Guide · updated July 2026
The 7 Bali visa mistakes we fix every week.
Most Bali visa problems are not refusals — they are avoidable errors: a blurry passport scan, a passport two weeks short of the 6-month rule, or the wrong visa for the length of stay. Here are the seven mistakes we see most as a Bali-based visa agency, what each one costs you, and the fix.
- 1
Uploading a blurry or cropped passport scan
The single most common reason eVOA applications bounce back. Immigration's system rejects photo pages that are blurry, ghosted, partially covered by fingers, folded, or scanned in portrait orientation.
The fix: Lay the passport flat under good light, shoot in landscape, check every letter of the machine-readable zone is sharp. We review every scan against Immigration's reference examples before lodging.
- 2
Travelling on a passport with less than 6 months' validity
Indonesia requires 6 months' validity from your arrival date. Airlines enforce it at check-in — a 5-month passport means denied boarding, not a warning.
The fix: Check the expiry date before booking flights. If renewal is needed, do it first: a visa is linked to the passport number and doesn't transfer to a new document.
- 3
Choosing the eVOA when you might stay longer than 60 days
The eVOA maxes out at 60 days (30 + one extension) and cannot convert to a C1 in-country. Travellers who fall for Bali then face a visa run — flying out and back just to re-enter on the right visa.
The fix: If there's any chance you'll stay past two months, start with the C1 Tourist Visa (B211A): 60 days on entry, extendable twice to 180. Our visa finder gives you the answer in twenty seconds.
- 4
Overstaying — even by one day
Indonesian immigration charges IDR 1,000,000 (~USD 65) per day of overstay, payable at the airport on departure. Long overstays can mean deportation and re-entry bans.
The fix: Count your days from the entry stamp, not the flight booking. Start extensions at least 14 days before expiry — we send WhatsApp reminders to every client before their deadline.
- 5
Skipping the Bali Tourist Levy
The IDR 150,000 levy is separate from your visa and checked via QR code at customs. Arrivals without it queue at the airport payment desk — exactly what the eVOA was supposed to avoid.
The fix: Pay through the official Love Bali portal before flying and keep the QR receipt on your phone. We bundle the levy with every eVOA application so it's never forgotten.
- 6
Name or passport-number typos in the application
The visa must match your passport exactly — machine-readable zone, every letter. A single transposed digit means the e-gate rejects you and the visa may need reissuing.
The fix: Copy the details from the passport itself, not from memory or a booking. Our case officers cross-check every field against your scan before payment.
- 7
Applying through lookalike 'official' websites
Paid ads for lookalike sites charge inflated fees for visas they may never deliver, and some harvest passport data. The official government portal is evisa.imigrasi.go.id — anything else is a third party.
The fix: Either apply directly on the official portal, or use a licensed agent that says clearly it is a private service — like us. We state our government fees separately so you can verify every rupiah.
Mistakes FAQ
Rejections, fines and fixes.
What are the most common Bali visa mistakes?
In order of frequency: blurry or cropped passport scans, passports under 6 months' validity, choosing the eVOA when staying over 60 days, overstaying, skipping the Bali Tourist Levy, typos in passport details, and paying inflated fees to lookalike 'official' websites.
Why was my Bali eVOA rejected?
Almost always a document issue, not an eligibility one: a blurry passport scan, a photo with a busy background, under-6-months passport validity, or a name mismatch. These are fixable — correct the document and resubmit. Genuine refusals for eligible nationalities are rare.
How much is the overstay fine in Bali?
IDR 1,000,000 per day — roughly USD 65 — payable when you leave. Overstays beyond 60 days move from a fine to deportation proceedings and possible re-entry bans. If you're close to your limit, an extension is dramatically cheaper than the fine.
Can I fix a mistake on my visa after it's issued?
A visa with wrong passport details generally needs reissuing, since immigration systems match the machine-readable zone exactly. Contact us as soon as you spot an error — caught before travel, it's paperwork; caught at the e-gate, it's a missed connection.
How do I know a Bali visa website is legitimate?
The only official application portal is evisa.imigrasi.go.id, run by Indonesian Immigration. Legitimate private agents — including us — say clearly that they are private services, itemise the government fee separately, and never display government seals as their own logo.
Is working on a tourist visa a common mistake?
Yes, and a serious one. Remote work for a foreign employer is fine on the eVOA and C1, but taking local employment or being paid by an Indonesian company requires a working KITAS (E23). Enforcement is real: raids on coworking spaces and villas do happen.
Zero-mistake application
Every document checked before it reaches Immigration.
A case officer reviews your passport scan, photo and details against Immigration's rules before anything is lodged — so the mistakes on this page never happen to your application.