Landing at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International (DPS) Bali International Airport shouldn’t be the hardest part of your holiday. While Bali remains one of the world’s most popular destinations, 2026 has brought massive digital upgrades such as the biometric Autogates/e-Gates that can get you from the tarmac to your villa faster than ever.
Whether you’re a solo digital nomad or a family with kids, this guide covers the essential e-VoA hacks, the 2026 Bali Tourism Levy, and how to navigate the new Grab/Gojek lounges without getting lost in the crowd. Here is exactly how to bypass the queues and get through Bali airport in an hour to start your Bali trip on the right foot.
Checklist: Things to do before you land in Bali Airport
There are four key things you can do before you land in Bali Airport to make your airport journey as smooth as possible:
- Apply for a valid visa or visa exemption to use the Biometric Autogates so you don’t get stuck in lines paying for your visa at a counter;
- Fill in Arrival Card within 72 hours prior to landing;
- Pre-pay the IDR 150,000 (~$10 USD) Bali Tourism Levy; and
- Install an e-SIM (such as Airalo, Holafly or UMobile) and activate it upon landing so you have access to mobile network once you arrive.
Bali Visa: Do I need visa to enter Bali?
A1: Visa Exemption
If you are visiting Bali for tourism for less than 30 days, and hold a passport from one of the following countries, you would not need a visa and will need to apply for A1 visa exemption:
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Colombia
- Hong Kong SAR
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Suriname
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Vietnam
- Updated as of March 2026, please check the official visa website for updated list.
Key tip: even if you are visa-exempt, you must register your arrival on the official immigration portal to use the Biometric Autogates.
B1 Tourist Visa (e-VOA)
If you are from any of the above countries and are thinking of staying between 30 days to 60days, you would need to apply for B1 Tourist Visa before arrival. The B1 Tourist Visa is extendable for another 30 days. Do remember to apply for extension well in advance of your first 30 days expiry as it takes awhile for the visa extension to be processed, keeping in mind any holidays.
Most travellers from Australia, United Kingdom, United States and Europe would need to apply for the B1 Tourist Visa (als0 known as e-VOA or Visa on Arrival previously).
- Cost: IDR 500,000 (~$35 USD).
- Duration: 30 days (extendable once for another 30 days).
- Where to apply: Official Indonesian Immigration Portal
Why you should apply online: If you wait to pay at the airport, you cannot use the fast-track Autogates. You will be forced to stand in a manual queue that can take over an hour during peak times.
Do keep in mind that prior to takeoff, the airport check-in airline staff would ask to see a return ticket or a connecting ticket to continue the journey to another country. Similarly, at the visa counter, immigration officers would also ask for a return ticket or connecting ticket to another country.
Visa application website: Official Bali eVisa website
Visa information website to check what type of visa would you need: here.
Please always refer to the Official Bali eVisa website for most recent information.
Arrival Card
In 2026, Bali airport has introduced a single arrival card for travellers that covers Health Declaration and Customs. You can access the arrival card form here.
Information that you would need to fill in the form:
- Passport photo
- Passport details
- A most recent photo of yourself
- Visa information
- Flight information (airline and flight number)
- Accompanying baggage information
- Accompanying digital devices information
After filling in the form, you will get a QR code. Please screenshot or download the QR code as this will need to be scanned at the customs counter after baggage collection.
Bali Tourism Levy
Separate from your visa, every international tourist must pay the Bali Tourism Levy.
- Price: IDR 150,000 (~$10 USD).
- How to pay: Use the Love Bali Official Website.
- You will receive a QR code via email. Save the code to your phone as you may be asked to show it at your hotel or at major tourist sites like Uluwatu Temple.
How to Clear Immigration in 15 seconds
If you have registered visa exemption or has received your relevant visa online, head straight for the Biometric Autogates.
You would need:
- A passport with a validity of 6 months or more; and
- a valid visa.
How does a Biometric Autogate work:
- Open your passport to the photo page and place it on the scanner. Once the sliding glass door open, step forward and look straight at the camera.
- Who can use them? In 2026, these are open to travelers from over 90 countries (including AU, US, UK, EU) and children aged 6+.
If a machine glitches, don’t panic. Simply step back and try the next one—they are much faster than the manual counters. If these do not work for you, head to the manual immigration counters to clear immigration.
Luggage Collection At Bali Airport
After clearing the immigration, check the digital screens for your carousel, or ask the official airport luggage porters wearing red batik uniform with IDs. They are great if you have 3+ bags, but agree on the price first (usually around 100k).
Oversized luggage (such as surfboard): At Bali Denpasar Ngurah Rai Airport, oversized items will arrive at the same baggage carousel, or sometimes a designated “Oversized Baggage” belt. Keep an eye on both.
There are also plenty of ground staff and missing luggage counters to assist with any missing lugagges queries.
Customs Declaration
After luggage, you can proceed to the Customs area. Since you completed your e-CD (Customs Declaration) online before landing, just have your QR code ready on your phone.
There are 3-4 kiosks at the customs declaration area to scan the QR code. Please expect around 5-15 minutes queue depending on how busy the airport is.
Getting Sim card
The Fast Way (e-SIM): If you want to order your Grab/Gojek immediately, have an e-SIM activated before you land.
Local Sim: If you are staying long-term, you can consider registering your devices’ IMEI at the Airport so you can use any local sims. You can register up to 2 devices per passport. If you want to use a local Indonesian SIM on a phone brought from abroad for more than 90 days, you must register your IMEI.
If you are staying in Bali for short-term, you can get traveller’s sim card at the Airport or at local stores near your accommodation.
- Airport Price: ~IDR 250k for 30GB.
- Local Store Price: ~IDR 100k–150k.
Each passport can register up to 3 traveller SIMs per provider. A traveller sim has a validity up to 3 months. This means that once the initial quota runs out, you can refill the quota using Shopee, GoPay or at any local stores, for up to 3 months.
After the 3 months expiry is up, you can get another traveller simcard. Do note that each traveller (i.e each passport) can only be used to purchase up to 3 SIMs from each provider. So if you will be staying for more than 1 year, it might be a good idea to get your phone IMEI registered with a local authority so you would not need to pay for a traveller’s SIM every 3 months.
If you book an airport transfer with us or if you are going on a surf trip with us (airport transfers provided), you can let us know that you would like to get simcard, so we can bring you to a cheaper place to get your simcard sorted!
Guide to IMEI Registration in Bali for Tourists and Foreigners
If you want to use a local Indonesian SIM on a device brought from abroad for more than 90 days, you must register your IMEI at the Customs counter. To register your IMEI, you can head to the counter after clearing customs, just before the final exit. It is located at the right corner after baggage check, or you can just ask officer for directions to the counter.
- Tax-Free: If your phone is valued under USD $500, registration is free.
- Taxed: If it’s over $500, expect to pay ~30% tax on the excess value (with NPWP) or ~40% (without NPWP).
For more information on IMEI Registration, you can refer to the article here.
Money Exchange or ATM
There are money exchanges right when you get out from customs declaration. There are also ATM with authorised banks such as BNI, Mandiri and BCA near the same area.
Wise offers two (2) free ATM withdrawals per month in Indonesia, up to a total of £200 (or equivalent in local currency).
Revolut offers five (5) free ATM withdrawals up to £200 (or equivalent in local currency) per rolling month.
While places in Bali do accept card payments, it would still be a good idea to carry enough cash around for things such as eating at local warungs, beach entrance fees, buying things from local convenience store and more.
Bali Airport Transfer
After you walk out from the customs declaration, you have several options to get to your accommodation:
- Private Transfers
Your driver will be waiting in the Arrival Hall with a sign.
Note: If you are joining one of our Surf Trips, your transfer is included! We’ll also handle your surfboard bags with no extra charge. - Grab & Gojek (Ride-Hailing)
- Bali Airport now has dedicated Grab/Gojek Lounges. Staff will help you order rides from there.
- How to find them: Follow the green (Grab) or white/green (Gojek) signs to the left as you exit. If you have the Grab/Gojek app downloaded, you can find the directions once you set Grab/Gojek airport lounge as your pick-up point
- Price to Uluwatu: Expect IDR 300,000 – 400,000 ($20–$25 USD or GBP13-17).
- Bike Option: If you’re solo and traveling light, the “Bike” option is 50% cheaper and 100% faster in Bali traffic. You’ll need to walk a few minutes to the “Bike Parking” zone indicated in the app.
- Arrange for taxi from taxi companies
- Taxi companies such as BlueBird taxi has a dedicated stand when you exit the customs area.
If you are interested in taking a surf lesson or surf package with us, please feel free to reach out to us to arrange for airport transfers!