Bali Airport is one of the busiest airports in Southeast Asia. I Gusti Ngurah Rai International welcomes on average 18,000 tourists a day, and with an ever-increasing volume of tourists to process, the authorities are investing in new technology to help combat any potential queuing.
Bali Airport is in the process of installing 90 auto-gates at the terminals. At the international arrivals hall, 60 autos-gates will be put in place, with the other 30 to be installed at the international departures terminal.
Speaking to reporters on Monday 30th October the Head of Immigration Ngurah Rai Suhendra, explained “The work process will take approximately two months for the first stage in 2023.”
He added, “We apologize to passengers for any inconvenience that may arise in the immigration area during the process of installing the auto gates.”
The first thirty gates are being installed as of this week and work will be completed before Christmas, with the remaining due to be in place in early 2024.
The automated technology has also recently been introduced in Jakarta Airport and is part of a nationwide mission by the Directorate General of Immigration to level up services across the board. Auto-gates scan passengers’ passports and use facial recognition software to confirm identities.
Suhendra has guaranteed that immigration checks will not be disrupted and will continue to run smoothly during the installation process and once the gates are up and running.
This is because all regular inspection counters will remain open to ensure that the whole arrivals and departure process remains efficient for all travelers.
Once up and running, the automated can be used by Indonesian citizens and foreigners who use e-VoA. It is hoped that immigration inspection traffic will be more effective. While huge efforts have been in place to ensure that queuing is kept to a minimum at Bali Airport, the immigration hall famously experiences queues during the high season.
The General Manager of Angkasa Pura at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Handy Heryudhitiawan, has told reporters that he appreciates the installation of the auto gates because it will have a hugely positive impact on services at the airport.
Heryudhitiawa said, “As a mitigation measure, we have coordinated with Ngurah Rai Immigration to regulate the flow of passenger arrivals and ensure immigration services in the arrival area can be served at regular counters so that airport operations continue to run smoothly.”
For the moment, those who pay for their visa on arrival will be required to stand in line for the in-person immigration checks.
Those who have applied for their e-VOA before arriving in Bali will be able to scan their passport at the auto gates and proceed through.
The e-VOA service by Indonesia’s Immigration has proven to be a time-saving measure for thousands of tourists on their vacation in Bali.
However, travelers are consistently reminded that there is only one official website for the e-VOA service.
There have been dozens of reports about tourists who have lost money or been given fake visas by scam sites that have been designed to look every smilier to the official government portal.
The official e-VOA website for Indonesia is – www.molina.imigrasi.go.id/ – this is the same website where tourists can extend their visa on arrival and apply for many other visa categories, including the re-investment visa and the new golden visa.
It is now the case that up to five travelers can apply for their e-VOA in one application.
The e-VOA and VOA are available for citizens from 98 countries and cost IDR 500,000.
This is in addition to the tourism tax that will be introduced on the 14th of February 2024, which will also be available to pay for on or before arrival.
