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
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