Indonesia Visa on Arrival: Rules, Cost and Entry Points
Published 23 September 2026. Reading time: 8 minutes. The Indonesian Lawyer.
The Indonesia visa on arrival lets citizens of around 100 countries enter for tourism or short business visits without applying in advance. It costs IDR 500,000, is issued at the airport or paid online before you fly through the e-VOA system, and is valid for 30 days from entry. It can be extended once, for another 30 days, through the immigration office or an online extension portal. It cannot be converted into a work permit or used for paid employment in Indonesia.
Table of contents
- What the visa on arrival actually covers
- Who is eligible for Indonesia visa on arrival
- Indonesia visa on arrival cost and payment
- How to get a visa on arrival in Indonesia
- Airports and seaports that issue it
- VOA compared to other short stay options
- The mistake that costs travellers the most
- FAQ
What the visa on arrival actually covers
The visa on arrival is a short stay visa for tourism, family visits, journalism assignments without payment from an Indonesian source, and general business activities such as meetings, site visits or conferences. It is not a work visa. If you plan to be paid by an Indonesian entity, take up a role in a company, or work remotely for a foreign employer while based in Indonesia for more than a short trip, immigration increasingly expects a proper visa category, not a VOA stretched to its limit through repeated entries.
The visa is issued as an entry stamp or a sticker depending on the port, and it is now most commonly applied for online before travel through the e-VOA system, then paid for and collected at the immigration counter on arrival. Walk-up cash payment at the counter is still possible at major airports but queues move faster for travellers who pre-register.
Who is eligible for Indonesia visa on arrival
Passport holders from roughly 90 to 100 countries qualify, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, most of the EU, Japan, South Korea, China and India. The list changes from time to time as Indonesia adds or removes countries, so confirm your specific passport against the current list on the official immigration site or with a visa agent before booking flights, rather than assuming last year's list still applies.
Two conditions matter beyond nationality. Your passport needs at least six months of validity remaining from the date of entry, and you need proof of onward or return travel. Immigration officers do check this at busy airports, and a one-way ticket with no onward proof is one of the more common reasons travellers get pulled aside for extra questions.
Indonesia visa on arrival cost and payment
The fee is IDR 500,000 per person, payable in Indonesian rupiah, by card through the e-VOA portal, or in cash at the counter at some airports. Pricing in US dollars that some older guides quote is out of date. Children travelling on their own passport pay the same fee as adults.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa on arrival fee | IDR 500,000 per entry |
| Initial stay length | 30 days from date of entry |
| Extension | One extension, up to 30 additional days |
| Extension fee | IDR 500,000, plus service fee if using an agent |
| Passport validity required | At least six months from entry date |
| Overstay fine | IDR 1,000,000 per day |
How to get a visa on arrival in Indonesia
The process is short but the sequence matters. Skipping the pre-registration step is not fatal, it just means more time standing in a physical queue.
- Check eligibility and passport validity before booking. Six months' validity from your entry date, not from today.
- Register online through the e-VOA system if you want to skip the payment queue. You upload passport details and pay by card in advance, then receive a QR code to show on arrival.
- Arrive with proof of onward travel. A confirmed return ticket or a ticket to a next destination. Airlines checking in passengers to Indonesia sometimes ask for this before boarding, not just immigration on landing.
- Go to the visa on arrival or e-VOA counter before the main immigration line. Present your passport and QR code or pay the fee in person.
- Receive your stamp or sticker and proceed through immigration for entry clearance.
At Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, the e-VOA lane at Terminal 3 moves considerably faster than the cash counter during peak arrival banks in the early morning and late evening. Travellers who pre-register typically clear immigration in under fifteen minutes; those paying cash at the counter during a busy window can wait forty minutes or more.
Airports and seaports that issue it
Visa on arrival is available at all major international airports and most international seaports and cruise terminals. The main airports are:
- Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta
- Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar
- Juanda International Airport, Surabaya
- Kualanamu International Airport, Medan
- Hang Nadim International Airport, Batam
- Yogyakarta International Airport
- Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, Makassar
Some smaller international entry points, particularly land and sea borders, do not issue VOA and require a visa arranged in advance. If your itinerary includes an unusual border crossing, confirm the entry point is VOA-eligible before you travel, not after you arrive there.
VOA compared to other short stay options
The visa on arrival is the right tool for a single trip of up to 60 days total once extended. It is the wrong tool for anyone planning repeated short trips back to back, remote work stretching over several months, or any activity that generates local income. Immigration has become noticeably stricter about travellers who exit and re-enter on fresh VOAs to avoid the extension limit, and this pattern can trigger extra scrutiny or a refusal of entry.
For longer or work-related stays, a KITAS or a business visa arranged in advance is the correct route, not a VOA cycled repeatedly. We cover the difference in more detail on our work permit and residence visa page, which is worth reading before you commit to a VOA-only strategy for anything longer than two months.
The mistake that costs travellers the most
The single costliest mistake is letting the 30 or 60 day period run out without extending or leaving, on the assumption that a small fine at the airport on departure is a minor inconvenience. It is not always minor. Beyond the IDR 1,000,000 daily fine, overstays past 60 days can lead to detention, deportation and a re-entry ban, and even a short overstay is recorded and can affect future visa applications, including business and investment visas years later.
FAQ
How long is the Indonesia visa on arrival valid for?
It is valid for 30 days from the date you enter Indonesia. It can be extended once for a further 30 days, giving a maximum stay of 60 days on a single VOA. After that you must leave the country; a fresh VOA on re-entry is not treated as a continuation and repeated cycling of entries can draw scrutiny from immigration.
How much does the Indonesia visa on arrival cost?
The fee is IDR 500,000 per person, paid in rupiah either online through the e-VOA system before travel or at the counter on arrival. Extending it costs a further IDR 500,000, plus a service fee if you use an agent to handle the paperwork rather than visiting the immigration office yourself.
Can I extend my visa on arrival more than once?
No. The visa on arrival allows exactly one extension of 30 days. After the combined 60 days, you must leave Indonesia. Some travellers try re-entering on a new VOA immediately, but immigration has been flagging this pattern more often, particularly for people doing it repeatedly through the same airport.
What happens if I overstay my visa in Indonesia?
Overstaying costs IDR 1,000,000 per day, payable when you finally leave the country. Overstays beyond 60 days are treated far more seriously and can lead to detention, deportation and a ban on re-entering Indonesia for a period set by immigration. Even a short overstay is logged against your passport and can complicate future visa applications.
Which countries are eligible for Indonesia visa on arrival?
Around 90 to 100 countries qualify, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, most EU member states, Japan, South Korea, China and India. The list is updated periodically by the Indonesian government, so check your specific passport against the current official list before booking travel rather than relying on an older guide.
Do I need a visa agent to get or extend a visa on arrival?
No, you can apply and extend it yourself through the e-VOA portal or at an immigration office. An agent is useful if you are short on time, unsure which documents apply to your situation, or converting from a VOA to a longer visa category such as a KITAS, where the paperwork and timing rules are more involved.
Can I work in Indonesia on a visa on arrival?
No. The VOA covers tourism, social visits and general business activity such as meetings, but not paid work or employment, including remote work for a foreign employer where you are physically based in Indonesia for an extended period. For any paid activity you need a KITAS with the correct work permit attached.
If you are unsure whether a visa on arrival fits your plans, or you are weighing it against a business visa or KITAS for a longer stay, send us the details on WhatsApp at +62 877-9626-0478 or through our contact page. The first consultation is free, and we can tell you within a day which route actually fits your situation, whether that is a straightforward VOA, a business visa, or a work permit arranged through our legal services.