Indonesia entry

[Dartmouth]

Anyone know whether you need to get a visa in advance for entry to Indonesia.
Thanks

[Cwens]

Don't trust anything anyone tells you unless they are officially representing the government of Indonesia.

[HeywoodJ]

https://kemlu.go.id/bern/en/pages/vi.../5210/etc-menu

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by HeywoodJ

https://kemlu.go.id/bern/en/pages/vi.../5210/etc-menu

doesn't seem to quite cover arriving/departing on your own boat, as visa on arrival requires "Return or onward ticket (which indicates the date of departure from Indonesia)"

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by ChrisOwens

Don't trust anything anyone tells you unless they are officially representing the government of Indonesia.

Chris gives the best advice here. Rules in Indonesia change, and not all ports or embassies seem to follow the same rules.

Edit: There are agents in Indonesia, as well as Rallies that work with those agents, that give advice that contradicts what officials will tell you.

I can relate my experience, which is quite different from what others have related. Absolutely, you need a visa. I went to the Indonesian embassy in Port Moresby, PNG. I had no "sponsor." I was directed to a website to fill out some forms, sent to the shopping mall to get a photo at the passport photo place, and returned the same day. I gave them my passport. I returned the next day and was given the Visa.

I forget what it was called, but I got the "better" visa that was good for 60 days and was renewable, not the "lessor" visa that is not renewable.

Dress nice with long pants at the Embassy. I was told this in advance and did that. Another boat that wore shorts and went to the Embassy the same day as us were hassled, and it took them a week to get the passport back.

The forms I filled out online included the Indonesian equivalent of a temporary import form for my boat. The official explained to me that by filling out that form it was understood that I would both be living on my boat, and leaving on my boat. That relieved me of the need to have a sponsor, and of filling out the forms that included an itinerary, hotels I was staying at, etc.

I checked in at Saumlaki. Not a common port to check in, but the closest to Port Moresby. Other than the fact that no official spoke a bit of English(which to start made it difficult to find the customs/immigration offfice), check-in was painless. I knew already that I needed a stamp, and knew what forms they would likely ask for from checking into other countries. So I just gave them that stack, they did the paperwork, and we stamped everything. No verbal communication was needed.

I did not check into/out of any other port through my travels. My crew left the boat without any paperwork. (I did check with immigration in Bali and was told no paperwork was needed for that), and I cleared out from Lombok. Lombok was easy because everyone spoke English, and the marina assisted. However, it was expensive (I don't recall how much, just that I was dissapointed) because the marina takes a cut, and the officials drive/boat in from somewhere else. Lombok is not an official port of entry.

[Linzzz]

That was a great reply Warren. I visited Indo about 25 years ago sailing in my own yacht. But now I need more current information and wondered if you have a resource for things like provisioning, Ship repairs, crew changes etc etc. ( Im talking about much larger yachts 100ft etc) Any help much appreciated. From New Zealand
Lin Ronald
+640275004120