Guide to Transit/Layover Visas in Bali and Indonesia

“Do I need a visa for layover in Denpasar (Bali)?”

You do not need a visa if your layover is fully airside. This means you stay in the international transit area, your flight keeps the same flight number, your bags are checked through, and you’re on the same ticket.

You do need a visa (VOA/e-VOA, C1/211A, or visa-free if ASEAN) if you must enter Indonesia for any reason. This includes collecting your luggage, re-checking for your next flight, changing airlines or flight numbers, or leaving the airport.

The same rules apply for Jakarta (CGK) and all other international airports in Indonesia.

Transit Rules in Indonesia: When You Need a Visa and When You Don’t

1. Staying on the Same Aircraft (No Visa Required)

You do not need a visa if your transit uses the same flight number and the same aircraft continues to your next destination.

This applies when you:

• Are on one through-ticket
• Stay in the international transit area
• Do not pass immigration, even if you briefly step off the plane during cleaning or refueling

Example:

Europe → Bali → Australia on AirAsia (same aircraft)
→ No visa needed

2. Changing Aircraft or Airline (Visa Required)

A visa is required if you:

• Switch to a different aircraft
• Change airlines
• Need to collect and re-check baggage
• Must pass immigration for any reason

In this situation, you follow normal entry rules and may use:

• VOA / e-VOA if eligible
• Visa-free entry (ASEAN)
• C1/211A Visit Visa if not VoA-eligible

3. Key Principle

Transit without immigration = No visa

Transit requiring immigration = Visa needed

4. Applies Nationwide

These rules apply to all Indonesian international airports, including:

• Bali (DPS)
• Jakarta (CGK)
• Surabaya (SUB)
• Medan (KNO)
• Batam (BTH)
• Makassar (UPG)

When You Can Transit in Bali Without a Visa

Staying Inside the International Transit Area

Indonesian Immigration clearly states:

No visa is needed if you do not leave the international transit area.

Bali Airport’s Transit Guide confirms that proper transit passengers go directly to the transit/transfer counters and then to the departure lounge without immigration or customs.

If you must pass immigration, you need a visa or visa-free entry.

Through-Checked Luggage on the Same Ticket

You can only avoid immigration if your checked bags go to your final destination.
Bali’s layout requires clearing immigration before baggage claim, so if you must pick up luggage, you must enter Indonesia.

Passengers with through-checked bags + boarding passes are the ones allowed to stay airside.

No Terminal Change or Airline Change Needed

Transit-without-visa works only if you stay on the same airline/terminal.
Changing airlines, using separate tickets, or moving to domestic usually forces you through immigration.

When You Must Get a Visa for Transit or Layover in Denpasar

If You Need to Collect and Re-Check Your Baggage

Baggage claim in Bali is after immigration, so anyone who must pick up luggage and re-check it must enter Indonesia, which requires visa/visa-free eligibility.

If You Are on Separate Tickets (Self-Transfer)

Separate tickets usually mean no baggage interline. You must collect bags, go landside, and check in again, which forces you through immigration. Travellers are advised to buy an e-VOA/VOA for Bali in this case.

If You Want to Leave the Airport During Layover

If you leave the transit area (hotel, sightseeing, meeting someone), you must pass immigration and therefore must have the proper visa/visa-free entry.

If You Are Not Eligible for Visa on Arrival (Non-VOA Countries)

If your passport is not visa-free and not eligible for VOA/e-VOA, and your transit requires immigration (collecting bags, long layover, leaving airport, separate tickets), you must obtain a pre-arranged Indonesian visa before travel.

Visa You Need for Transit in Bali

For most people, there is no special “airport transit visa” for Bali. If your layover forces you to enter Indonesia (collect bags, re-check in, overnight, leave the airport, etc.), you use one of three “normal” entry options:

VOA / e-VOA

What it is

Indonesia’s Visitor Visa / Visa on Arrival (VoA) / e-VOA is a single-entry visit visa valid for 30 days, extendable once to 60 days total.

This visa is issued for tourism, government visits, business meetings, goods purchasing, and transit.

Official site: https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/

Who can use it

Nationals from 97 countries are on the VoA / e-VOA country list issued by the Directorate General of Immigration and mirrored by embassies.

Why it matters for transit

If your transit in Bali requires you to:

• Clear immigration,
• Collect and re-check luggage,
• Or stay one night / leave the airport,

then, if your passport is VoA-eligible, the simplest option is usually VoA or e-VOA, you enter Indonesia just like a short-term tourist, even if you’re only staying a few hours.

Visit Visa C1/211A for Non-VOA Travelers

What it is

The old B211A single-entry visa is now classified as the C1/211A Visit Visa. It is a single-entry visit visa that:

• Is initially valid for 60 days,
• Can be extended twice for 60 days each,
• For a maximum stay of up to 180 days.

It is intended for tourism and other visit purposes (family visit, meetings, etc.) for people who either need longer than VoA or cannot use VoA at all.

Official site: https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/

Who needs it

Travelers from countries not on the VoA/e-VOA list must apply for a C1/211A Visit Visa before arrival if they want to enter Indonesia (including Bali) for any purpose, tourism or transit with entry.

Why it matters for transit

If you’re from a non-VoA country and your Bali “transit” forces you to enter Indonesia (overnight stop, separate tickets, luggage reclaim), you cannot rely on VoA. You’re expected to:

• Apply online or via an Indonesian embassy/agent for a C1/211AVisit Visa,
• Enter Bali on that visa and complete your onward journey during its validity.

Visa-Free Entry (ASEAN Travelers)

Visa-free rule

Citizens of all ASEAN member states can enjoy a 30-day visa-exemption (Visit Visa Exemption) in Indonesia.

Indonesian embassies describe this exemption as:

• Free,
• Non-extendable, up to 30 days,
• Valid for tourism, official visits, meetings, and transit.

Why it matters for transit

If an ASEAN citizen’s layover in Bali requires them to:

• Clear immigration,
• Sleep in a hotel, or
• Collect and re-check bags,

they can simply enter Indonesia visa-free, as long as they meet normal conditions (valid passport, onward ticket, etc.). It works like a short visa-free visit, even if their purpose is effectively transit.

Forms & Requirements for Transit or Entry in Bali

All Indonesia Arrival Card (Mandatory for Everyone)

What it is

The All Indonesia Arrival Card is a unified digital entry declaration that combines:

• Immigration arrival card
• Customs declaration (e-CD)
• Health / quarantine information

into one online form. It is accessed via the official portal allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id or the All Indonesia mobile app.

Official site: https://allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id/

Official guides describe it as:

“A mandatory digital entry declaration (immigration + customs + health) but does not replace visa requirements.”

Who must do it and when

• It is mandatory for all international travellers who are entering Indonesia via participating airports/ports (including Bali’s Ngurah Rai, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, Surabaya Juanda, and several Batam seaports).
• You must complete it within 3 days (72 hours) before arrival, not earlier and not after you land.
• It is free of charge and generates a QR code that you show to immigration/customs on arrival.

Information you need to fill it

Official instructions and guides say you should prepare:

• Passport details
• Flight information and arrival airport
• Accommodation address in Indonesia (hotel/villa/cruise, etc.)
• Basic health & customs declarations (items carried, currency, etc.)

Transit vs entry

• If you are processed as an arrival in Bali (immigration stamp), you should assume you must complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card.
• If you are on a true airside transit and never go through immigration or customs, the system generally does not require the arrival card, because you’re not being treated as an “arrival”. (This follows directly from the fact that it’s an arrival declaration for immigration/customs, not a departure/transit form.).

Bali Tourist Levy (If You Exit Airport)

What it is

Since 14 February 2024, Bali charges all foreign tourists a Bali Tourist Levy (Pungutan Wisatawan Asing) of IDR 150,000 per person each time they enter Bali.

Key points from official and semi-official sources:

• Amount: IDR 150,000
• Purpose: To fund cultural and environmental preservation and “quality tourism” projects in Bali.
• Separate from visas: It is not a visa fee, and not included in visa on arrival or ticket prices.

Official site: https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/

How and when you pay

You can pay:

• Online before arrival via the official Love Bali website/app.
• On arrival at designated payment counters or machines at Ngurah Rai Airport and other entry points.

Who it applies to (and who it doesn’t)

• It applies to foreign tourists entering Bali, regardless of whether they use VOA, e-VOA, C1/211, or visa-free entry.
• It is charged each time you enter Bali (for example, if you leave to another Indonesian island and fly back to Bali again).

For transit passengers:

• If you remain airside and are not processed as an arrival in Bali, you are generally not charged the local tourist levy, because you are not formally “entering Bali”.
• If your “transit” involves going through immigration (overnight stay, baggage collection, separate tickets, etc.), you are treated as a normal arrival and must pay the levy in addition to whatever visa you use.

Passport Validity Rules (6 Months Minimum)

Regardless of whether your stop in Bali is a short transit or a long stay, your passport must meet Indonesia’s minimum validity rule, or the airline can deny boarding.

The 6-month rule

Indonesia requires:
A passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Indonesia.

Onward / return ticket

Alongside the passport validity, official sources also require:
An onward or return ticket (proof that you will leave Indonesia).

Why it matters even for transit

Even if you only intend to transit, there are two reasons this rule still bites:

• If your “transit” becomes an unplanned entry (missed connection, airline re-routes you through immigration, etc.), immigration will still apply the 6-month rule.
• Airlines normally check destination country entry rules at check-in and will refuse boarding if your passport is below 6 months, even if you say you’re only transiting.