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UPDATE !! 12/05/22

The new changes to visas are still causing mass confusion as the regulations have not yet been entirely settled.
But I will try my best to relay the information I get from Agents, Immigration, Facebook Groups and fellow Sailors, here below.

• You can also visit the INDONESIAN IMMIGRATION WEBSITE

The B211A visa

last updated 15/06/22

This visa has been undergoing a lot of change. Here is the latest.

There are 2 fees to be aware of: Tax and Agent’s Service fee, see break down below.

In most places you can do your extensions by yourself at the Immigration Offices with a sponsor letter from your sponsor/agent (See ‘EXTENSIONS’ further down this page). In this case you might save a bit on the agents extension service fee.
However, if you do not want to do it by yourself, you will need to get a local agent, in which case there will be additional fees.
We have done ours with no issues, apart from Lombok, where our agent is located.

Offshore B211a (Applying from outside Indonesia) – 6 months

DURATION	VISA (First 60 days)	EXTENSION 1 (60 days)	VISA (First 60 days)
TAX	Rp 2,000,000 (USD 135)	2,000,000 (USD 135)	2,000,000 (USD 135)
OUR AGENT SERVICE FEE	Rp 1,500,000 (USD 102)	500,000 (USD 34)	500,000 (USD 34)
TOTAL COSTS per 60 days	Rp 3,500,000 (USD 237)	2,500,000 (USD 170)	2,500,000 (USD 170)
TOTAL COST of 6 MONTHS	–	–	Rp 8,500,000 (USD 576)

THE TOTAL COST will be a little less when you do the extension on your own.

oNSHORE b211a (Applying within Indonesia) – 5 months

DURATION	VISA (First 30 days)	EXTENSION 1 (60 days)	VISA (First 60 days)
TAX	Rp 2,000,000	2,000,000	2,000,000
OUR AGENT SERVICE FEE	Rp 1,500,000	500,000	500,000
TOTAL COSTS per 60 days	Rp 3,500,000	2,500,000	2,500,000
TOTAL COST of 5 MONTHS	–	–	Rp 8,500,000 (USD 576)

THE TOTAL COST will be a little less when you do the extension on your own.

Visa on Arrival

This is the only visa which does not require you to have a sponsor/agent. The VOA grants you up to 60 days just like the B211a mentioned above, but, without agent fees, will be significantly cheaper.
However, you can only apply for this Offshore.

DURATION	VISA FIRST 30 DAYS	EXTENTION (+30 DAYS)
TAX (Not using Agent)	Rp 500,000	Rp 500,000
TOTAL COST OF 60 DAYS		Rp 1,000,000 (USD 68)

The new 180 day visa !!Still not active!!

On the 16th of April 2022 a new visa was introduced in Indonesia. The idea of the visa was that it should replace the old b211a visa, to save visitors and immigration the hassle of doing extensions. However, this visa has till not gone live in the system.

• DURATION: 180 days – non extendable – one entry
• PRICE (Excluding Agent fee): Rp 6,000,000

These prices are no doubt a huge increase in price from the original pre-Covid Visas, but only slightly more expensive than the sponsored B112a Visa which was offered through the pandemic, but also slightly more convenient as you are not required to turn up at Immigration offices every month for extensions.

Beware of high agent fees

Some agents are charging outrageously high fees. When tourists agree to pay these prices, it causes other agent to follow suit. We are currently hearing of many agents upping their prices. So shop around and bargain!

If you want to know our experience with our agents, do not hesitate to contact us, I have a lot to say on the matter.

Old visa information below

I will leave the information on the old visas on the page for the time being, as some people might still be on a valid B112a visa, or wish to compare with the previous procedures.
Furthermore, much of the information is still relevant. To help sort through this, I have highlighted any expired information with red.

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Covid Procedures

Regulations and clearance procedure are subject to a lot of change due to Covid 19 and it is important to check the latest changes.
I would recommend reading directly from the Indonesian Immigration website https://www.imigrasi.go.id/id/ or following Noonsite https://www.noonsite.com/place/indonesia/formalities/#biosecurity-section who are pretty good with keeping up to date.
Be aware that the information about visa costs, availability, entry points and quarantine procedures, can vary greatly, so do thorough research.
It also seems that there are many agents taking advantage of the uncertainties regarding covid restrictions and many are charging outrages fees. I would recommend asking for recommendations from other sailors.

On this page I try to summarize the processes in a clear and efficient way. But as the information comes from personal research, limited experience and word of mouth, and due to the constant changes in regulations and variations in procedures this might not apply entirely to your situation.

AND PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

visa during covid

What: Currently the only visa available to people entering Indonesia by boat is the B211A E-Visa offshore. This gives you an initial 60 days and 4 extensions of 1 month after that, giving you a total of 6 months.
The extensions cost a minimum of 500.000 IDR. See ‘Visa Extensions’ below for more details.
Once the 6 months are up. You can apply for a second B211A visa while still in the country. This time it will be an ‘onshore’ visa and you will only get an initial 30 days with another 4 extensions. Giving you a total of 5 months.
Doing the pandemic you have been able to keep applying for these onshore visas for as long as you need without leaving the country, but I do not know when this will change.

To apply for your visa you must provide your agent with (varies slightly from agent to agent)

• Copy of Passport (copy of the cover + copy of details)
• Evidence of COVID Vaccine
• Medical Certificate from Doctor (A letter from your doctor stating that you are healthy and fit for travel)
• Statement Letter (your agent will provide the form. In this you state that you will pay for all medical expenses should you get sick with COVID 19)
• Bank Statement (You need to prove that you have a minimum of about 10,000USD to enter Indonesia for your ‘offshore, and 2,000USD for your onshore)

How much: You need an Indonesian sponsor / agent to apply for your visa. This can be very expensive with many agents charging around 200-400USD per Passport. We would highly recommend shopping around.
Some places such as Kupang also requires that you have a local agent to help with your clearance process. We were charged 100USD for this extra local agent.

If you want to have a chat about our experience with our Agents, please contact me via email blackduckatsea@gmail.com or on https://web.facebook.com/blackduckatsea

Vessel Declaration

What: Bringing your boat to Indonesia a Vessel Declaration is required. This is a registration of your boat specifications and AIS MMSI number. (AIS is now mandatory for foreign yachts sailing in Indonesia)
You must have this document before you can apply for your visa.
Upon registering you select your Port of Entry and Exit. The document will then be forwarded to the Customs Office at your selected Entry Point. The selected Exit Point can be changed later if you are unsure from where you will check out.

How much: You can register online for free (though there currently seems to be a technical problem with the site) or through your agent for a fee of in our case 150,000 IDR which is outrageously expensive for something which you have always be able to do for free.

The Vessel Declaration allows your boat to stay within Indonesian waters for up to 3 years. After this you must sail your boat out of Indonesia to apply for another. Many people do this in Dili in East Timor.

Visa Extensions

IMPORTANT: The extendable B211a Visa has been changed. Read the updated B211a Section at the beginning of the Page first.

There are many versions of a Visa Extension Procedure, but I have tried to paint a picture of how it should be done, when both applicant and officials abide by the rules.

Our first visa extension was done in Ambon, which is very formal and efficient, taking 3 business days excluding the day of applying. For this we had our agent sent us a sponsor letter for which he charged 25USD per passport and 10USD in shipping. For more details see A Sailor’s Practical Guide to Ambon

The second and third extension we did in Sorong.
When I was here seven years ago, Sorong’s Immigration Office was hopeless and we were stuck for three days arguing not to pay a bribe, but returning now I can say that it has completely changed and is now formal and efficient like in Ambon. Here it also took 3 business days from the day of payment. But this time we managed to do the sponsor forms ourselves, using the details off our sponsor letters, so this time it only cost us the immigration fee. See below. For more details see A Sailor’s Practical Guide to Sorong

So be aware that the procedures vary from place to place. In some places you might be required to use a local sponsor. But it is worth checking if you can do it yourself. (Really all you need is an Indonesian address and contact number)

Where: Extensions have to be done at an Immigration Office and requires you to be present (Except if your agent is doing it for you). We have heard of a few exceptions where people have sent their passport to an agent, but I do not know enough about that to give any advice. We have also heard of people getting all their extensions stamped in their passport within a week in Lombok. But unless you have sorted this out with your agent there, the procedure is a monthly visit to the office in person.
You can apply for your extension as early as 2 weeks prior to your visa expiration. At your first extension you need to have your fingerprints and photo taken. Make sure to check that your selected office can provide biometrics. (I think you can get it everywhere by now)
Make sure to do it in time as the fine for overstaying is extremely high.

How: As mentioned above; when applying for your Extension a sponsor letter is required. It is said, that this has to come from the same sponsor who sponsored your entry, although I have heard of people changing sponsors.
There is a lot of confusion around these letters and I have still not found much consistency. In Sorong we have even done it ourselves, using our agents address. However this did not work in any other office.
The letter will have to be sent to your selected Immigration Office by post. However you can apply before the letter arrives using an emailed copy.
Dress nicely for the office (some places require you to wear long pants and shoes) and bring your folder of paperwork and be patient, being pushy or rude does not help your case and some places are known to take multiple days.
In Ambon it took 3 business days (excluding a Sunday when the office was closed). But in places such as Lombok it takes around 9 days.

Paperwork needed for visa extension application

• Passport
• Copy of Visa
• Sponsor Letter
• Boat Registration (might be asked for)
• Stamped Crew List (might be asked for)
• AIS position (at Sorong they wanted a picture of our anchorage position. This was easy via WhatsApp)
• I would highly recommend that you bring your whole folder of Indonesian paperwork in case.

How much: The price of the sponsor letter varies from free to 350,000 IDR per Passport including postage. 250,000 IDR seems to be the most common. In Ambon, Nicko Tulalessy, the Chairman of the Amahusu Sailing Community will provide the letter for free. (Consider making a donation or invite him out for dinner, he is a very good person)
Some places, such as Lombok, a local agent can do the extension for you if you get your passport to him/her for a fee around Rp500,000
The new Tax fee is 2,000,000IDR per Passport, and is usually payed at the Bank (Immigration will give you a referral letter with their bank transfer details, and the Bank will give you a receipt to bring back to Immigration) It might also be possible to pay the fee by online transfer. No offices will accept cash!!

NOTE: This is probably obvious to most people, but Please be patient and stay polite. We have been met with nothing but friendliness. But we have seen tourists behave extremely rude and it is embarrassing and will only make the process drag on.
A narrative has been spread, (based in how things used to be) that all officials are corrupt and expect bribes to make the process smooth. We have experienced nothing of this sort, but have seen evidence of a big effort to end corruption in the offices. Apart from the decorations, the offices resemble any official office I have visited in my time in Australia.
Just be ready to do paperwork, bring your folder and do your bit to make the process smooth.

What do the Officials do while you Wait? (This procedure was taken from the wall in the Filing room and Office at the Kantor Imigrasi in Ambon. This excludes the step with photo and fingerprint)

• Talk to Applicant
• Fill in form
• Verifying Documents by Officers
• Data Entry – Accepting Receipt Printed – Checking Alert List
• Sponsor Check
• Approval from Head of Immigration Office
• Returning of Immigration Document
• Insurance of Register Number – Stay Permit Data Reduction
• Immigration Officer’s Stamping – Approval and Signing
• Scan Final Document
• Finished Document
• Giving Document to Applicant and Filing

For Visa Extension Procedures at specific offices please refer to the Sailor’s Practical Guides below:

Clearing Into Indonesia

When Clearing into Indonesia, COVID or not, you must be cleared by all offices. Until you have been cleared by Quarantine you must fly the Yellow Quarantine Flag.

• Quarantine
• Custom
• Immigration
• Harbour Master (You will visit the Harbour Master’s Office before you leave the Port to get your sailing permit and a stamp in your green book)

Under normal circumstances these offices can be visited directly, though Quarantine and Custom needs to come onboard to check your vessel. But during COVID the procedure might be very different, and the Officials might instead come to you.
But no matter what the procedure is, it is important to have all your paperwork ready for them. Keep them in one folder and take it with you to all Offices. Better safe than sorry

Documents you will most likely need (make multiple copies of each)

• Copy of Passport
• Vaccine
• Statement Letter
• Port Clearance from last Port of Exit from last country
• Boat Registration
• Crew List
• Maritime Declaration of Health (To state that nobody onboard have died)
• Picture of Boat where name is visible
• Picture of Engine
• Visas
• Declaration Letter (that you will comply with Custom Regulations in relation to Temporary Import of Vessel and so forth)
• Vessel Declaration
• Photo of Captain

At the end of your Clearance you should have:

• Quarantine clearance document (2 piece paper)
• Immigration Clearance document (stamp in passport and crew list)
• Custom clearance document (vessel declaration stamp + signature from you and official)
• Sailing Permit from Harbour Master (2 piece paper)

A summery of our Covid Procedure from Kupang oct 2021

Since this PDF was written, we have changed Agent!

_{BEWARE: At our first visa extension we were held up at Immigration due to a problem with our initial Stamp in the Passport when clearing into Indonesia. The Stamp was the wrong type, we had not received the stamp intended for visa holders. This was what they called a “human error” from the office in Kupang. Make sure your Stamp is Square and Clearly imprinted in your Passport. After questioning from the Head of Office, during which I ran him through all our paperwork from our clearance, we were assured that we had done nothing wrong, and that they would rectify the problem.}

CORRECTION: The visa cost of 400USD quoted in the Summery of Cost in the PDF is for 1 person not 2.

CLEARANCE-AND-COVID-PROCEDURE-for-KUPANG-2021-SV-BLACK-DUCK-pdf