day eVOA) and it took all the info and presented a status of “waiting for payment” but no way to pay. I received an email confirming upload and I can see it’s in my account as “batch”. But still no way to pay.

Is there supposed to be a further email with a payment link? I don’t recall what I did last year.

It really is a sh$t system.

Edit: ignore that. The payment button must have been out of sight on the iPad but found it scrolling in the batch view.

It's still a sh$t system.

 

[jrfsp]

I just lodged a new application (just the 30 day eVOA) and it took all the info and presented a status of “waiting for payment” but no way to pay. I received an email confirming upload and I can see it’s in my account as “batch”. But still no way to pay.

Is there supposed to be a further email with a payment link? I don’t recall what I did last year.

It really is a sh$t system.

Edit: ignore that. The payment button must have been out of sight on the iPad but found it scrolling in the batch view.

It's still a sh$t system.

I just did it - was easy to miss the "pay" button. Not the best system but at least it came through instantly...hopefully will be easy to get through on arrival - ill know in 12 hours....

 

[ksthommo]

Reminder to complete online Indonesian customs declaration
Official Website Direktorat Jenderal Bea dan Cukai

 

[travelislife]

Not sure how many people are paying the 'Bali Tourist Tax'. We didn't pay it on our trip in July. Appears to be essentially fully voluntary. There is a booth/counter just when you exit before where all the drivers wait, but everyone just walks straight past.

 

[Pushka]

Not sure how many people are paying the 'Bali Tourist Tax'. We didn't pay it on our trip in July. Appears to be essentially fully voluntary. There is a booth/counter just when you exit before where all the drivers wait, but everyone just walks straight past.

I did for one of my trips last year. Done and dusted unless they remove the visa thing which they are saying they will do.

 

[SYD]

I did for one of my trips last year. Done and dusted unless they remove the visa thing which they are saying they will do.

The “Visa” is going (in Oct?) but the Bali thing is completely seperate. Nothing to suggest its going anywhere in a hurry.