Passport validity rules for Indonesia
Bali and the rest of Indonesia enforce the 6-month passport rule with no flexibility. Travellers get turned back at Denpasar airport every week for missing it by days.
Indonesia and Bali: what changed in 2024
Indonesia requires six months' passport validity from your date of entry, and Bali's Ngurah Rai airport has been one of the strictest enforcement points in Asia since the 2022 tourism restart. The Visa on Arrival system introduced in 2022 and the pre-arrival e-VOA system (evisa.imigrasi.go.id) both check passport validity as part of the application, and the VOA will not be granted at under six months.
A new tourist levy of IDR 150,000 was introduced in February 2024 for foreign visitors arriving in Bali, payable via the Love Bali app. This is separate from the visa and separate from the passport rule, but it's part of the same document check at arrival. Have the QR code ready alongside your visa confirmation and passport.
6 months beyond entry. 6 months beyond entry, strictly enforced — includes Bali.
Verify with Directorate General of Immigration (Indonesia)Your passport normally needs six months of validity from arrival in Indonesia. This date check does not cover visas, transit stops or other documents. Here's what actually happens →
Can I travel to Indonesia?
A date check based on the published entry rule — not a boarding guarantee.
What this means at the airport in Indonesia
- Major arrival points
- Bali DPS · Jakarta CGK · Surabaya SUB
- Entry position
- UK and US passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival or e-VOA for tourism, typically 30 days and extendable once.
- If you need to renew
- Apply for the e-VOA only after your new passport arrives, and allow for the 30-day extension when counting your six months.
Entry allowances and validity requirements change. Verify before booking with Directorate General of Immigration (Indonesia). We summarise the rule and explain how it is applied in practice; we are not a government service. How we check and update this page.
Indonesia: your questions answered
- Do I need 6 months on my passport for Bali or Indonesia?
- Yes. Indonesia (including Bali) strictly enforces the 6-month passport validity rule from your date of entry. Airlines will not let you board without it.
- Do I need a visa for Bali?
- Most Western visitors need the Visa on Arrival (VOA) — 500,000 IDR for 30 days, extendable once for another 30 days. Buy online before travel via the official Indonesian immigration site.
- Does the 6-month rule apply to Indonesia's other islands?
- Yes — Jakarta, Lombok, Sumatra, Java, every entry point. The rule is national, not Bali-specific.
- I've heard people get turned back at Denpasar — is that true?
- Yes. Bali immigration regularly denies entry to travellers with under 6 months validity, even when airlines let them board. Don't risk it.
Next, if you're flying to Indonesia
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