Indonesia Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Indonesia.
- 2 visa free
- 64 visa on arrival
- 164 visa required
- 17 not yet confirmed
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Guide
Indonesia is an archipelago, so its borders are mostly seen from a ferry window or an airport immigration hall rather than from a road. It does have land borders with Malaysia on Borneo, Papua New Guinea on New Guinea, and Timor-Leste on Timor, but each land route has its own local operating pattern and should not be treated as interchangeable.
The visa system also changes by entry point. Indonesia distinguishes ordinary visas, e-Visas, and Visa on Arrival or e-VOA, while the All Indonesia portal is the current integrated arrival declaration system. Use the official immigration portals rather than a paid intermediary, especially for a ferry arrival where the designated port matters.
Border crossings
- Entikong-Tebedu
This is the main road crossing between West Kalimantan and Sarawak, Malaysia, used by travelers moving between the Indonesian and Malaysian parts of Borneo.
- Aruk-Biawak
The Aruk crossing links Indonesia's Sambas area with Sarawak. It is a real land route, but its operating hours and passenger arrangements should be checked before relying on it for a long overland itinerary.
- Motaain-Batugade
This is the principal road crossing between Indonesian West Timor and Timor-Leste, connecting the Indonesian side near Atambua with the Timorese side.
- Skouw-Wutung and Nunukan-Tawau
Skouw-Wutung is the controlled crossing near Jayapura and Papua New Guinea. Nunukan-Tawau is a sea-border route between North Kalimantan and Sabah, showing why Indonesia's international borders are often maritime even when the two countries are close on the map.
Transit routes
- Batam Centre-HarbourFront
The ferry between Batam and Singapore is one of the most practical international sea routes into Indonesia, with immigration handled at the named ferry terminals.
- Nongsapura-Tanah Merah
This Batam-Singapore route serves the eastern side of Batam and nearby resorts, giving travelers an alternative to Batam Centre.
- Nunukan-Tawau
Regional ferries connect Indonesian Kalimantan with Malaysian Borneo. The route is useful for local and regional travel but is not a substitute for checking the current port and visa rules.
- Domestic island connections
Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Medan, and Makassar are connected by frequent domestic flights. Once immigration is completed at the first Indonesian port, later domestic legs do not create a new international entry.
Entry point notes
- CGK, DPS, SUB, and KNO are different gateways
Soekarno-Hatta Jakarta, Ngurah Rai Bali, Juanda Surabaya, and Kualanamu Medan serve different regions and do not all offer identical visa processing at every moment. Confirm the permitted entry port in the official e-Visa or e-VOA system.
- All Indonesia is an arrival declaration
The declaration portal is separate from the visa itself. Completing the arrival form does not grant entry permission, and the official portal should be used instead of an unofficial service charging a processing fee.
- A ferry arrival still needs a designated immigration port
Sea travel is not automatically a visa-free shortcut. The ferry must arrive at an authorized port and the passenger must meet the same visa or exemption conditions that apply to an air traveler.