Indonesia scraps on-arrival PCR tests for all, and visa requirement for ASEAN nationals

Travel to Bali and the rest of Indonesia is now a whole lot simpler, with the government scrapping the on-arrival PCR test for all arrivals, as well as the visa requirement for ASEAN nationals effective 6 April 2022. 

On-arrival testing will only be required for travellers who fail a temperature screening exercise, although pre-departure testing will be retained for now. 

As a reminder, the Day 3 PCR test and minimum 3-night CHSE hotel booking requirement were previously scrapped as well, which means that pre-departure test aside, travel to Bali looks more and more similar to pre-pandemic days. 

Indonesia scraps on-arrival PCR tests

International arrivals were previously required to take a PCR test on arrival in Indonesia, and isolate until a negative result was received.

In the grand scheme of things, the test wasn’t that expensive. The Indonesian government caps the price of a PCR test at IDR 275,000 (~S$26), which means it’s even cheaper than some antigen tests in Singapore!

The real issue was the isolation required after the test. To Indonesia’s credit, the wait times (at least in Bali) were very modest. I waited less than two hours for my on-arrival test result to come back, and from what I understand that’s the norm. 

In any case, the on-arrival PCR test has been scrapped from 6 April 2022 onwards. It means that visitors will have freedom of movement from the time they land, and can even catch immediate connections to elsewhere in Indonesia if they so wish. 

More importantly, it also helps deal with the niggling “what happens if I test positive on arrival?” question. Travellers whose on-arrival PCR test came back positive would be sent to designated isolation hotels, even if they could show proof of a past infection. This means that “shedders” were out of luck- a poorly-defined process that no doubt caused a lot of anxiety. 

Do note that travellers whose body temperature is detected as greater than 37.5°C on arrival will be required to take a PCR test, and isolate until a negative result is received. 

Pre-departure test still required

All travellers will still be required to take a pre-departure PCR test, which must be done within 48 hours prior to departure. For a list of the cheapest places in Singapore to do a pre-departure PCR test, refer to the article below. 

Cheapest pre-departure COVID-19 ART and PCR tests in Singapore

No more visa requirement for ASEAN nationals

From 6 April 2022, Indonesia has scrapped the visa-on-arrival requirement for ASEAN nationals, namely:

This will be valid for a 30 day stay in Indonesia, and cannot be extended. 

Nationals of the following countries will continue to require a visa-on-arrival, which will cost IDR 500,000. 

The visa-on-arrival is valid for 30 days, and can be extended for a further 30 days upon application. 

All other travellers must obtain a B211A visa in advance of arrival in Indonesia. Any traveller carrying an APEC Business Travel Card with “IDN” on the back will be exempt from all visa requirements. 

Travel process to Bali

When the latest requirements come into effect, here’s what travellers to Bali will need to do.

As mentioned, the cost savings won’t be significant, thanks to Indonesia’s regulated PCR test prices. However, the time savings could be substantial, with less time spent completing on-arrival formalities at the airport and waiting for on-arrival test results to come back. 

Conclusion

Indonesia has scrapped its on-arrival PCR test requirement, as well as the visa-on-arrival requirement for ASEAN travellers. Pre-departure test requirements remain for now, but it’s still a significant improvement from the status quo.

This saves Singaporean travellers S$76 per person (S$50 for the visa-on-arrival, S$26 for the PCR test), and with a simplified VTF process on return to Singapore, there’s never been a better time to consider returning to Bali.