Yes, carry one. Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration lists a "return ticket or onward ticket to continue traveling to another country" for Indian visitors on the e-VOA or Visa on Arrival, which give a single 30-day stay for IDR 500,000 (September 2026). The flight must leave Indonesia. A dummy ticket for Bali is a held reservation, not a ticket, so an airline or officer may refuse it.
- Indian passport holders can use Indonesia's e-VOA or Visa on Arrival: IDR 500,000, single entry, 30 days from arrival, as of September 2026.
- Indonesian immigration lists a "return ticket or onward ticket to continue traveling to another country" and says an officer can ask for it at entry.
- The onward flight must leave Indonesia. Bali to Jakarta does not count; Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur or Bali to Singapore does.
- The rule says "ticket". A held reservation has no e-ticket number, so an airline or officer may refuse it; a paid refundable fare removes that risk.
- Bali's IDR 150,000 tourist levy and the free All Indonesia arrival card, filed within 3 days before arrival, are separate from the visa.
On this page
- Visa on arrival and e-VOA for Indian passport holders
- What Indonesia's return ticket rule says
- Why a flight from Bali to Jakarta does not count
- The Bali tourist levy and the All Indonesia arrival card
- Dummy ticket for Bali or a paid ticket: which to carry
- Staying longer than 30 days
- If you order a reservation for a flight out of Indonesia
Yes. Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration lists a "return ticket or onward ticket to continue traveling to another country" for e-VOA and Visa on Arrival holders, and its e-VOA page adds: "Immigration Officer reserves the right to ask for your return ticket at entry" (both checked 27 September 2026). The flight has to leave Indonesia, and because the rule says "ticket", a dummy ticket for Bali, which is a reservation held without payment, may be refused by an airline or an officer.
| Stage | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| Applying for the e-VOA | The immigration FAQ lists a return or onward ticket among e-VOA requirements, and Canada's travel advice says an onward or round-trip ticket "is required to obtain all types of visas". Whether the online form has an upload field for it was not confirmed on the official pages we read, so check the application steps yourself. |
| Check-in in India | No Indonesian government or airline page we read sets out a check-in rule for Indonesia. Airlines check entry requirements before they board you, so an agent can still ask; see which airlines check onward tickets. |
| Immigration on arrival | The e-VOA page: "You are advised to have the return ticket printed. Immigration Officer reserves the right to ask for your return ticket at entry." |
Visa on arrival and e-VOA for Indian passport holders
Indian passport holders need a visa for Indonesia, but they can get it online as an e-VOA before flying or as a Visa on Arrival at the airport. India is on the eligible list for both. The e-VOA page gives the fee as IDR 500,000 and the stay as 30 days from the arrival date, single entry. GOV.UK gives the same IDR 500,000 for the Visa on Arrival, payable by cash or card (both as of September 2026).
The e-VOA also has a validity period of 90 days, "as stated on Visitor Visa", and the page says you can enter on any date within it. That is your window for arriving, not the length of your stay: the 30 days start when you land. Card payments for the e-VOA carry extra bank charges. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you arrive.
| Detail | e-VOA | Visa on Arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Online before you fly, at evisa.imigrasi.go.id | At the airport counter on arrival |
| Fee | IDR 500,000, plus bank charges on card payments | IDR 500,000, cash or card (GOV.UK) |
| Stay | 30 days from arrival, single entry | 30 days, single entry |
| Window to enter | 90 days, as stated on the visa | Issued when you arrive |
| Onward ticket on the official list | Yes | Yes |
What Indonesia's return ticket rule says
Indonesia asks for a ticket that takes you out of the country, and an immigration officer can ask to see it when you land. The e-VOA wording in the immigration FAQ is "Return ticket or onward ticket to continue traveling to another country", and the Visa on Arrival list uses almost the same words. The e-VOA page advises you to carry that ticket printed.
The wording does not say paid or confirmed, and it does not define "ticket" either. Malaysia is stricter on paper: its High Commission asks Indian visitors for "Confirmed Return Flight Tickets" (see our Malaysia page). New Zealand is stricter still and says the ticket must be paid for, as our New Zealand onward ticket guide explains. Indonesia's looser wording does not make a reservation safe. It leaves the call to the airline agent and the officer in front of you.
Other governments read the rule the same way. GOV.UK tells British travellers "you must have proof of your onward or return journey", and the Government of Canada says "a round-trip or onward airline ticket is required to obtain all types of visas". A held reservation has a PNR but no e-ticket number. If an agent or officer wants to see an issued ticket, a reservation will not satisfy them.
Why a flight from Bali to Jakarta does not count
A Bali to Jakarta flight does not count because it never leaves Indonesia, and the rule asks for a ticket "to continue traveling to another country". Denpasar to Jakarta, Yogyakarta or Lombok is a domestic flight, however it looks on your itinerary. Denpasar to Singapore or back to Delhi crosses the border and fits the wording.
A worked example. Say you land at Denpasar on 3 November 2026. Counting the arrival day as day one, which is the safe reading, day 30 is 2 December. You plan a week in Bali, then Lombok, then Jakarta:
- Denpasar to Lombok on 10 November: domestic, does not count.
- Lombok to Jakarta on 20 November: domestic, does not count.
- Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur on 28 November: leaves Indonesia inside your 30 days. This is the ticket to carry.
The rule says nothing about domestic flights, so you do not need to show them. You do need proof of that last international leg, even if it departs from a different Indonesian airport than the one you land at. Our proof of onward travel guide sets out how the same test works in other countries.
The Bali tourist levy and the All Indonesia arrival card
Both are separate from the visa, and neither replaces the onward ticket. Bali charges foreign tourists a levy of IDR 150,000, paid through the official Love Bali site under Bali Provincial Regulation No. 2 of 2025. It applies to Bali only. GOV.UK says you can pay it online or on arrival.
The All Indonesia arrival card applies to every traveller entering Indonesia, wherever you land. Indonesia's e-visa site says all travellers must submit it "within 3 (three) days prior arrival", and GOV.UK describes it as an online customs and health declaration, free of charge. Filing it a week ahead is too early.
| Item | Amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| e-VOA or Visa on Arrival | IDR 500,000 | All of Indonesia |
| Bali tourist levy | IDR 150,000 | Bali only |
| All Indonesia arrival card | Free | All of Indonesia |
| Total for a Bali trip | IDR 650,000, plus any card charges |
Dummy ticket for Bali or a paid ticket: which to carry
A paid ticket out of Indonesia meets the wording as written; a dummy ticket for Bali costs less but may be refused. The reservation that Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV) supplies is a real booking in the airline's system with a PNR you can look up on the airline's Manage booking page while the hold is live. It is not a paid ticket, has no e-ticket number and cannot be used to board.
| Option | What it is | Risk at check-in or immigration | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return flight to India bought with your trip | An issued ticket you will fly | Lowest; it is a ticket | The fare |
| Cheap one-way out, for example Bali to Singapore | An issued ticket you will fly | Lowest; it is a ticket | The fare |
| Refundable fare, cancelled later | An issued ticket you may not fly | Lowest; it is a ticket | Fare paid up front; the refund depends on the fare rules |
| Held reservation (DTV) | A booking with a PNR, no ticket number | May be refused if an agent or officer wants an issued ticket | ₹699 per passenger, non-refundable |
If you carry a reservation, keep a way to pay for a ticket at the airport. Travellers commonly report being asked to buy an onward ticket at the check-in desk, often at a high walk-up fare. Our reservation and refundable fare comparison sets out the cost and refund risk, and our guide to what happens after denied boarding covers the options if you are stopped.
If you are asked, say it is a flight reservation, never a paid ticket. DTV is not affiliated with Indonesian immigration, any embassy or any airline, and we cannot tell you how a particular agent or officer will treat a reservation.
Staying longer than 30 days
You can apply to extend at an Immigration Office inside Indonesia before your 30 days run out, but sources differ on how long the extension is. The Directorate General's e-VOA page only says to apply for a residence permit extension at the Immigration Office and gives no number. GOV.UK and the Indonesian embassy's Visa on Arrival page (dated January 2023) say it can be extended once, for another 30 days. Ask the Immigration Office before you plan a trip around a second 30 days.
Book the onward date inside the 30 days you hold when you land. A later date depends on an extension that has not yet been granted. Whether an extension application itself asks for an exit ticket is covered in our guide to exit tickets for visa extensions.
If you order a reservation for a flight out of Indonesia
Choose a route that leaves Indonesia and a date inside your 30 days. We make the booking in the airline's reservation system for the names, route and dates you enter; the booking desk chooses the airline and flight, and you can name a preferred airline in the notes box as a request. It costs ₹699 per passenger, and a one-way reservation costs the same as a return. Pay by UPI in India, or about US$8.50 by PayPal or card from outside India.
Pick the day before your flight in the "When do you want to receive it?" field. The PDF comes by email or WhatsApp, typically 10 to 20 minutes after payment is confirmed, with delays possible at weekends and on holidays. How long the hold stays live depends on the airline, so check the PNR on the airline's website before you leave for the airport. Orders are final once issued. Each step is set out on our how it works page.
- A return or onward flight that leaves Indonesia, dated inside your 30 days
- e-VOA approved before you fly, or IDR 500,000 ready for the Visa on Arrival
- Passport valid at least 6 months from your arrival date
- All Indonesia arrival card filed within 3 days before you land
- Bali levy of IDR 150,000 paid through Love Bali, online or on arrival
- Onward proof printed, as the e-VOA page advises
- With a reservation: PNR checked on the day, and a card that can buy a ticket if asked
Reservation for a flight out of Indonesia
₹699 per passenger, one-way or return. It is a held reservation with a PNR, not a paid ticket, so an airline or officer may still ask for a ticket.
Frequently asked questions
Does a return flight to India count as the onward ticket for Bali?
Yes. Indonesia's wording is "return ticket or onward ticket", so a flight from Denpasar back to Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru meets it as long as it is dated inside your 30-day stay. It does not have to go to a third country. What does not count is a flight that lands somewhere else in Indonesia.
Does the e-VOA application ask me to upload my onward ticket?
We could not confirm it. The immigration FAQ lists a return or onward ticket among e-VOA requirements, but the official pages we read on 27 September 2026 do not show whether the online form has an upload field for it. Look at the application steps on evisa.imigrasi.go.id before you start, and have the flight details ready either way.
Can I show a ferry or bus ticket out of Indonesia instead of a flight?
The official wording says "return ticket or onward ticket" and does not say it must be a flight, but no Indonesian source we read confirms that a ferry ticket is accepted. The airline flying you in will usually look for a flight. If you plan to leave by sea, ask your airline before you travel.
Do I need to pay the Bali tourist levy before I arrive?
No, it can wait. GOV.UK says the IDR 150,000 levy can be paid online or on arrival, and the official place to pay is the Love Bali site. It applies to foreign tourists arriving in Bali only, and it is charged on top of the IDR 500,000 visa fee (as of September 2026).
What should I say if an officer asks about my onward flight?
Show it and describe it accurately. If it is a paid ticket, say so. If it is a reservation on hold, say it is a flight reservation. Do not call a reservation a paid ticket. The officer decides whether it is enough, and a truthful answer about a real, checkable booking is the only safe one.
When should I get the reservation if I use one?
Receive it the day before you fly and check the PNR on the airline's website before you leave for the airport. A reservation is a temporary hold and how long it stays live depends on the airline, so a booking made weeks earlier may have lapsed by the time you reach the check-in desk.
- Directorate General of Immigration, Indonesia: e-VOA (Visitor Visa) information
- Directorate General of Immigration, Indonesia: visa FAQ
- Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia: Visa on Arrival
- Bali Provincial Government: Love Bali tourist levy
- GOV.UK: Indonesia travel advice, entry requirements
- Government of Canada: travel advice, Indonesia
Last reviewed by the DTV Editorial Team. Visa requirements change, so confirm the current checklist with the embassy, consulate or official application centre before you apply. A reservation supports a visa file and cannot guarantee a visa decision.