Medan Entry Requirements
Visa, immigration, and customs information
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All Indonesia arrival card
- Who
- Passengers arriving in Indonesia, completed once per arrival
- When
- Up to three days before arrival, or on arrival
One digital form covers immigration, customs, health and quarantine. The app is published by Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration.
Checked against the official source 2026-09-26 -
Bali tourist levy (Love Bali)
- Who
- Foreign tourists visiting Bali
- When
- Before arriving in Bali, through the official Love Bali website or app
- Cost
- IDR 150,000, paid once per visit
The Bali provincial government charges the levy once per trip to Bali.
Checked against the official source 2026-09-26
Visa Requirements
Entry permissions vary by nationality. Find your category below.
Indonesia's visa framework has several tiers. These depend on nationality and purpose of travel. Bilateral agreements vary by passport. No single rule covers everyone. The official Directorate General of Immigration website is authoritative. Check which category applies to your passport. Verify how long you may stay. Confirm what fees apply.
Indonesia grants visa-free entry to certain passport holders. This covers short tourism or business visits. Eligibility and permitted length of stay depend on your nationality. These rules can change with little warning.
Visa-free entry typically cannot be extended. Want to stay longer? Apply for a different visa category from the outset. Confirm current terms on the official Directorate General of Immigration website before travel.
Indonesia offers electronic visa options. Eligible travelers apply before departure. These are separate from the All Indonesia digital arrival card. All passengers must complete the arrival card regardless of visa type. The All Indonesia form is a single digital declaration. It covers immigration, customs, health, and quarantine. Access it through the official All Indonesia portal. Or use the companion app published by Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration. Submit up to three days before arrival. Or complete it upon landing in Medan.
Cost: Fees vary by visa type. The official immigration website lists current rates
Processing times fluctuate. Apply well ahead of your travel date. This is sensible. The All Indonesia arrival card is free. It is required for all travelers regardless of visa status.
Some nationalities do not qualify for visa-free entry or electronic visas. These travelers need to apply for a visa through an Indonesian embassy or consulate before departure.
Allow plenty of lead time for consular visa applications. Processing can take several weeks. This depends on the embassy and time of year. Some visa types require an interview. Others need additional supporting documents. A letter of invitation may be necessary.
Arrival Process
Arriving at Kualanamu International Airport follows standard Indonesian immigration procedures. The experience is generally orderly. Queues at immigration can be lengthy during peak periods. Patience helps.
Documents to Have Ready
Tips for Smooth Entry
Customs & Duty-Free
Indonesian customs rules hit every port of entry, Kualanamu International Airport included. Your customs declaration lives inside the All Indonesia digital arrival card, already submitted before you reach the checkpoint. Indonesia enforces customs rules hard. Penalties for undeclared restricted or prohibited items bite deep.
Prohibited Items
- Narcotics and illegal drugs in any amount. Indonesia punishes these with extreme severity, including possible capital punishment.
- Firearms, ammunition, and explosives without prior Indonesian authorization.
- Pornographic materials in any format
- Counterfeit currency and goods
- Printed matter or media deemed to threaten public order or national security
- Certain radio and telecommunications equipment without a permit
Restricted Items
- Prescription medications beyond personal-use amounts. Carry a doctor's letter. Keep original packaging.
- Certain foods, plants, seeds, and animal products. These may need phytosanitary or quarantine clearance.
- Traditional medicines and herbal products, which may be subject to inspection
- Electronics and professional equipment beyond personal-use amounts. Duties may apply.
Health Requirements
Indonesia rarely demands specific vaccination proof for Medan arrivals, with one key exception. Health questions appear on the All Indonesia digital arrival card, handled before immigration.
Required Vaccinations
- Yellow fever certificate required if you arrive from or recently transited a yellow fever country. Carry your International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis if so.
Recommended Vaccinations
- Hepatitis An and B, as a general precaution for travel in the region
- Typhoid. Medan's street food tempts. Waterborne illness lurks.
- Tetanus and diphtheria boosters if not current
- Rabies pre-exposure if you will visit rural Lake Toba areas or Sumatran highlands where medical help is scarce.
- Japanese encephalitis for longer stays or extensive rural and agricultural exposure.
- Malaria prophylaxis depends on your Sumatra itinerary. Medan itself carries low urban risk. Surrounding rural zones rate higher.
Health Insurance
Indonesia does not require travel health insurance for entry. Carry it anyway. Medan's private hospitals meet reasonable standards for regional care. Serious cases may need evacuation to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. That costs enormously without coverage. Verify evacuation is included.
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Important Contacts
Essential resources for your trip.
Special Situations
Additional requirements for specific circumstances.
Children need their own passport and, where applicable, their own visa. If a child is traveling with only one parent or with someone who is not their legal guardian, carrying a notarized consent letter from the absent parent or parents is a wise precaution. Indonesia does not uniformly require this. But airlines and immigration officers may ask for it, and having the letter avoids any delays. Birth certificates or adoption documents can also help establish the relationship between the adult and child.
Bringing a pet into Indonesia requires advance planning. You will typically need an import permit from Indonesia's agricultural quarantine authority, a veterinary health certificate issued close to your departure date, proof of current rabies vaccination, and possibly a microchip. Quarantine on arrival is possible depending on the animal and origin country. The process is detailed enough that contacting the nearest Indonesian embassy or the agricultural quarantine office well ahead of travel is essential. Medan is not one of the more commonly used entry points for pet imports, so confirming that Kualanamu can process animal arrivals is a good first step.
If you plan to stay in Medan or elsewhere in Indonesia longer than your initial visa or visa-free allowance permits, you will need to arrange an extension or apply for a longer-term visa before departure. Some visa types can be extended at local immigration offices in Indonesia, while others cannot. Overstaying your visa in Indonesia carries fines and can result in detention or deportation, so it is not something to take lightly. For stays related to work, study, or retirement, specific visa categories exist, each with their own requirements. The Directorate General of Immigration website and the nearest Indonesian embassy are the right starting points for sorting out longer-term arrangements.
Indonesia does not recognize dual citizenship for adults. If you hold an Indonesian passport alongside another nationality, be aware that Indonesian authorities will treat you as an Indonesian citizen and expect you to enter on your Indonesian passport. This can affect your consular access if you run into difficulties. If you hold two non-Indonesian passports, enter and exit on the same passport to avoid confusion at immigration.
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