Thursday, July 3, 2025

Indonesia applied new visa extension rules that require every foreign guest and lengthy stay tourist to undergo an online registration and biometric verification under a newly adopted hybrid application process. With equal resonance affecting Visa on Arrival (VoA) as electronic Visa on Arrival (eVoA), the initiative aims at strengthening immigration control, preventing a rapid increase in visa violations, and rationalizing the extension process in major destinations including Bali, Jakarta, and other top tourist spots. The new process is a safer and more compliant but one that left tourists perplexed who are not up to date with the current requirements.

In May 2025, Indonesia introduced a sweeping change to its immigration policy, particularly affecting visa extensions for foreign tourists, digital nomads, and long-stay visitors. This policy transformation, applicable to both the Visa on Arrival (VoA) and electronic Visa on Arrival (eVoA), is now causing widespread confusion among travelers in Bali and across the Indonesian archipelago.

Effective from May 29, 2025, the Directorate General of Immigration launched a new Hybrid Application System to streamline and tighten the process of visa extensions. While the initiative was implemented to improve national security and enhance immigration compliance, it has unintentionally triggered travel headaches for those unaware of the transition.

The core of Indonesia’s new immigration protocol lies in the implementation of the Hybrid Application System. Under this system, any foreign national seeking to extend their VoA or eVoA must now register their request online through the Indonesian Immigration portal.

Once the online registration is complete, the applicant will receive confirmation from the nearest immigration office within a maximum of two working days. At this point, the individual is required to attend an in-person appointment where immigration officers verify submitted documents and take biometric data, including fingerprints and facial recognition.

This blended approach—combining online and in-person processing—represents a dramatic shift from the previous system, which allowed a more lenient and locally handled process through visa agents or direct submission at immigration offices. While designed to reduce abuse and strengthen oversight, the new system has resulted in logistical hurdles and lack of awareness among tourists already in-country.

The majority of visitors to Indonesia, particularly to Bali, use either a Visa on Arrival or its electronic version, the eVoA. These visas permit entry for tourism, leisure, or short-term business visits, and they are valid for thirty days from the date of arrival. Previously, both visa types were eligible for a single extension of thirty days without requiring a complex digital process.

However, as of the May update, this extension is no longer a straightforward procedure. Tourists must now proactively engage with the online system and ensure timely biometric appointments to stay compliant. Failure to complete any step in the process can result in an accidental overstay—something Indonesian authorities take very seriously.

Indonesia’s immigration overhaul was prompted in part by a notable surge in immigration violations during early 2025. From January to April 2025, immigration officials recorded one thousand six hundred and twenty violations—a jump of more than thirty-six percent compared to the same period in 2024.

Many of these cases involved tourists and digital nomads who were either unaware of the change or failed to complete the new requirements correctly. Although intent may not have been malicious, Indonesian immigration law treats all violations equally—whether deliberate or due to misunderstanding.

In an effort to curb abuses and maintain regulatory consistency, immigration offices throughout Indonesia have intensified enforcement. Tourists who inadvertently overstay due to missing biometric appointments or skipping the online registration are being held accountable, with overstays resulting in daily fines or denial of departure until resolution.

Indonesia considers overstaying a visa a serious offense, and consequences can range from fines to deportation or blacklisting. Even a single-day overstay may incur a penalty of one million Indonesian rupiah (approximately sixty to seventy US dollars) per day. In cases where individuals fail to resolve their status before departure, they may be required to report to an immigration office before they can leave the country.

The rigidity of this process has caught many tourists off guard—especially those who were already in Indonesia when the changes took effect. Individuals assuming they could follow the older, more flexible extension process are now at risk of fines or legal complications.

The transition to the new visa extension protocol has been particularly challenging for tourists already in Indonesia in late May and early June. Many had no prior notice of the changes and continued with old practices such as visiting agents or expecting in-person walk-ins without digital pre-registration.

Although official updates were posted on Indonesian Immigration’s website and social media platforms, including their English-language Instagram account, the distribution of this information has proven insufficient for full coverage. Travelers who arrived in Indonesia before the policy was enforced found themselves missing critical notifications, leading to avoidable overstays.

One major complication is the limited operating hours of immigration offices, which are typically closed on weekends. Tourists facing urgent departure timelines—especially over the weekend—have reported being unable to resolve their visa issues due to office closures. Since overstay fines must be paid in person and not at the airport, this creates a bottleneck for travelers who were unaware of the timing required for extensions or fine settlement.

With popular tourist regions such as Bali receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors monthly, immigration offices in Denpasar, Ubud, Canggu, and Seminyak are experiencing significant increases in appointments and inquiries. Other regions including Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Lombok are also seeing a rise in confusion related to the hybrid application system.

To ensure compliance and avoid penalties, tourists planning travel to Indonesia—or already in the country—are urged to take the following steps:

Indonesia’s decision to digitize and strengthen its visa processes is in line with broader regional trends in Southeast Asia. Countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia are also shifting toward online applications, biometric security, and centralized immigration databases. These updates serve dual purposes: improving border security and managing the increasing flow of tourists and digital nomads post-pandemic.

As Indonesia continues to position itself as a global tourism and remote work hub, additional reforms are likely. Stakeholders are hopeful that the transition period will soon smooth out and that both Indonesian immigration offices and foreign visitors will adapt to the new requirements with more ease and clarity.

Indonesia’s visa extension update, introduced in May 2025, has altered the way tourists and long-stay visitors manage their stay, particularly in popular destinations like Bali. The new Hybrid Application System requires digital pre-registration and biometric verification—a process that, while modernized, has introduced friction for many unaware travelers.

Indonesia adopted stricter visa extension measures that include online registration and biometrics in a bid to enhance immigration control and stop breaches. The policies are applied to tourists and long-stay visitors around Bali and other regions with the aim to enhance security and compliance.

As immigration authorities increase enforcement, travelers are urged to stay informed, act promptly, and understand that even minor overstays can lead to major travel disruptions. By taking proactive steps and monitoring official channels, tourists and digital nomads can navigate the new system successfully—and enjoy the vibrant, diverse landscapes of Indonesia without unexpected legal troubles.

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