By Jeremy Rochow
Published: Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Australians travelling to Bali have been warned of online visa scams targeting holidaymakers after reports of tourists being ripped off by fake websites.
A visa to leave an Indonesian airport must be bought for $50AUD upon arrival in the country or travellers can pre-purchase an electronic visa on arrival (e-VOA) from the Indonesian Government’s website. However, some travellers are buying their visas before they land on what they believe to be the Indonesian Government’s official website.
These tourists have fallen victim to scammers imitating the Indonesian Government’s website, leaving them without a visa to get into Bali upon arrival and forcing them to pay for another visa.
Other travellers reported they’re getting charged higher fees after purchasing the e-VOA unknowingly through agencies. The Indonesian Government released a statement earlier this year, reminding travellers to only visit the official government website when purchasing an e-VOA.