‘You're not going home mate': Aussie's Bali visa hell

News.com.au

2 days ago

There's nothing quite like the sinking feeling in your stomach when a customs official pulls you out of the regular airport queue.
I was at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, tired and ready to get home to Sydney after almost six weeks in Bali, but would shortly learn that I wasn't going anywhere.
Instead, it was the beginning of my most stressful travel experience ever, practically ruining my 'eat pray love' reset in Bali, costing thousands of dollars, and throwing my Euro summer plans into chaos.
The issue? A technicality.
Visa rules in Indonesia quietly changed on May 29th, and because I was already on the ground in Bali, I missed the memo.
If you're planning to stay longer than 30 days as a tourist, you must now have the extension processed in person at an immigration office.
Previously, you could just do it all online.
And so on June 2nd, four days after the new rules began, I paid the 519,500 IDR ($51) renewal fee via my laptop inside an Ubud cafe, smoothie bowl in one hand and a credit card in the other, but oblivious to these changes.
Because I hadn't followed up my extension application with the now-mandated, in-person visit to Denpasar's Immigration office, I was about to pay the price, quite literally.
A small mistake with huge consequences
When the customs officer was taking longer than usual checking over my passport, I knew something was up.
I was pulled out of the queue and taken over to speak to another officer, then another, and eventually led to a small, depressing counter in the corner of the international departures terminal marked 'Overstay Payment'.
I've been to Bali more times than I can count and never had an issue like this before — that's when the horror really began to unfold.
The official explained to me that my visa extension was sitting in limbo until someone at an immigration office could physically process it.
And until that happened, I wasn't going anywhere.
Making matters worse, it was late on a Saturday night and every immigration office in Bali was closed until Monday morning.
This set off a chain of unfortunate events where I missed both my flight home and my upcoming flight to London.
It felt like the ground beneath me had fallen away. I was positively reeling and I tried everything to get onto that plane.
'You're not going home mate'
Reasoning and pleading with them, I tried explaining I'd already paid the extension fee, showing them the receipt, and that I'd followed the process as I understood it. That I was already in Bali when the rules had changed.
But nothing worked, the customs officers weren't budging. Rules are rules.
A fellow traveller was next to me at the overstaying counter in a similar position.
He leaned over and said, 'You're not going home tonight, mate.' I just stared at him. He was right.
Then came the moment which made it all real.
Escorted back through immigration, then airport security and finally to the check-in counter, I watched as an airline staffer retrieved my suitcase, which by this time had been already loaded onto the plane.
As they took back my boarding pass out of my hands, it felt like it all happened in slow motion and I was gutted.
And here's the part that makes no sense. You'd think if you'd overstayed, regardless of the visa extension, you'd simply just pay the fine and be allowed to leave. But no. I had to stay longer.
Indonesian customs wouldn't let me pay the fine for overstaying my visa, explaining that I actually hadn't technically overstayed, I'd just failed to have the extension processed.
Standing in that airport, watching a terminal full of other travellers all getting to head home, I felt completely helpless and hamstrung.
It was an impossible situation and there was literally nothing I could do, I was up the creek without a paddle (well, actually it was without an approved tourist visa extension).
Composing myself, I left the airport and checked into a Kuta hotel until I could visit the nearest immigration office in person days later.
The worst part? How easily it could have been avoided if I'd known about the rule change.
I never received any kind of automated email from the Indonesian government after paying for the extension fee online, or a reminder in the days leading up to the debacle that the application was incomplete.
And yes, there's no one to really blame but myself.
Two days later, it was Monday morning and I was at the Denpasar Immigration Office first thing.
After waiting about an hour, it took all of 30 seconds to approve the visa extension, setting me free to leave Bali on the next plane home - and without a fine.
It was a huge relief but the financial hit was still high.
'Ineligible for any compensation'
Rescheduling my flights home to Sydney, along with my upcoming flight to London, plus sorting out the extra accommodation ended up costing more than $2000, which really stung given I'm also in-between jobs right now.
Paying the overstay fine at the airport would've actually been cheaper. I'd stayed 11 extra days at the time all of this unfolded so I would have been fined around 11,000,000 IDR (or $1100, around $100 a day).
My travel insurer was sympathetic but later said I was ultimately ineligible for any compensation.
And I'm not the only one. I shared what had happened on social media and some friends reached out saying the same thing had happened to them.
Meantime, it took a pretty basic search online to find Facebook groups where other travellers have been left equally confused and surprised at the changes.
Ultimately, the silver lining was returning to the airport and finally clearing customs for real. The relief and gratitude I felt as I boarded my flight home was palpable.
So here's my advice. If you're going to Bali, don't assume the visa process is the same as last time.
Don't leave it to the last minute. Read every word and triple check the rules.
Because this is one great way to turn a dream trip into a holiday nightmare. Not quite White Lotus levels of death and disaster, but hey, it's right up there.
New Bali visa rules leave Aussie travellers stuck
Aussie tourists are being caught out by quiet changes to Indonesia's visa rules, with many now facing unexpected delays at the airport.
Since May 29, 2025, travellers wanting to stay in Indonesia for more than 30 days, including those on a Visa on Arrival, must now attend an in-person interview and photo session at an immigration office to finalise their visa extension.
While tourists can still start the application online, it won't be approved until you show up in person.
The change was introduced by the Directorate General of Immigration to crack down on visa misuse and tighten control over who stays in the country.
Authorities say hundreds of travellers and companies have already been flagged for breaking the rules this year.
Some vulnerable travellers, like the elderly or pregnant women, can still complete the whole process in person with help at the office.
Travellers who need to extend their stay are strongly advised to begin the process well in advance to avoid fines, delays or being denied departure.