Australia has updated its official Indonesia travel advice, with several practical reminders that matter directly to Bali visitors. The 11 September update highlights the All Indonesia Arrival Card, Visa on Arrival options, Bali’s separate tourist levy and a warning for travellers creating paid or sponsored content on a tourist visa.
01 Complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card
Smartraveller says travellers arriving in Indonesia by plane or boat need to complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card. The form can be completed online within 72 hours — three days — before arrival.
Indonesia’s immigration authorities describe All Indonesia as an integrated arrival declaration covering immigration, customs, health and quarantine information. For Bali travellers, that means one important piece of pre-arrival admin should be handled before landing at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Use the official Indonesian Government service and be wary of lookalike sites. Smartraveller specifically warns travellers to use official websites ending in go.id.
02 e-VOA and Visa on Arrival options
Eligible Australian visitors using Indonesia’s Visa on Arrival scheme can organise an Electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VOA) online. Smartraveller recommends applying at least 48 hours before travel.
The e-VOA fee is listed as Rp500,000, plus a small online processing fee. If you have not arranged an e-VOA beforehand, a regular Visa on Arrival remains available at eligible Indonesian entry points.
Both the VOA and e-VOA normally allow a 30-day stay and can be extended once for a further 30 days, subject to Indonesian immigration requirements.
03 Bali’s tourist levy is separate
Bali’s foreign tourist levy is a separate charge from the Indonesian visa fee. Smartraveller lists the levy at Rp150,000.
In practical terms, a visitor arriving in Bali on a VOA or e-VOA may need to deal with both the visa charge and Bali’s separate tourist levy. They are not the same payment.
04 Paid and sponsored content can create visa problems
The part of the updated advice most likely to catch out influencers, creators and working travellers is the warning about commercial activity on a tourist visa.
Smartraveller says working, conducting research or volunteering while on a tourist visa can breach Indonesian visa conditions. It also specifically warns against creating or posting online content in return for revenue, payment, sponsorship or another commercial benefit when your visa does not permit that work.
The advice goes further: Indonesian authorities may consider commercially produced content a visa breach even if the material is not published until after you leave Indonesia.
05 Did all of these rules start today?
No. The 11 September Smartraveller update is a useful refresh of the advice, but travellers should not assume every requirement listed on the page was introduced today. The All Indonesia system, Visa on Arrival arrangements and Bali tourist levy have already been operating.
What changed today is Australia’s published travel advice: it was updated to highlight these requirements and the commercial-content warning for travellers.
06 Australia’s overall advice level is unchanged
Australia continues to advise travellers to exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia overall, with higher advice levels applying to some parts of the country.
For a typical Bali holiday, the practical takeaway is straightforward: complete the official arrival form, use the correct visa, pay the applicable Bali levy and make sure your activities match the conditions of your visa.
07 Check the official information before flying
Entry rules and government systems can change. Before travelling, check the latest advice directly with official sources rather than relying on an old screenshot, social post or third-party visa site.
- Australian Government: Smartraveller — Indonesia
- Indonesian Immigration: All Indonesia arrival declaration
- Indonesia e-VOA: Official Indonesian e-Visa portal
