Americans No Longer Need Visas to Travel to Indonesia
Increasingly popular with Americans, the gorgeous Southeast Asian country of Indonesia (which includes The Points Guy's beloved island of Bali) has long required most visitors to obtain entry visas upon arrival. However, on June 9, 2015, Indonesian President Joko Widodo decreed that the citizens of 30 countries — including the United States — can now obtain free-of-charge visas on arrival in Indonesia that will be valid for a 30-day stay in the country.
The following 30 countries are now eligible for visa-free status: The USA, Canada and Mexico; Great Britain, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, the People's Republic of China, South Korea and Japan; Qatar, the U.A.E., Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman; New Zealand and South Africa.
They now join the following countries already granted with this status: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Singapore, Darussalam, Philippines, Chile, Morocco, Peru, Vietnam, Ecuador, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Hong Kong and Macau.
Visa free entry is granted only at the following gateways:
- Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK) in Jakarta
- Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS) in Denpasar, Bali
- Kualu Namu Airport (KNO) in Medan, North Sumatra
- Juanda Airport (SUB) in Surabaya, East Java
- Hang Nadim Airport (BTH) in Batam
- Port of Sekupang and Port of Batam Center, both in Batam
- Port of Sri Bintan in Bintan
- Port of Tanjung Uban in Riau
This is wonderful news for travelers, and there are some great deals to be found for those of you looking to travel to Indonesia this summer! Previously, only a few immigration lanes would open and the rest of the immigration officers would open a cash-only "express visa" service. Therefore, this change will make the process much easier and more efficient.
For more information on the country, check out these related posts:
What I Loved About Bali
Destination of the Week: Bali
Hotel Review: The St. Regis Bali Resort
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app