Silly mistake that cost me $500 in Bali

This Aussie traveller made a mistake in Bali that saw her fined $500 – but it could have been a lot worse.

“We had a problem with your visa,” the purses said to me as I stepped aboard cruise ship Heritage Adventurer, which was anchored in the harbour at Jayapura.

I’d just returned from an all-day shore excursion on the north coast of Indonesian West Papua. Jayapura was our last Indonesian port before we crossed the maritime border into Papua New Guinea later that night.

The purser’s team had spent all day with Indonesian Customs officials processing exit paperwork for passengers and crew, Fiona Harper writes for Escape.

“You’ve overstayed your visa,” the purser goes on to explain, with an admonishing look that underpinned the brevity of his message.

“That can’t be right,” I responded automatically as my imagination flipped into overdrive, trying to quickly process the implications of a visa problem in Indonesia.

I thought I’d hacked the system by doing a ‘visa run.’ I was wrong. Picture: iStock

Mentally I started doing the maths (admittedly not my strong suit) wondering how on earth this could be possible.

I’d arrived in Indonesia back in August, paying for a 30 day Visa on arrival. Then, in September, I’d flown to Langkawi for the weekend, essentially on a ‘visa run’, receiving another 30 days when I returned to Bali.

I thought I had my visa obligations sorted. But I’d miscalculated. Instead of counting the number of days between arriving from Malaysia and cruising out of the country to PNG on an 18 day voyage, I’d only counted the days until I boarded the ship and was to depart from Bali, not Indonesia.

When I looked closer at the visa in my passport which the purser was waving in front of me, it quite clearly stated ‘Valid until October 17. Today was October 22. Gulp.

“You won’t be deported,” he reassures me. “We’ve managed to sort it out for you.”

I sink back with relief.

“But there is a fine payable,” he says, handing me an invoice of nearly $500.

The minimum penalty for visa violation in Indonesia is IDR one million per day (about $100). The maximum is up to five years imprisonment plus the equivalent fine of $50,000. The longer you overstay your visa, the more severe the consequences.

According to news.com.au, almost 200 foreign nationals were deported from Bali in the first half of 2023, a number expected to rise as visitor numbers increase post-pandemic. The most common violations were overstaying a visa or using a visa in conflict of its intended purpose, i.e. working illegally.

Fortunately, Heritage Expeditions’ Pursers’ office is accustomed to liaising with Immigration and Border Control officials. Picture: Heritage Expeditions Ltd

What are the visa options for Australians visiting Indonesia?

The most common visa for Australian holiday-makers travelling to Indonesia is a 30 day Visa on Arrival (about $50), which can be extended another 30 days, upon application once you’re in Indonesia.

There’s also an option to apply for a visa before arrival, known as an e-VOA, with the main benefit being avoiding airport queues.

Cruise passengers are not exempt from Border Control obligations

Heritage Expeditions’ Pursers’ office is accustomed to liaising with Immigration and Border Control officials. Preparations begin long before international border crossings, which are generally pretty straightforward and without incident.

“Heritage Adventurer sails through a number of countries and remote islands every year, each with its own unique rules and regulations,” says Aaron Russ, Commercial Director and Expedition Leader. “Immigration issues are uncommon. But those issues which have arisen in the last year related to visas.”

Credit card in hard, I sheepishly return to the Pursers desk to pay my fine. It’s an expensive mistake and I feel like a fool. Though, when I consider the potential consequences for visa violation, I’m relieved to have avoided no more than a fine.

Note: Australian travellers should check Smartraveller for up to date visa advice.

This article originally appeared on Escape and was reproduced with permission