Bali's New Digital Arrival Card Starts September 1: What Americans Need for Entry in 2025

A New Arrival Requirement Begins Tomorrow

Americans heading to Bali will face a new entry requirement from September 1, 2025: the free All Indonesia digital arrival card. Travelers arriving at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), Jakarta and Surabaya will have to complete the form, which brings immigration, customs and health declarations into one online process.

The requirement applies regardless of nationality or visa status, including to Indonesian citizens returning from abroad. By October 1, 2025, it is due to cover all international airports in Indonesia, with sea and land border crossings also likely to be included. The extension to those sea and land crossings has not been confirmed.

For American tourists, the central point is straightforward: the new arrival card sits alongside existing entry requirements. Travelers still need the appropriate visa, a passport valid for at least six months from arrival and proof of a return or onward journey. Visitors to Bali also face a separate local tourist levy.

The form can be completed within three days, or 72 hours, before entering Indonesia. Submission produces a unique QR code, sent by email, that travelers must present to authorities when they arrive. Indonesian officials say completing the form takes about 2.5 minutes.

For visitors preparing to depart around the September launch, the change adds a task before travel while combining several declarations that previously had to be handled separately. Completing it before departure should help avoid spending extra time filling out forms at the airport.

What the All Indonesia Card Combines

The All Indonesia platform gathers information that travelers previously submitted through separate immigration questionnaires, electronic customs declarations known as e-CD, and the SATUSEHAT Health Pass. Instead of moving between those processes, arriving passengers provide their information through a single digital arrival card.

Travelers can use the All Indonesia portal or a dedicated mobile app available through Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store. The form itself is free, so there is no government arrival card fee to add to a travel budget.

The information requested covers both the traveler and the journey. Passengers should have their passport, flight information and accommodation address ready before starting. They must also answer questions relating to health and the goods they are bringing into Indonesia.

A single submission is intended to reduce repeated paperwork and confusion between different arrival procedures. The resulting QR code gives immigration, customs and health officials a way to access the completed declaration during arrival checks.

Why Indonesia Is Changing Its Arrival Process

Indonesia's government says the platform is intended to make entry procedures more efficient for both passengers and border officials. Combining forms is also meant to improve security and health monitoring by centralizing information that was previously collected through separate systems.

Immigration Minister Agus Andrianto described the purpose of the system during its official launch at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport:

The All Indonesia portal is a practical solution to previously fragmented procedures, making travel to Indonesia smoother and more secure for everyone.

The government also links the change to sustainable tourism and the recovery and growth of the tourism sector. Faster, more reliable arrivals are intended to improve visitors' experience while helping authorities respond to health or security concerns.

Americans, who account for a significant portion of Bali's international visitors, will need to adjust to this greater use of digital travel documentation. For a passenger, the practical change is that preparation increasingly happens on a phone or computer before reaching the border.

The Rollout Dates and Submission Window

The launch has two main stages. Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya come first, followed a month later by the planned expansion to all Indonesian international airports.

• August 31, 2025: Travelers preparing for the launch should check their arrival date and arrange their existing visa and travel documents.
• September 1, 2025: The All Indonesia requirement begins for arrivals at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jakarta and Surabaya.
• October 1, 2025: The requirement is scheduled to extend to all international airports across Indonesia, with sea and land crossings likely to follow.

The submission window is tied to entry into Indonesia. Travelers should complete the card within the three days, or 72 hours, before arrival and make it part of their preparations before departure.

For someone traveling through several airports before reaching Bali, having the flight details and accommodation address available will make completing the form easier. Once the QR code arrives by email, travelers should save it to their phone or print it so that it is ready for inspection.

How to Complete the Form

The process starts on the government portal or in the All Indonesia app. Travelers enter personal information, add details about their trip, answer the required declarations and submit the completed form.

• Enter your name, nationality, passport number and contact information.
• Provide your arrival and departure dates, flight details and accommodation address in Indonesia.
• Answer the health and customs questions.
• Submit the form and receive the unique QR code by email.
• Present the code to immigration, customs and health officials on arrival.

Indonesian officials estimate that filling out the form takes about 2.5 minutes. Having the requested information ready is especially useful for travelers who would otherwise need to search through booking confirmations while completing it.

The QR code is the item passengers need to keep accessible after submission. Saving a copy on a phone or carrying a printed version means it can be presented during the arrival process without searching through an email inbox at each checkpoint.

What Happens Without a Completed Card

Passengers who reach Indonesia without completing the digital card will be required to fill it out at the airport. They can scan a QR code there to access the process, but their border processing will be held until the form has been completed and approved.

Completing the declaration after landing can mean additional time at customs and immigration while information is entered and processed. For travelers with onward connections, a lengthy wait could also lead to a missed flight and a stressful start to the journey.

Indonesian authorities strongly recommend completing the process before departure. Airport access to the form provides a way to complete the requirement, but passengers still need to allow time for the declaration and its processing.

Travelers who are uncomfortable using online forms or who have unreliable internet access before departure may find the change more difficult. Airports will provide QR codes for completion on site, although larger numbers of passengers using that option could create bottlenecks.

The Visa Rules Americans Still Need to Meet

Most American tourists are eligible for a Visa on Arrival, commonly called a VOA, allowing an initial stay of 30 days. It costs IDR 500,000, approximately $35, and can be obtained at the airport or arranged online before travel as an electronic Visa on Arrival, or e-VOA.

The visa can be extended once for another 30 days. An eligible tourist using that extension can therefore stay for a total of 60 days. Arranging an e-VOA before travel may save time at the airport, alongside completing the arrival card in advance.

Travelers planning longer visits or journeys for particular purposes, including business or remote work, can apply online for an e-Visa. Processing typically takes up to five working days, and fees depend on the visa category. Applicants need to choose a visa suited to the purpose and length of their visit.

A passport must remain valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in Indonesia. Airlines may refuse boarding when a passport falls short of that requirement, and Indonesian immigration will deny entry if it is not met.

Visitors must also show a return or onward flight within 30 days of entry. Immigration officers may deny admission or require a traveler to buy a ticket on the spot if that proof is missing. Preparing the flight confirmation before departure makes it easier to present when requested.

Bali's Tourist Levy Is a Separate Payment

International visitors to Bali must also pay a local tourist levy of IDR 150,000, approximately $10. This payment is separate from both the visa fee and the free All Indonesia declaration.

The levy can usually be paid online or at the airport. Paying it in advance, where available, is another way to reduce the number of tasks left until arrival.

An American tourist paying the standard IDR 500,000 Visa on Arrival fee and the IDR 150,000 Bali levy would pay IDR 650,000 for those two charges, approximately $45 using the stated dollar estimates. The arrival card adds no fee to that amount.

Keeping the three requirements separate makes the checklist easier to follow: the visa covers the permitted stay, the digital card collects arrival declarations, and the Bali levy is a local tourism charge. Each has its own place in preparing for the trip.

Options for Remote Workers and Longer Visits

Bali's popularity with digital nomads and other remote workers has brought attention to visa options for longer stays. Indonesia's Remote Worker Visa, E33G, also described as the Digital Nomad Visa, and the B211a visa provide alternatives to a short tourist visit.

The E33G visa is valid for one year and can be renewed up to five times. Applicants need proof of annual income of $60,000, a bank balance of at least $2,000 and accommodation in Indonesia.

E33G holders cannot work for Indonesian companies or conduct local business. The option is intended for remote work connected to employers or businesses outside Indonesia, so travelers need to match their planned activities to the visa's conditions.

The B211a visa allows an initial stay of 60 days, with two possible extensions taking the total stay to as much as 180 days. Applicants need a valid passport, proof of funds and an onward ticket.

Longer visits also bring tax considerations. Staying more than 183 days in a year can potentially make a visitor an Indonesian tax resident, with obligations under Indonesian tax law. Travelers planning an extended stay should consult a tax professional about their circumstances.

Neither a longer visa nor an existing visa removes the requirement to complete the All Indonesia arrival card. The new declaration applies regardless of visa status.

Preparing for Arrival and Avoiding Unnecessary Charges

Americans can reduce the number of tasks waiting at the airport by organizing the card, visa, passport and travel bookings before departure. The main preparations are practical and apply whether the visit is a short holiday or a longer stay under another visa category.

• Complete the free All Indonesia form within three days before entering Indonesia.
• Save or print the QR code and keep it ready for inspection.
• Arrange an e-VOA or another appropriate visa online before travel where possible.
• Check that the passport has at least six months of validity from arrival.
• Keep proof of the required return or onward flight accessible.
• Pay the Bali tourist levy in advance where that option is available.
• Consider travel insurance, because hospitals may require payment upfront.

Travel insurance is no longer mandatory, but the possibility of having to pay a hospital before receiving care remains a reason to consider cover. It belongs on the preparation list alongside travel documents, even though it is separate from the arrival declaration.

Travelers should also be cautious about unofficial websites and third party services. Such services may charge unnecessary fees or provide incorrect information. Government portals should be used for visa and arrival card applications, particularly because the All Indonesia form itself costs nothing.

What the Digital Shift Changes

Indonesia's move forms part of a wider shift toward digital travel procedures in Southeast Asia and beyond. Vietnam, Thailand and South Korea have already introduced electronic visas or electronic travel authorizations, reflecting greater use of contactless border processes and digital information.

Indonesia relies heavily on tourism for economic growth. The government hopes that combining arrival procedures will improve the visitor experience, strengthen border security and health monitoring, and support the tourism sector's recovery after the pandemic.

The practical benefits depend in part on the system working reliably when passenger numbers are high. Technical glitches or outages could create difficulties during the initial rollout or peak travel periods, while limited internet access and unfamiliarity with online forms could slow some passengers.

Centralizing personal and travel information also brings privacy concerns. Indonesian authorities say the system complies with data protection regulations, while travelers are advised to remain vigilant about where they enter their information.

The expected benefit is a simpler arrival process at busy gateways such as Ngurah Rai, with fewer separate declarations and more preparation completed before landing. From September 1, American visitors and other arriving travelers at the first three airport locations will need to include the digital card in that preparation.

Key Points

• The free All Indonesia arrival card becomes mandatory in Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya on September 1, 2025.
• Expansion to all Indonesian international airports is scheduled for October 1, with sea and land crossings also likely to be included.
• All arriving travelers, including returning Indonesian citizens, must complete the declaration regardless of nationality or visa status.
• The form combines immigration, customs and health declarations and produces a QR code sent by email.
• Travelers should complete it within 72 hours before entry and keep the code ready for inspection.
• Americans still need an appropriate visa, a passport valid for at least six months and proof of a return or onward flight.
• The standard Visa on Arrival costs IDR 500,000, while Bali's separate tourist levy is IDR 150,000.
• Longer visits require attention to visa conditions and possible Indonesian tax residency after more than 183 days in a year.