Bali’s Rp150,000 foreign tourist levy: who pays, when and how

Denpasar — Foreign tourists visiting Bali are required to pay a one-time levy of Rp150,000 per person, processed cashless through the official Love Bali system before they depart Indonesian territory. The levy applies to international visitors engaging in tourist activities in Bali and has been in force since 14 February 2024.

The levy is collected by the Bali provincial government under regional regulations on the Levy for Foreign Tourists, implemented via governor regulations that set payment procedures and designate Love Bali as the official platform. The charge is paid once per visit or trip to Bali, not per day. Children are included and there is no age-based exemption.

How and when the levy is paid

According to the official Love Bali FAQ, foreign tourists are subject to Rp150,000 per person, paid only one time while traveling in Bali, before the person leaves the territory of the Republic of Indonesia. Payment is required to be non-cash via electronic payment facilities.

Tourists can complete the payment online through the Love Bali website before entering Bali, or at payment counters located at Bali’s airport and ports, or via registered endpoints such as hotels, travel agents and tourist attractions during their stay. The provincial government and tourism advisories encourage visitors to pay online before arrival to streamline processing at checkpoints.

Once payment is confirmed, the system issues a tourism levy voucher containing a QR code, sent to the email address provided during payment. Travellers can show the QR code on a smartphone or in printed form for scanning at airport and seaport checkpoints as proof of payment. If an incorrect email address is entered, payment can still be verified using passport data through the Love Bali system.

Payment methods and proof

The Love Bali FAQ states that the levy must be paid cashless, through electronic payment facilities. Guides based on the official system note that accepted methods include major cards (such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and UnionPay), bank transfer, virtual account and QRIS, depending on the payment channel selected.

Key practical points from official and advisory sources:

• Levy amount: Rp150,000 per foreign tourist.
• Frequency: one payment per visit or trip.
• Timing: paid while visiting Bali, before departing Indonesian territory.
• Method: cashless, via electronic payment only.
• Proof: a Love Bali voucher with a QR code, issued by email and scanned at airport or port checkpoints.

Travel advisories and tourism portals note that bank counters are available at Bali’s international airport for travellers who have not paid online, with transactions conducted cashless. Official materials do not provide detailed counter opening hours or exhaustive lists of counter locations.

Who pays and exemptions

The foreign tourist levy applies to every international tourist who travels to Bali and undertakes tourist activities, including those arriving by cruise ship. Cruise passengers can pay individually through Love Bali or through group arrangements organised by registered cruise agents using the system’s endpoint services.

For group payments, cruise agents can submit passenger data for multiple travellers in one transaction, using online forms or spreadsheet templates, with limits per submission that require very large manifests to be split into several processes, according to the Love Bali FAQ and guidance materials.

Official advisories outline several categories exempt from paying the levy: holders of diplomatic or official passports/visas, transportation crew, holders of temporary stay permits (KITAS) or permanent stay permits (KITAP), family-unification visa holders, student visa holders, golden visa holders, and holders of other non-tourist visas issued by Immigration. These exemptions are also reflected in the Love Bali terms and provincial regulations.

According to tourism guidance based on the Love Bali system, diplomatic and official visa holders, conveyance crew, KITAS and KITAP holders, family-unification visa holders and student visa holders generally establish their exemption by presenting the relevant documents to officers at checkpoints. Golden visa holders and those in the “other visas” category must apply in advance for exemption through the Love Bali website or app and receive approval, typically at least five days before arrival.

Official regulations and advisories focus on payment procedures and exemptions, and do not detail on-the-spot penalties or specific enforcement measures for individual tourists who have not yet paid or cannot show proof at checkpoints.

Sources

• Regional Regulation of the Province of Bali No. 6 of 2023 (English translation)
• Indonesian House of Representatives Research Service brief on Bali Foreign Tourist Levy
• Love Bali official poster (Foreign Tourist Levy)
• Simply Indonesia – Bali Tourist Levy guide citing Love Bali FAQ
• Welcome Back To Bali – tourism levy advisory
• Consulate General of India, Bali – Foreign Tourist Levy advisory
• Bali Visa Hub – Bali Tourist Levy explainer