Indonesia Teams Up with Bali, Jakarta and Others as Visa Fees Stay Unchanged, Visa-Free Access Expands and International Tourism Continues to Accelerate: New Update

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While many countries are increasing visa charges, tourist taxes and other travel-related fees, Indonesia has adopted a different strategy. The government has confirmed that it has no plans to increase tourist visa fees, choosing instead to make international travel more accessible in order to sustain visitor growth and strengthen the national tourism economy.

The decision reflects Indonesia’s broader objective of improving competitiveness in the global tourism market. Rather than placing additional financial burdens on international travellers, the government believes that reducing barriers to entry will encourage more overseas visitors, generate higher tourism spending and create wider economic benefits for destinations across the country.

The policy comes as Indonesia continues to experience steady growth in international arrivals, supported by visa facilitation measures, expanding international connectivity and the country’s diverse tourism offerings.

Indonesia Goes Hand in Hand with Bali and Jakarta to Strengthen Tourism Growth

Indonesia remains one of Southeast Asia’s largest tourism markets, attracting millions of international visitors every year.

Destinations including Bali, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Labuan Bajo, Lombok, Raja Ampat and Lake Toba continue competing for travellers seeking beaches, cultural heritage, adventure tourism, diving, ecotourism and luxury holidays.

To maintain this momentum, the government has decided that keeping travel affordable is a more effective long-term strategy than increasing visa charges.

According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism, there are currently no plans to revise tourist visa fees, and no proposal has been submitted by the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections to introduce higher charges for foreign visitors.

The decision reinforces Indonesia’s commitment to improving accessibility while maintaining its position as one of Asia’s leading leisure destinations.

Tourist Visa Fees Will Remain Unchanged

Indonesia continues to retain its existing tourist visa pricing structure.

The country’s Electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VOA) and Visa on Arrival (VoA) remain available at IDR 500,000, with travellers generally permitted to stay for 30 days and extend their visit once for an additional 30 days, subject to immigration requirements.

The Directorate General of Immigration has confirmed that there are no changes to these official visa charges.

Maintaining stable visa fees provides greater certainty for international travellers planning holidays, business trips or family visits while supporting Indonesia’s wider tourism promotion strategy.

For many visitors, predictable travel costs are an important factor when choosing between competing destinations across Southeast Asia.

Indonesia Expands Visa-Free Entry to More Countries

Alongside maintaining existing visa fees, Indonesia has widened its visa-free entry programme.

Under Ministry of Immigration and Corrections Regulation No. 10 of 2026, which came into effect on 9 July 2026, six additional countries and territories were added to Indonesia’s visa-free list.

The newly eligible destinations are:

• Turkey
• Brazil
• Peru
• Kazakhstan
• Macau
• Belarus

Following this expansion, the number of countries and territories eligible for visa-free entry increased to 19.

Eligible travellers may enter Indonesia for tourism, government visits or certain social purposes and remain in the country for up to 30 days without obtaining a visa before departure, provided they satisfy all immigration requirements.

The regulation forms part of Indonesia’s continuing effort to simplify border procedures while encouraging greater international mobility.

Visitor Arrivals Continue Moving Higher

Indonesia’s easier entry policies are being introduced at a time when international tourism continues to recover.

According to Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik), the country welcomed approximately 6.07 million international visitor arrivals between January and May 2026.

This represented an increase of 7.68% compared with the same period in 2025.

The figures indicate that international demand remains positive despite continuing economic uncertainty in several global markets.

Bali continues to receive the largest share of overseas visitors through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, although Jakarta and several other international gateways are also contributing to growth.

The combination of expanding airline capacity, visa facilitation and strong destination marketing continues supporting Indonesia’s tourism recovery.

Easier Entry Supports Tourism Growth

Indonesia considers visa facilitation an important economic policy rather than simply an immigration measure.

The government believes that reducing administrative barriers encourages more travellers to choose Indonesia for holidays, meetings, business travel and cultural exchanges.

Previous Indonesian experience supports this approach.

Government data indicate that earlier visa liberalisation measures contributed to:

• Approximately 32.4% growth in international tourist arrivals
• More than 33% growth in tourism foreign-exchange earnings

These results suggest that increasing visitor numbers can generate stronger economic returns than raising entry charges.

The strategy aligns with wider international research showing that simpler travel procedures often encourage additional tourism demand.

Tourism Remains a Major Economic Priority

Tourism plays an important role within Indonesia’s national economy.

International visitors contribute spending across multiple sectors, including:

• Hotels and accommodation
• Restaurants and cafés
• Domestic aviation
• Cruise tourism
• Ferry transport
• Retail shopping
• Cultural attractions
• National parks
• Diving and marine tourism
• Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE)

Tourism also supports employment in hospitality, transport, entertainment, handicrafts and local community businesses throughout the Indonesian archipelago.

For this reason, maintaining international competitiveness remains a priority for government policy.

Bali Continues to Lead Indonesia’s Tourism Industry

Although Indonesia offers thousands of islands and diverse tourism experiences, Bali remains its best-known international destination.

The island attracts visitors with:

• Beaches and surfing
• Balinese Hindu culture
• Wellness tourism
• Luxury resorts
• Cultural festivals
• Adventure activities
• Diving and marine experiences

Bali also serves as Indonesia’s principal international tourism gateway, with Ngurah Rai International Airport handling a significant proportion of overseas arrivals.

Government initiatives increasingly encourage visitors to explore destinations beyond Bali in order to distribute tourism benefits more evenly across the country.

Priority destinations such as Lake Toba, Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo and Likupang continue receiving investment to diversify Indonesia’s tourism economy.

Indonesia Offers a Different Approach from Many Destinations

Several countries have recently increased tourism-related charges to generate additional public revenue or manage visitor numbers.

These measures include:

• Higher visa application fees
• Increased accommodation taxes
• Cruise passenger levies
• Visitor entrance fees
• Local tourism taxes

Indonesia has chosen a contrasting policy direction.

Rather than increasing costs for travellers, the government is emphasising:

• Affordable entry
• Simpler visa procedures
• Expanded visa-free access
• Competitive tourism pricing
• Improved visitor experience

Officials believe this approach strengthens Indonesia’s attractiveness within the increasingly competitive Southeast Asian tourism market.

Immigration Modernisation Supports Easier Travel

Indonesia has also continued improving its immigration services through digital technology.

The Directorate General of Immigration has expanded electronic visa services, allowing eligible travellers to complete applications online before arrival.

The official e-VOA system simplifies processing while reducing paperwork and improving efficiency at international airports.

Digital immigration services form part of Indonesia’s broader strategy to modernise border management while maintaining security and improving convenience for legitimate travellers.

Strong Regional Competition Encourages Visitor-Friendly Policies

Indonesia competes with several major tourism destinations across Asia-Pacific.

Countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea continue investing heavily in tourism infrastructure, marketing campaigns and international air connectivity.

Maintaining competitive entry policies therefore becomes increasingly important.

Stable visa fees help Indonesia remain attractive for travellers comparing destinations based on total holiday costs.

Combined with visa-free expansion and ongoing improvements in visitor services, the policy strengthens Indonesia’s position within the regional tourism market.

Looking Ahead

Indonesia’s decision to maintain existing tourist visa fees while expanding visa-free entry demonstrates a long-term strategy focused on accessibility rather than higher travel costs.

The government’s approach reflects confidence that increasing visitor numbers, simplifying border procedures and improving the overall travel experience will produce greater economic benefits than raising entry charges.

As international arrivals continue growing and more countries gain visa-free access, Indonesia is positioning itself as one of Asia’s most accessible tourism destinations.

With world-famous attractions in Bali, expanding tourism investment across the archipelago and continued immigration reforms, the country is expected to remain one of the region’s strongest performers throughout 2026 and beyond.