Bali is unusual among Indonesian cities: a large share of the people who need visas here are not Indonesian at all. Alongside Balinese families and hotel staff, Denpasar and the southern coast are home to foreign retirees, villa managers, chefs, surf instructors and remote workers, many from India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria. Some hold a KITAS; others are here on visitor stays. That distinction decides where you can apply, long before the question of flights. This page explains which offices in Bali accept applications, what they say about flight bookings, which airlines fly out of Ngurah Rai, and how to order a reservation online. DummyTicketPrice has no office on the island; everything happens through our website.
Bali at a glance
| Item | Detail (last checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Airport | I Gusti Ngurah Rai International (DPS), between Kuta and Jimbaran |
| Schengen centres on the island | VFS Global Bali is on the Netherlands' list of Indonesian centres[1] |
| Germany via Bali | Accepted; the embassy quotes about 21 days for files lodged in Bali, against 15 in Jakarta[2] |
| Japan | Consulate-General in Denpasar; a Japan Visa Application Centre operates in Renon[4] |
| United Kingdom | GOV.UK announced a Bali visa application centre in 2013; check the current list when you apply[6] |
| Foreigners applying from Bali | Residence permit (KITAS or KITAP) asked for by Germany and Japan[2][5] |
| Our fee | $9 per traveller, card payment online, PDF emailed in about 10 minutes |
Can you apply for a visa in Bali if you are not Indonesian?
Yes, if you live here legally on a residence permit. That is the short answer, and the checklists back it up.
Germany's Indonesian tourism list asks non-Indonesians for a KITAS or KITAP valid at least three months after they return, with the original shown at VFS.[2] The Dutch list asks for evidence of legal residence and a permit valid three months beyond the date you leave the Schengen area.[3] Japan's Indonesian checklist wants a copy of the KITAS from anyone who is not an Indonesian citizen.[5]
If you are in Bali on a visa on arrival, an e-VOA or another short visitor visa, none of those lists has a box for you. The Netherlands also tells people who do not live in Indonesia to check where they should apply instead.[1] Our honest advice for long-stay visitors without a KITAS: plan to apply from your home country, and do not spend money on a flight reservation until you know which consulate will take the file.
What the Bali-relevant checklists say about flights
Every list below accepts something short of a paid ticket. The table quotes them directly.
| Destination | Where you file from Bali | Flight wording | Our suggestion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | VFS Bali, decided by the embassy in Jakarta[2] | "Flight reservation", listed with the hotel booking[2] | Reservation with live PNR |
| Netherlands | VFS Bali[1] | "copy of the flight reservation and travel itinerary"; advises bookings "which you can cancel"[3] | Reservation |
| Japan | JVAC Denpasar[4] | Indonesian checklist: "Flight booking confirmation with passenger details"[5] | Reservation naming each traveller |
| United Kingdom | Location chosen in the online form[6] | Flight bookings are on UKVI's less useful list[7] | Usually leave out |
Where a list says "confirmed" or "paid", take it literally. A held reservation may not meet that standard, and a refundable fare would serve you better.
Applying at VFS Bali or the JVAC in Renon?
Get a reservation with a live PNR for $9 per traveller, delivered by email.
Which Schengen country should you apply to from Bali?
The one you will spend the most time in. The European Commission's rule is that you apply to the country you intend to visit; with several countries, the one where you stay longest, or the first you enter if the stays are equal.[11] It also says you normally apply in the country where you are legally resident,[11] which for KITAS holders is Indonesia.
That matters for your reservation. If you plan four nights in Amsterdam and six in Berlin, Germany is your main destination even if you land in Amsterdam, and your flight booking should show that shape: arrival in one city, departure from the other, or a return from wherever makes sense. Do not book the cheapest-looking itinerary and then apply to a different country to suit an appointment calendar. Officers notice when the flights and the application point in different directions.
Is Bali slower than Jakarta?
For Germany, a little. The embassy's own checklist puts processing at about 15 days for applications lodged in Jakarta and 21 days for those lodged in Bali or Surabaya, with some cases taking up to 45 days.[2] The difference is mostly couriering passports between the island and the capital.
That affects your reservation. Germany says not to apply more than 180 days ahead.[2] Within that window, we would book the VFS slot about five or six weeks before departure, then order the reservation two or three days before the slot. The booking does not need to last through the whole processing period; it needs to be genuine and checkable when the file is lodged.
Flights from Ngurah Rai that fit a visa file
Bali is one of the few Indonesian airports with plenty of long-haul links, so most reservations can start right here.
- Dubai: Emirates says it runs 14 flights a week between Bali and Dubai, with onward connections across Europe.[9]
- Singapore: Singapore Airlines operates several nonstop departures a day from Denpasar to Changi, morning to late night.[10]
Denpasar–Dubai–Amsterdam suits a Dutch file; Denpasar–Singapore–Tokyo suits a Japanese one. Neither looks unusual. What the officer cares about is that the dates line up with your hotel, insurance and leave letter, and that the names match your passport.
Friends visiting you in Bali: the return-ticket rule
This one runs the other way. If friends or family fly in to see you, Indonesian immigration expects visa-on-arrival travellers to hold a return or onward ticket. The immigration directorate's FAQ names a "Return ticket or onward ticket to continue traveling to another country" among the things an e-VOA application needs, beside a passport with six months' validity.[8]
Your visitors may be asked about it by their airline before boarding as well. Our onward ticket guide for Bali goes through it in detail. Short version: if the rule asks for a ticket and your visitor has not bought one, a held reservation may or may not satisfy the airline or the officer, and that risk is theirs to weigh.
Example: a Balinese hotel manager visiting the Netherlands
Take a hotel operations manager from Sanur planning ten days in Amsterdam and Rotterdam in May. He is Indonesian, works full time and books a VFS appointment in Bali for 2 April.
The Dutch checklist asks for a copy of the flight reservation and itinerary and suggests bookings that can be cancelled.[3] He orders a Denpasar–Dubai–Amsterdam reservation on 30 March, with the hotel bookings covering exactly those nights. His employer's letter states the leave dates. Because nothing is paid, a refusal would not leave him out of pocket on flights. If the visa comes through, he buys a fare that suits him, on that routing or another.
A second example: an Indian chef on a KITAS going to Japan
Now think of an Indian chef who runs the kitchen of a Seminyak restaurant on a two-year KITAS. He wants a week in Tokyo during the off-season. He applies at the Japan Visa Application Centre in Denpasar, which opened at its present location in Renon in 2025.[4]
Japan's Indonesian checklist wants a KITAS copy, a flight booking confirmation that shows passenger details, a day-by-day itinerary and three months of bank statements.[5] We would hold Denpasar–Singapore–Tokyo with return, under his name exactly as printed in his Indian passport. If his KITAS name format differs from his passport, the checklist asks for a supporting immigration letter.[5]
Ordering from Bali, step by step
- Check that you can apply here: Indonesian citizen, or a foreigner with a KITAS or KITAP valid long enough.
- Get the current checklist from the embassy or visa centre and read the travel line.
- Fill in our booking form with your route from DPS, dates and every passenger's passport name.
- Pay $9 per traveller by card through Razorpay.
- Look for our email about 10 minutes later, and check the spam folder if not.
- Open the booking on the airline's website using the PNR and surname. Step-by-step help.
Order status is on our tracking page; other currencies are on the price page.
How close to the appointment should you order?
Two to three days. The airline holds the seat for up to two weeks and decides the exact length, which can be shorter on some fares. Order once the VFS or JVAC slot is fixed and within a few days of it. If the appointment moves, simply order again closer to the new date.
Families and retirees in Bali
Families with children. Every child included in the visa application needs a seat on the same itinerary. Put the whole family on one reservation so the PNR lists everyone together, and copy each child's name from their own passport, not from a school record. Germany's Indonesian checklist adds its own rules for minors, including the presence or written consent of both parents.[2]
Retirees on a retirement KITAS. The same residence rules apply to you as to anyone else: your permit must outlast the trip by the margin each country sets. What differs is the evidence of means. Instead of a leave letter you will usually show pension income and bank statements. The flight reservation plays the same modest role: a realistic itinerary, matching the hotel and insurance, held until the decision.
Staff in tourism. If you work in a hotel or restaurant, high season can push your leave into narrow windows. Get the leave letter with exact dates before ordering anything; the reservation then copies those dates.
Practical tips for island applicants
- Print before you set off. Traffic from Canggu or Ubud to Kuta or Renon can eat an hour; don't plan on a print shop near the centre.
- Bring your KITAS original as well as copies. Germany wants the original shown.[2]
- Keep one itinerary across every paper: flight, accommodation, insurance and cover letter.
- Recheck the PNR on the airline's site the evening before.
What not to do
- Applying from Bali while on a VOA or visitor visa and hoping the centre will accept it.
- Letting your KITAS run too close to your return date.
- Submitting a PDF nobody can find on the airline's website.
- Calling a reservation a ticket on any form or in an interview.
Denpasar and Bali FAQ
Is there a Schengen visa centre in Bali?
Yes. The Netherlands lists VFS Global Bali among its Indonesian centres, and Germany's Jakarta checklist mentions files lodged in Bali. Each Schengen country decides which centres it uses, so open the VFS page for your main destination before booking an appointment.
I live in Bali on a KITAS. Which documents prove my residence?
Your KITAS or KITAP, original and copy. Germany asks for it to be valid at least three months after your return; the Netherlands asks for three months beyond leaving Schengen. Japan's checklist requests a KITAS copy and, where names differ from the passport, a report from the immigration office.
Can I apply in Bali if I entered on a visa on arrival?
The checklists we read are written for Indonesians and foreign residents with a KITAS or KITAP; none gives a route for short-stay visitors. The Dutch page tells people who live elsewhere to check where to apply. Usually that means your home country, so confirm before paying for anything.
Where is the Japanese visa centre in Bali?
Japan's consulate-general in Denpasar announced a Japan Visa Application Centre, which moved to Plaza Renon on Jalan Raya Puputan in February 2025. Ask the centre for its current checklist; Japan's Jakarta list asks for a flight booking confirmation with passenger details.
Can my reservation start in Denpasar rather than Jakarta?
Yes, and for most Bali residents it should. Ngurah Rai has nonstop flights to Dubai with Emirates and to Singapore with Singapore Airlines, so a Europe or Japan itinerary from DPS is entirely normal. Use the airport you would really fly from.
How much does it cost, and how do I pay from Indonesia?
$9 per passenger, for one way or return. A multi-city trip is priced per pair of legs. Payment is by card through our Razorpay checkout, and the reservation arrives by email, usually in about 10 minutes. We have no office in Bali.
Should I include a flight booking in a UK visa application from Bali?
Usually not. UK Visas and Immigration lists flight bookings among the documents it finds less useful for a standard visit, unless you are transiting. Spend the effort on proof of your job or business, your KITAS if you are a foreign resident, and your finances. If you still want to show planned dates, a reservation is harmless.
How long does the reservation last?
Up to two weeks; the airline decides the precise period. Order it shortly before your appointment so that it is live when the file is checked. Should the embassy ask for updated travel details later, order a new reservation then.
Get your Bali reservation
Online only, $9 per passenger, checkable on the airline's website.
Remember: nobody can board a plane with this reservation, because no fare has been paid on it. Present it as a reservation, keep it consistent with your other documents, and accept that the consulate makes the decision.
Further guides: our home page, flight reservation for visa, country requirements, onward tickets and hotel bookings. By country and traveller: Schengen visa, Netherlands, Japan, Indonesia, onward ticket for Bali, Indian travellers and Emirates reservations. Other Indonesian cities: Jakarta and Bandung.
Sources
All sources last checked: October 2026.
- Netherlands Worldwide, Applying for a Schengen visa in Indonesia.
- Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Jakarta, Schengen visa – tourism checklist (November 2024).
- Netherlands visa application checklist for Indonesia, Tourism and visit to family / friends (published via VFS Global).
- Consulate-General of Japan in Denpasar, Japan Visa Application Center (JVAC).
- Japan Visa Application Centre Indonesia, Checklist No. 3: Visit Temporary Tourism (October 2024).
- GOV.UK, New UK visa application centre opens in Bali (May 2013).
- GOV.UK, Guide to supporting documents: visiting the UK.
- Directorate General of Immigration, Republic of Indonesia, Frequently asked questions: visa.
- Emirates, Flights from Bali (DPS) to Dubai (DXB).
- Singapore Airlines, Flights from Denpasar Bali to Singapore.
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs, Applying for a Schengen visa.
