Indonesia autogates: rules for foreign travellers and families

Denpasar — Foreign travellers arriving in Indonesia can use automated immigration gates at major airports in Bali and Jakarta when they hold a biometric passport and a qualifying electronic entry permit, according to updated guidance for 2026. These autogates scan the passport, match the traveller’s face with the passport photo and record the border crossing electronically instead of stamping the passport.

The electronic record of entry is important, especially for travellers who later apply to extend a stay permit or leave the country. Several visa and travel advisory services note that smooth use of autogates depends on the data in the immigration system matching the traveller’s passport and electronic visa or stay permit.

Who is eligible to use an autogate

Recent guides describe eligibility in terms of document type rather than nationality. Foreign passengers must hold a biometric passport with an electronic chip and an electronic entry permit issued in advance.

These permits include an e-VOA (electronic visa on arrival arranged online before departure), an electronic visa in the C or D series, or a KITASKITAP (permanent stay permit). Holders of KITAS and KITAP must complete biometric registration before they can use autogates.

Travellers who buy a visa on arrival at a counter after landing are generally directed to staffed immigration lanes. Advisory services explain that an e-VOA issued in advance can be used at autogates, while a visa on arrival purchased at the airport is processed at a manual counter.

Current guidance identifies autogates at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta and Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, without providing a definitive list of terminals. Immigration press material and local visa guides highlight these two airports as the main locations for international autogate use.

Key document rules:

• Biometric passport with an electronic chip.
• Electronic entry permit: e-VOA, C or D series electronic visa, KITAS or KITAP.
• Completed biometric registration for KITAS and KITAP holders.
• Visa on arrival bought after landing: proceed to a staffed immigration counter.

Complete the All Indonesia arrival card

All travellers must complete the All Indonesia electronic arrival card, a unified digital form that combines immigration, customs and health declarations. The card is free of charge and is submitted via the official allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id website or the All Indonesia mobile application.

Several guides state that the arrival card can be submitted within three days before arrival or after landing, with completion in advance recommended to avoid delays. After submission, travellers receive a QR code by email or on screen, which they can present on request at the airport.

The All Indonesia arrival card is not a visa and does not replace an entry permit. Travellers must still hold a valid visa exemption, e-VOA, electronic visa or stay permit that matches the passport and trip purpose.

At the autogate, travellers are advised to remove passport covers, glasses and headwear before the scan. They place the passport’s photo page on the reader and look into the camera so the system can compare the facial image with the passport and visa data.

If the checks succeed, the gate opens and the entry is recorded electronically in the immigration system, without a physical stamp in the passport.

What to do when the gate rejects a passenger

Practical guides note that a failed scan should be handled inside the immigration area. Travellers are advised to reposition the passport flat on the reader or try the adjacent gate. If a second attempt fails, they should speak to an immigration officer and complete the process at a staffed counter.

Families are encouraged to ensure that each member, including children, passes through immigration individually with their own passport. Carrying a child through an autogate without scanning the child’s passport risks the child’s arrival not being recorded.

Children and younger passengers

According to a press release by the Directorate General of Immigration, children aged six or older — Indonesian and foreign — have been allowed to use autogates since 26 August 2024, provided they hold a biometric passport and valid entry document. Previously, only children aged at least 14 could use autogates at Soekarno-Hatta and Ngurah Rai airports.

Children under six continue to pass immigration at staffed counters with an officer. Local visa advisories still describe a typical minimum age of 14 for foreign autogate users but acknowledge that rules have been updated for younger passengers.

If an arrival may not be recorded

Visa assistance services advise travellers who suspect that their entry was not electronically recorded to contact immigration promptly and prepare supporting documents such as passports, visas, tickets and boarding passes. The safest approach is to check the result of the gate process before leaving the immigration hall and ask an officer for help if anything appears incomplete.

Background

Indonesia’s autogate programme is intended to reduce queues and face-to-face processing at passport control by shifting eligible travellers to automated lanes. The expansion to children aged six and above, effective in August 2024, is part of a broader move to digital immigration and unified arrival formalities under the All Indonesia system.

Sources

• Bali.live – Indonesia Autogates: How to Pass Immigration Without the Queue
• Legal Indonesia – Autogates at Bali and Jakarta Airports: 2026 Guide
• Sunburnt Atlas – Indonesia Visa Guide 2026 — VoA, E33G, KITAS & Bali Levy
• AirAsia Support – Travel Requirements: Indonesia
• Bali Business Consulting – Bali Visa Requirements 2025: Who Needs a Visa to Visit Indonesia?
• Directorate General of Immigration – Anak Usia Enam Tahun Sudah Bisa Gunakan Autogate Imigrasi
• Welcome Back To Bali – The New All Indonesia Arrival Card
• IndonesiaImmigration.org – All-Indonesia Arrival Card