Tourists are reminded to check their passports before booking a Bali trip

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Tourists planning their trips to Bali and Indonesia have received new advice from the British Foreign Office.

Ahead of the high season during the European summer period, the UK Foreign Office always reviews travel advice so tourists can make their plans accordingly.

Tourists are advised to check the validity of their passports before traveling to Indonesia. The UK Foreign Office advises: “To enter Indonesia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least six months after the date of arrival and have at least two blank pages.”

The UK Foreign Office has also issued guidance on visa scams in Indonesia. They say: “Beware of visa scams by fake visa agents who, after taking your money, may fail to issue a visa or issue the wrong visa.”

“This may result in overstay and a fine of 1 million Indonesian rupiah per day, detention, deportation and a possible entry ban. Please use the Indonesian Immigration self-service portal.”

“Visa fraud is increasing in Indonesia. Some travelers have lost significant amounts of money. Others have been deported despite paying high fees to an agent to obtain the correct visa or extension.”

This is good advice. For the visa on arrival and e-visa on arrival, tourists do not necessarily need the assistance of a visa agent.

The Indonesian official immigration website is a one-stop shop for all socio-cultural visas, tourist visas and short stay visas. It is also possible to apply for a second residence visa, pre-investment visa and Golden Visa through this portal.

There is only one official site and there are no hidden or extra fees. The website is easy to use, available in English and works on desktop and mobile.

However, the site sometimes becomes unresponsive when a VPN is used on the device trying to access the site. So if the site won’t load, check if the VPN is disabled.

As always, tourists are advised to check the condition of their passports in great detail before planning a trip to Bali. Indonesian immigration authorities are particularly enthusiastic about damage to passports, often damage that is considered admissible to immigration agents in other countries.

Tourists about to board their flights to Bali were turned away at airline counters at their departure airport, as airlines and immigration officials are all too aware of the strict protocols in place in Indonesia .

Tourists are advised to double check the spine of their passport and each individual page, especially the identity page, for any small tears or tears along the spine.

Tourists should also check for any creases, water damage, or ink stains that could be considered damage to an Indonesian immigration officer.

Over the past year, dozens of tourists have been denied boarding on their flights to Bali, or even sent home shortly after landing at I Gusti Ngruah Rai International, after immigration officials found their passports damaged.

British tourists to Indonesia, and other long-haul travelers to Bali, may be asked to show proof of onward travel.

Although this is a requirement, immigration officials in Bali do not often ask for it. If you are traveling to less visited regions of Indonesia such as Aceh or Papua, it is essential to show proof of onward travel.

Tourists should always have proof of onward travel or proof of a visa for more than six months of disability on hand, as some airlines deny passengers the opportunity to board until they can prove onward travel plans.

Currently, the British Foreign Office only has specific security warnings for Bali province, and that is a long-standing warning about the active valence of Mount Agung.

Tourists are advised to limit the time they spend in the crater and keep an eye on local alert levels when planning a trek.

In light of recent volcanic and seismic activity, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi, Mount Mara in West Sumatra and Mount Semeru in East Java have all been issued local safety warnings by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.