The Complete Checklist for Your Indonesia Digital Arrival Card

You land after a long flight, your phone is at 12%, the immigration hall is full, and an officer asks for a QR code you never made. This is how many first-time visitors start their Indonesia trip. The Digital Arrival Card, officially the Electronic Customs Declaration (e-CD), is mandatory for every international traveller. It takes about ten minutes to complete online, but it only helps if you do it before you land. This checklist covers the card, the visa that goes with it, and what happens at the airport in 2026.

What the e-CD Is (and What It Isn’t)

The e-CD is a customs form, not a visa. It replaced the old paper declaration, became mandatory by early 2023, and has been fully enforced since 2024. Every passenger entering Indonesia must have one, whatever their visa status. That includes visa-free visitors, Visa on Arrival holders and e-Visa holders.

Many travellers mix up two separate systems. Immigration, run by the Directorate General of Immigration, decides whether you may enter and for how long. Customs decides what you may bring with you. The e-CD belongs to customs. Your visa belongs to immigration. You need both sorted before you reach the counters.

The Document Checklist Before You Fly

Get these ready before you open any website. Most delays at the border come from one missing item.

• Passport: valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date, with at least two blank pages.
• Onward or return ticket: you need proof of it.
• Accommodation proof: a hotel booking or host details. Officers may ask for it, and you also need an address for the e-CD.
• Sufficient funds: rarely checked, but be prepared.
• Travel insurance: highly recommended.
• Some IDR cash: for small purchases on arrival. ATMs are widely available.
• Local connectivity: buy a SIM on arrival (Telkomsel, Indosat or XL Axiata) or set up an eSIM before you fly.

Download or screenshot everything. Airport WiFi can be slow when a few flights land together.

Which Visa Do You Need?

Sort out your visa first, because the immigration lane you join depends on it. The details below come from 2024 data, and some fees and country lists may have changed. Confirm them on the official sites before you travel.

Visa-Free Entry (Bebas Visa Kunjungan)

Citizens of ASEAN countries can enter without a visa: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. A few other select nations may also qualify, so check the current list for your passport. The stay is up to 30 days for tourism or social visits, and it cannot be extended.

Visa on Arrival (VoA) and e-VoA

Citizens of over 90 countries can get a VoA. It allows 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days, for a total of 60. The fee is IDR 500,000.

• At the airport or seaport: pay at the VoA counters at major entry points such as Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) and Ngurah Rai (DPS). They accept IDR cash or Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards.
• Online (e-VoA): apply and pay at https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/ up to 90 days before arrival. You receive the e-VoA by email. Print it or save it on your phone. The fee is IDR 500,000 plus a small processing fee, for example IDR 19,500 for card payment as of 2024.

The e-VoA is the better choice. You skip the payment counter and join a shorter lane.

B211A Social, Cultural and Tourism Visa

Choose this visa if you want to stay longer or you do not qualify for VoA. It gives 60 days and can be extended up to 4 times for 30 days each, for a maximum of 180 days. The fee is roughly IDR 1,500,000 to IDR 2,000,000 for a single-entry 60-day visa. Apply through https://visa.imigrasi.go.id/. You need a sponsor, and visa agents often provide this for tourism purposes.

The B211A is for tourism, social visits and non-employment business meetings. Working in Indonesia requires a different permit, the KITAS work permit, which is a separate process.

Step-by-Step: Filling In the e-CD

You can complete the e-CD up to 3 days before arrival. Doing it on the plane or in the queue is the mistake most people make, so do it at your hotel or at home the day before.

1. Open the official portal. The address at the last check was https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/. Confirm it is still current for 2026 before entering any personal data.
2. Enter your personal and flight details. You need your full name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, flight number, arrival date and port of entry (such as CGK or DPS).
3. Add your accommodation address in Indonesia.
4. Declare your goods. Answer each question honestly. Limits are in the next section.
5. Review everything. A typo in a passport number can cause problems at the scanner.
6. Submit and generate your QR code. It appears after a successful submission.
7. Save the QR code. Take a screenshot and, ideally, print a copy.

Declaration Limits at a Glance

The e-CD asks what you carry. These are the limits from the latest data. Some are marked for re-checking in 2026, so verify them on the customs site if you are near any limit.

• Cash: declare amounts above IDR 100,000,000, or the equivalent in other currencies.
• Alcohol: maximum 1 litre per adult passenger.
• Tobacco: maximum 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars, or 100 grams of sliced tobacco per adult.
• New goods: declare items worth more than USD 500 per passenger, or USD 1,000 per family.
• Prohibited items: narcotics, firearms, pornography and certain plant and animal products. Declare any restricted goods, and never carry anything for a stranger.

If you declare items, you may be sent for inspection. That is normal. Being honest and organised makes it quicker.

Walking Through CGK and DPS

The flow is the same at every major airport. You follow the “Arrivals” or “Immigration” signs and join the right lane: Visa-Free, Visa on Arrival or e-Visa. At the desk you present your passport, your onward ticket and possibly proof of accommodation. Officers take your fingerprints and a photo. If you did not get an e-VoA, you buy your VoA here for IDR 500,000. After that you collect your bags, scan your e-CD QR code at customs, and walk out. Expect bag checks.

Plan for 30 minutes to 2 hours at peak times. An e-VoA and an e-CD completed in advance cut that significantly.

Soekarno-Hatta (CGK), Jakarta

International flights mostly use Terminal 3, including Garuda Indonesia and most major international carriers. Some use Terminal 2. The arrival hall hums with drivers holding name boards and the smell of fried snacks from the airport cafés. Your onward options:

• Airport train (KAI Bandara): connects CGK to BNI City Station and Manggarai Station in Central Jakarta in about 45 to 55 minutes, for IDR 70,000 to IDR 100,000.
• DAMRI airport bus: routes to points like Gambir and Blok M. It takes 1 to 3 hours depending on traffic and costs IDR 50,000 to IDR 80,000.



• Taxi or ride-hailing: Blue Bird taxis are reliable. Gojek and Grab pick up from designated zones. A trip to Central Jakarta costs IDR 150,000 to IDR 250,000.

Ngurah Rai (DPS), Bali

All international arrivals use the International Terminal. Step outside and the warm, humid air hits you, often with a trace of incense from small offerings at the entrance. Options from DPS:

• Official airport taxis: fixed prices to destinations across Bali.
• Gojek or Grab: from designated pick-up points, often slightly away from the main terminal. A ride to Kuta or Seminyak costs IDR 100,000 to IDR 200,000.
• Hotel shuttles and private transfers: pre-booked options are common.

Arriving by Sea

Most sea arrivals come through the Riau Islands. The major international seaports are in Batam (Sekupang, HarbourBay and Batam Centre) and Bintan (Bandar Bentan Telani and Sri Bintan Pura). The process mirrors the airport: you pass immigration, where VoA is available, and then customs with your e-CD QR code. Complete the e-CD before you board the ferry. Mobile signal can be patchy on the water, and port terminals are not the place to be typing passport numbers.

2026 Budget Reality

Arrival costs are small compared with the rest of your trip, but they add up. The figures below come from 2024 data and are assumed to hold for 2026, so check current fees on the official sites.

Budget

• Visa-free entry (eligible nationalities): IDR 0.
• DAMRI bus from CGK: IDR 50,000 to IDR 80,000.
• e-CD: no fee mentioned in the official process.

Mid-Range

• e-VoA: IDR 500,000 plus a small processing fee (about IDR 19,500 for card payment as of 2024).
• KAI Bandara train from CGK: IDR 70,000 to IDR 100,000.
• Gojek or Grab from DPS to Kuta or Seminyak: IDR 100,000 to IDR 200,000.

Comfortable

• B211A e-Visa: roughly IDR 1,500,000 to IDR 2,000,000 for 60 days, with agent fees on top.
• Blue Bird or ride-hailing from CGK to Central Jakarta: IDR 150,000 to IDR 250,000.
• Pre-booked hotel shuttle or private transfer in Bali: price varies by provider.

What Has Changed Since 2024

• The e-VoA system is stable: molina.imigrasi.go.id is now the recommended route for pre-arrival visa processing, and it shortens queues noticeably compared with the late 2022 and early 2023 rollout.
• COVID forms are discontinued: the PeduliLindungi app and mandatory pre-arrival health declarations have ended for most international travellers. Proof of vaccination or testing is generally no longer required, unless the global health situation changes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Filling in the e-CD too early. The window opens only 3 days before arrival.



• Assuming visa-free means no ticket check. You still need an onward or return ticket.
• Short passport validity. Less than 6 months, or fewer than two blank pages, can stop you at the airline check-in desk.
• Assuming visa-free stays can be extended. They cannot. VoA can be extended once, and the B211A up to 4 times. Overstays carry penalties, so ask the Directorate General of Immigration about extensions well before your last day.
• Using unofficial websites. Only apply through the government domains listed above, and double-check the addresses.
• Under-declaring goods. If you are over a limit, declare it. Hiding items causes far bigger problems than paying duty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Indonesia Digital Arrival Card the same as a visa?

No. The Digital Arrival Card is the Electronic Customs Declaration (e-CD), which covers what you carry into the country. A visa covers your permission to enter and stay. You need an e-CD even if you are visa-free, and a visa does not replace it.

How early can I complete the e-CD?

You can complete the e-CD up to 3 days before arrival. Filling it in the day before is a good habit. You get a QR code immediately, which you should screenshot and print. Present it at the customs checkpoint after baggage claim.

Is the e-VoA better than buying a VoA at the airport?

Yes, for most travellers. You apply at molina.imigrasi.go.id up to 90 days before arrival and receive it by email. The fee is IDR 500,000 plus a small processing fee. You avoid the payment counter and spend less time in the queue.

How long can I stay in Indonesia on each entry type?

Visa-free entry allows up to 30 days and cannot be extended. A VoA allows 30 days and can be extended once for another 30, giving 60 days in total. The B211A gives 60 days, extendable up to 4 times for 30 days each, for a maximum of 180 days.

What should I do if I forget to complete the e-CD before landing?

Complete it as soon as you can, ideally before reaching the customs checkpoint, using airport WiFi or mobile data. Having the QR code ready is expected for all arrivals. If you have trouble, ask a customs officer for help, and do not hide anything you need to declare.

📷 Featured image by Afif Ramdhasuma on Unsplash.