Bali Airport Arrival Guide 2025 - How to Get Through Immigration, Visa and Transport

Landing in Bali for the first time can feel a bit chaotic if you don't know what to expect. Some travelers get stuck in long immigration lines, others forget to fill out a form or end up paying more than they should for a taxi. And depending on when you land and how prepared you are, getting out of the airport can take anywhere from 20 minutes to over two hours. So in this video I'm going to walk you through exactly how to get through Bali's international airport the smart way. I'll explain what you need to do before your flight, how the arrival process works once you land and what to watch out for so you don't waste time or money. We'll go step by step through immigration, baggage claim, customs, internet, currency exchange and transport to your hotel. By the end of this video you'll know exactly what to expect and how to move through each part smoothly even if it's your first time on the island. So let's get started. Before you even board your flight there are a few things you need to take care of and doing these in advance can make a huge difference when you land. First check your passport. It needs to be valid for at least six months from the day you arrive in Indonesia and it can't have any damage. That means no water stains, no torn pages, not even a small rip. Bali is known for being unusually strict about this. Most travelers from countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and most of Europe will need a visa to enter Indonesia. The good news is there are two easy ways to get it. You can apply online before your trip or just get it when you land. If you do it in advance it's called the electronic visa on arrival. It costs the same as getting it at the airport, around $35. The difference is that doing it online lets you skip the visa line entirely which can be a huge time saver. During low season that line might take 30 minutes but in high season especially around July, August or the holidays the wait can stretch to two hours or more. So applying online is definitely the better option if you want to move through immigration faster. When filling out the make sure to choose the B1 visa type which is for tourism. You'll need to upload a photo, fill in your passport details, your flight info and where you'll be staying. Once everything's complete and approved your electronic visa on arrival gets sent to your email. Just keep a copy on your phone or print it out in case they ask for it when you arrive. If you prefer to get your visa when you arrive, no problem. Just head to the visa on arrival counter before immigration, pay the same fee and hold on to the receipt because you'll need to show it at passport control. Another thing you'll need to fill out is the electronic customs declaration. This form is required for every traveler entering Indonesia and it's pretty straightforward. You can either fill it out individually or have one person complete it for the whole family. Just keep in mind that the form only opens two days before your flight. The system won't let you submit it earlier so there's no point trying to fill it out a week in advance. Once it's done you'll get a QR code. Save it to your phone or just take a screenshot. You don't need to print anything. When you arrive an officer will scam that code after you pick up your bags. If you're not bringing anything that needs to be declared the whole process usually takes less than a minute. If you don't fill it out ahead of time there are computers available at the airport to do it on the spot. There's also a new fee called the Bali tourist tax. It's officially known as the international tourism levy and it applies to all foreign visitors. The cost is 150,000 rupiah per person and you can pay it online before your trip through the Love Bali website or the official app. Just like the other steps we've talked about this is something you can also do at the airport after you land. Right after payment you'll get a confirmation with a QR code. Most travelers won't be asked for it when they arrive at the airport and that's totally normal but in Bali it's common for staff at major tourist attractions to check if you've paid. The last document you'll need to know about before flying is the health declaration form. This was introduced because of the recent mpox outbreak and it's now required for all international arrivals in Indonesia. You'll need to fill it out within a couple of days before your flight. The form asks for your flight details, the countries you've visited in the last 21 days, and whether you've had any symptoms related to mpox. As soon as you send the form you'll receive another QR code. Just save it to your phone like the others. At the airport most travelers go straight through without any issues but if you report symptoms or recent exposure you might be asked to go through additional screening which could include a PCR test. So it's another simple form that's quick to fill out and once it's done you're all set for arrival. Before we get into the arrival process and how immigration works let's talk about Safety Wing. This is a travel insurance made for digital nomads, backpackers, or anyone taking an extended trip. It's one of the best options out there if you're staying abroad for a while. It covers medical emergencies, trip interruptions, lost luggage, motorbike accidents which are pretty common in Bali, and even flight delays. You can also upgrade your plan to include adventure sports or add extra protection for your gear like cameras and laptops. It works in over 180 countries and you can sign up even if you're already traveling. Plus claims are quick and straightforward with no complicated paperwork. If you want to travel with peace of mind scan the QR code on the screen or click the link in the description to get covered with Safety Wing today. As soon as you arrive in Bali the first thing you'll go through is immigration. If you already applied for the electronic visa on arrival you can skip the counter and go straight to the immigration area. For travelers who didn't do it online you'll need to stop at the visa on arrival counter first, pay the visa fee, and then move on. If you're using a biometric passport you'll be able to use the electronic gates. These are usually faster but they only work if your passport meets the requirements and the system is working properly. Just follow the signs, place your passport on the scanner, and look at the camera. If everything checks out the gates will open automatically. If there's any issue an officer will direct you to the manual immigration line. After immigration you'll head to baggage claim. If you're traveling with carry-on only you can skip this part completely but if you checked a bag just know that baggage claim in Bali can be slow. It's not uncommon to wait 20 or even 30 minutes for your luggage to show up. With your bags in hand the next stop is customs. This is where you'll need that QR code from the electronic customs declaration you filled out earlier. Just pull it up on your phone and an officer will scan it. This part usually takes less than a minute. Once you're through immigration and customs you'll walk straight into the arrivals hall and this is where you can take care of a few important things before heading to your hotel. First up, cash. If you didn't bring any Indonesian rupiah with you this is a good moment to withdraw some. The ATMs here are run by major Indonesian banks and are generally safe to use. In most cases there aren't any extra fees from the ATM itself but it still depends on your bank back home. Right next to the ATMs there are currency exchange counters as well. The rates aren't the best you'll find in Bali but you won't get scammed either so it's a safe option if you need some cash right away. Next is internet. If you didn't get an e-sim before arriving you'll find several kiosks selling local sim cards right there in the arrivals hall. The three most common providers are Telkomsel, Excel and Smartfriend. Telkomsel usually has the strongest coverage across the island especially in more remote areas. Excel and Smartfriend are also solid choices often with better deals on data packages. All the kiosks are side by side so it's easy to compare prices before deciding which one to go with. You'll need your passport to register the sim and the staff will usually help you get everything set up on your phone right there. After you've sorted your cash and internet it's time to head to your hotel. If your hotel arranged a private transfer your driver will be waiting outside with a sign but if not you've got two main options. Grab a local taxi or order a ride through an app. Local taxis are the least recommended option here. You'll see a line of drivers holding signs and calling out for rides but most of them don't use a meter and will throw out inflated prices. The better move is to order a ride through Grab. It's one of the two big ride apps in Indonesia similar to Uber and it's super easy to use. Grab even has its own official lounge just outside the terminal where drivers are allowed to pick up passengers. The lounge is air-conditioned, has seating and is a nice place to wait while your car arrives. Right outside the lounge there's usually a stand where you can grab a discount voucher for your first ride which makes it even cheaper. That's everything you need to know to get through the airport without stress. If you found this video helpful consider subscribing to the channel. It helps the channel grow and keeps me motivated to keep bringing you more quality travel guides and if you're thinking about getting travel insurance the link for Safety Wing is in the description. Thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next one.