How To Travel In 2020: Requirements For Flying To Bali & Travelling During Covid-19 Without Fear

This post will answer some of the questions surrounding requirements for Flying to Bali and travelling during Covid-19. You will find information about flying into Indonesia, immigration requirements to fly, and how it feels to travel in November 2020 during these uncertain times. If you just want to get the facts on travelling during Covid, and requirements for flying to Bali then skip until you see the subheading Requirements for Flying to Bali in November 2020.
This is a long post with my personal story during covid, my life as a nomad, and how and why I made the decisions I did this year.

A little bit of background on my story

After a few years of being pretty nomadic, I realized that having my home base in Canada wasn’t quite making sense anymore.
I would spend months abroad, or travelling, and come home for a few weeks or months in between. But meanwhile, I kept paying my mortgage, monthly bills, cellphone, car payments, etc… It didn’t make sense to pay full time for a life I was only using part-time. Last year, after only being home in 2018 for about 3 months, I decided to change my base to Bali. I rented out my condo, sold my car, and packed my belongings into boxes. I wrote a post about my lifestyle as a freelancer and a nomad, you can read about it here.

Why I settled in Bali

Life in Bali

The tropical weather, spirituality, rich culture, cheap lifestyle, and ex-pat community were of course a big part of the decision to move here. But the truth is that what really sold me on it was the ease of feeling based here without the long term commitment, or the rooting down often needed when you move somewhere.

In Bali, you can find:

• Endless accommodation options that are affordable, and non-committed. Find yearly, monthly, or even weekly accommodation with just needing the money to pay for it and nothing else.
• A cellphone plan costs less than 10$ a month for 15GB of data.
• Renting a scooter is about $50-70 a month.
• Upgrading your lifestyle to having cleaners a few times a week, ordering food every night, taking taxis, and doing extracurriculars, are all under the budget of monthly rent alone in Canada.

I have been to Bali many times before basing myself here. By the time I made the move, I already had friends, an idea of where and how I liked to live, and knew how easy it was to come and go as I please. So easy, that when in March the whole world fell apart, I packed my bags and left within a few days without major impact.

Covid-19 and why I left Bali

I first heard of the virus on a visa run trip to Singapore in early February. I remember thinking it all seemed a bit extreme and attributed it to Singapore being always too particular.

In March, when the news of Covid got serious and spread around the world, I made the decision to stay in Bali.

I was living in a big beautiful house with a pool, and I got supplies to make sure I could self isolate. No one was reacting to the news and the craze here, and I felt that I could at least my best to be prepared. I stopped going to the gym, out for dinner and minimized my social interactions. I thought this would be enough. But within a week everything changed and I decided to go back to Canada.

Here are the things that came into play for my decision to fly back to Canada

• I had work liked up in Canada in May and I was afraid with flights getting banned and cancelled that I wouldn’t be able to get home in time to fulfill my contracts (spoiler alert: all my work got cancelled).
• I got a series of emails from the Canadian embassy urging Canadians in Indonesia to return home as the situation was deteriorating, flights were decreasing by 80% and the embassy was to shut down almost completely, leaving only emergency services available. They were even sending their own people home.
• I got notified by my travel health insurance that as of the following week I would no longer have coverage for covid-19 if I chose to stay abroad, but if I flew home within that time frame, they would help cover the cost of flying back.
• The Indonesian government was slow to react and impose restrictions to dissipate the spread of the virus, which made me feel unsafe and unprotected.
• My family: My dad is a front line worker, and was alone back in Canada. My brother and his girlfriend lived in NYC. I felt far and out of control and worried about them. They felt the same about me.
• If you can remember the early days of covid, when there was so much unknown and fear, you can maybe imagine what it would feel like to be far from your family, in a third world country, on an island, where you know the health resources are scarce (I’ve been hospitalized here before, but that’s a story for another time).
• A lot of my friends on the island were leaving. Even some people who have lived here for years. 

Going back to Canada

I have called many places home. But just like Argentina, Canada is and always will be home, one way or another. Canada is where my business operates, where my bills are paid, and where the majority of my family lives. Part of my heart will always be there, even if I could never make it through an entire year staying in the country, and even if always wanted to leave for the entire 16 years I lived there (again, that’s a story for another time).

Going back to Canada after only 6 months of settling in Bali was hard. The plan was always to return for a few months every year. But “running back home at the first problem” felt like a failure.
Accepting that these were unprecedented circumstances and that it didn’t define me or my life, were honestly the hardest part of the first few months.

The 8 months I spent in Canada this year was not only the longest I’ve gone without travelling in my entire adult life but also the longest I’ve stayed in Canada EVER.

Even when I first moved there at age 16 I had at least two international trips a year until I went full travel mode at age 19. In 2012 I quit my last ever job and started full-time freelancing. For the last 8 years, my life has been in a constant state of moving.

My time in Canada

As you can imagine, this return to Canada was different than any other for so many reasons. But the biggest change was that I didn’t have a home to come back to. With my condo rented out, and my dad having sold our family home last year, I had nowhere to go.

I isolated for two weeks, and after that, I moved in with friends. I patiently renewed my rent every month, thinking it would be the last and I would return to Bali soon. From March to June, I kept thinking I would leave right away. I still had a valid visa for Indonesia, and I no longer had work or commitments in Canada. But as the months passed and the situation didn’t evolve, I realized things would take longer. I didn’t actually have any guarantee that I could get into Indonesia. Even with my visa still valid, finding a flight that wouldn’t get cancelled was a challenge on it’s own. The risk to fly back was too high. I couldn’t continue to live one foot in and one foot out, so I decided to stay for the summer.

Work Life

Like many of you, my business got completely shut down. I had pockets in between shutdowns where I was able to book a few small shoots, but for the most part, my business suffered.
Luckily I was already working on putting together my Lightroom Masterclass. So I spent my time working on that, learning about marketing, and creating this very blog you are reading. But travel and photography aren’t just my job and my passion, they are my identity, my whole life. So I constantly felt out of place and a bit lost. My life felt at a pause, and I was just killing time to get back to myself.

I spent a beautiful summer at home with friends and family. When September rolled around, Bali had found a loophole around Indonesian immigration rules, and foreigners started to come back to the island.
I had just moved to a new place, had a few things booked, and a visit from my brother planned, so I waited until November to make my move.

Living in Bali under normal circumstances

Usually, without the effects of Covid-19, Bali is a pretty easy place to come to. You can enter Indonesia without a visa, and stay as a tourist for up to one month. You can also get a VOA (visa on arrival) for $50 that allows you to extend your stay for another month.

There are a lot of expats that live here. Some do the VOA and exit and re-enter the country every two months. Some get work permits (also known as KITAS), and a lot get what is called a social or a business visa. These last two allow you to stay in the country for up to 6 months, with the option of a multiple entry visa, or single entry visa. It is important to know that the only legal way to work in Indonesia is with a KITAS (spouse, investor, retirement or employment permits).

Requirements for flying to Bali in November 2020

E-Visa for entering Indonesia B211A

There have been so many rumours about the requirements for Flying to Bali, and Bali opening to foreigners throughout the whole year, that I won’t even bother telling you all about it. It was frustrating and confusing, to say the least. I kept informed through many different sources and also active in Facebook and WhatsApp groups of people in Bali, and wanting to return to Bali. The biggest rumour was Bali openings to tourism on September 11, which didn’t happen. Currently, there are rumours circulating about Bali opening its airport to international travel in December, but has not been confirmed.

Requirements & travelling to Bali during Covid-19

Other than KITAS holders, There is only one way to fulfill the requirements for Flying to Bali which is a confirmed way to enter Indonesia. You must obtain a visa called Single Entry B211A/B, which is a business/social visa. It’s actually quite easy to obtain, it’s safe, and thousands of foreigners have entered the island this way in the past couple of months.

Each country has its own specific requirements for entering and exiting, so what I am describing here is the process to enter Indonesia, it does not apply to anywhere else in the world. If you are travelling elsewhere you have to check that particular country’s requirements. This post is about the requirements for Flying to Bali as of December 2020

As of now, Canada has no restrictions to travel outside of the country, but if you are coming back from any international destination, you will need to quarantine for 14 days. This of course applies only to Canadians, if you are non-Canadian and want to enter Canada, you are out of luck. There are certain exceptions, but that’s not what this post is about.

I’m gonna walk you through the process step-by-step so it isn’t overwhelming. If you just follow this guide, you can be in Bali in no time. I am also listing things in the exact order that I did them.

1. Requirements for flying to Bali: Getting a sponsored visa

The main requirements for Flying to Bali are a Visa application, sponsorship, telex, and to pay the visa fee. All visa agencies will provide an all-in-one service offering you these. The price will vary, but you can expect to pay between $400-$700 usd.

There are plenty of Visa agencies and services available, simply browse on Facebook groups like “Canggu Community” or “Bali Expats” and find the recommendations of other travellers. The most reputable agencies are Visa4Bali, Emerhub, and Bali Visas. There are plenty more that might be cheaper or offer more VIP services. Just make sure you go with a recommended agent, as there are many scams going around.

Each agency might vary a bit, but to obtain the visa, you simply pay the fee and send them a photo of your passport. After a few days (between 3 and 10 working days) you will receive your digital document. There is no need to go to an embassy anymore, and you most likely won’t need to present any other documents. It is super simple, and your agent will walk you through it.
In my case, all I had to do was apply for the visa by sending payment, send a copy of my passport, and that’s it. Five days later my visa was approved.

Why you need an agency

You are only able to obtain this B211A/B visa under a local business sponsorship. Your sponsor needs $10,000 in the bank, and they are the ones to initiate the process.

How the visa works

When your visa gets approved, you have 90 days to activate it. Once you enter Indonesia your visa is valid for 60 days. After the 60 days are up, you can extend it a maximum of four times, each extension is 30 days and it costs about $50 USD. The agency that sponsored your visa will process the extensions for you.

2. Requirements for flying to Bali: Obtaining a QR code

when you enter the website, click the middle option and fill the form

Once you get your visa approved, you must visit https://cekdiri.baliprov.go.id fill the form, and obtain a QR code. Print it out and have it with you for when you land.

3. Requirements for flying to Bali: Booking your flight

Currently the only airport in Indonesia receiving international flights is Jakarta (CGK). Make sure you book a flight that lands there. I’ve heard from some people, mostly in Europe, that they are seeing flights offered by some airlines that fly into Bali. For some reason these are available for purchase, but they will not fly. You must fly into Jakarta and then book a separate flight into Bali.

I would recommend researching your layover destination as well and make sure there are no restrictions for you. Unfortunately, airlines are quite overwhelmed and don’t offer enough information at the time of booking, so just because the flight is available doesn’t mean you are ok. Do your research. If you have doubts, call the airline, or even go to the airport and ask someone to walk you through it.

Make sure you book a flexible flight, because if your Covid PCR test doesn’t come in time, you won’t be able to fly.

4. Requirements for flying to Bali: COVID-19 Negative Test (PCR)

This is a big one. To enter Indonesia you must present a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) NEGATIVE test. There are quite a few requirements within this that I will explain.

PCR Test

Depending on where you live, there will be different kinds of tests available. To fly into Indonesia internationally you must present a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test. A rapid test will not suffice (these are accepted only when flying within the country). In Canada, only PCR tests are available. The problem is that because of this, the test does not specifically say PCR test on it. If your test result does not say PCR you might be denied boarding (more on this later).
A way to get around this is either pay for private testing or ask for your doctor to issue a health certificate/fit to fly note to go with your negative test result.

Time stamp

The test has to be either issued or taken within a period of 7 days. This can be a bit tricky. Back in Canada I only had the public health option for testing. My results came in within 5 days but didn’t show the date of issuance, so immigration goes by the date the test was taken.

To be safe, I took my test on Saturday, as I was flying out on Thursday and I knew results shouldn’t take longer than 5 days. I had a flexible ticket just in case. If you are worried about timing, paying for a private lab test might be your best option. I found out later on, at the airport, that there was in fact a paid option I could have used. A lab called Dynacare provides them. The test costs $500 and results come in within 6 hours with all the proper information needed to fly.

Indonesian immigration indicates that if you don’t have a test you can get one when you arrive, and isolate at your own cost. However, the airline will not let you board without the test.

5. Requirements for flying to Bali: return flight

This is a requirement from the airlines actually, not the Indonesian government. But if you don’t have a return flight, you might be denied boarding. Your flight should have a return date within the validity of your visa. The airline agent didn’t like that mine had a 6-month return date because the E-Visa says 60 days and doesn’t mention the extensions, but eventually, she let me through.

You can easily book a flight that can be refunded within 24hrs, or a flight with no change fees. These are good options if you are not sure of your return date, or simply don’t have one like me.

6.Requirements for flying to Bali: Extras

These are some of the requirements visa agencies might have. I prepared some of these but didn’t even need them

I researched a lot about the requirements for flying to Bali before getting my visa, and came across so much information. So I decided to over-prepare and even made multiple copies of everything in case someone decided to keep a paper along the way (someone kept my e-visa in Hong Kong, but that was all).

Requirements for flying to Bali: Documents I prepared and printed CHECKLIST

• Covid-19 Negative PCR test in English (3 copies, only used 1)
• Doctor’s health certificate in English (3 copies, only used 1)
• E-Visa (3 copies, used 2)
• E-hac QR (you might want to also download the app to your phone just in case)
• Bank statement showing more than $1,500 USD (didn’t end up needing)
• Proof of health insurance (didn’t end up needing)
• Return Ticket (only required by the airline to board international flight, not by immigration)
• Phone Imei Registration (this is to make sure your phone works in Indonesia with a local sim card. Fill here and declare under $500 value to avoid taxes)
• Extra tip: bring a pen!

Requirements for flying to Bali: Extra documents you might be asked by your agency

No one asked for any of these. Agent, airline, or immigration.
Some agencies might still ask you to fill them out. If they do, make sure they provide you with a sample.

• A certification letter in English with your willingness to quarantine at your own expense if you get tested in Indonesia
• Statement of acceptance of health surveillance
• Acceptance of responsibility of expenses if you get sick while in Indonesia and have no insurance
• Peduli Lindungin app

Requirements for flying to Bali: The immigration process, flying and arriving to Indonesia

This bit is about my personal experience, what went right, what went wrong, and what could have been avoided.

Leaving Canada

This was the only time there were issues throughout the whole journey. Right at the beginning, and it was very stressful.
I wasn’t able to check-in online the day before. My flight was at 6am so I wanted to avoid having to go too early. The Air Canada call centre was useless to provide any information on flying requirements, or why I couldn’t check-in online, so I decided to show up two hours early and I was glad I did.

At the Airport

Be prepared for check-in to take a long time. They will check all your documents and go step by step on the requirements of your destination. The agent informed me that my PCR test was problematic as it didn’t specifically say “PCR” on it. My doctor’s note also didn’t specify this. He didn’t want to let me board, but eventually allowed me to fly just from Winnipeg to Vancouver (domestic), as this would give me time to call my doctor’s office and get a new note that had the correct wording.

This meant I had to collect my bags, check-in again in Vancouver, and had the risk they wouldn’t let me board there. If this happened, I would have lost the flight as it was an already started journey, and had to take on the cost of accommodation, new flights, etc. I took the risk as I knew I could get the correct paper and I did. I wish this information was available prior to flying but even the Air Canada agent told me there is no other way to know than at the airport.

The journey and flying

Made it through to YVR

Empty flights

sky views again

landing in Denpasar

The journey

My journey to Jakarta was 27 hours long. Then I had an overnight stay at the airport, and another flight to Bali the following morning (with a different airline, and completely different bag restrictions). I travel quite heavily as I have a lot of camera gear. I was worried about my carry-on luggage, but because flights were so empty, I didn’t have any issues.

Luckily the big overseas flight was empty. I felt really sad to see such a big plane with maybe only 30/40 people. On the flip side, I had a whole row to myself, both from Vancouver to Hong Kong and from Hong Kong to Jakarta.

Requirements through airports

As I mentioned, I got asked to show my return flight before I departed Canada, she was hesitant on the return date but let me go with the warning that they might ask me to book a new flight in Hong Kong. Luckily they didn’t.

In Hong Kong they checked my Visa documents again, and the agent kept a copy of my E-Visa. Luckily I had printed extras, I’ve heard horror stories of people turned away for not having their documents once they arrived. So again, make sure you print extra copies.

You are required to wear a mask all the time everywhere. On and off the plane. The airline provides you with masks, and hand sanitizer. The food was pretty awful as it was pre packed. I suggest bringing your own snacks, specially if you fly at odd times or small airports. A lot of things are closed.

Arriving in Indonesia

The agency I chose provided me with a VIP service. There was a guy waiting for me when I got off the plane, with the landing papers already completed. He then walked with me from place to place and told me what to do. Honestly, this is not necessary at all, but it was nice to skip the lines and not worry about what came next.

Immigration process

The entering process itself was pretty simple. They only care to see your PCR test, and they will check it at least four times. They checked my visa only once, asked me no questions what-so-ever and everyone was incredibly nice and welcoming.

Layover

I arrived at 11pm and had a flight to Bali the next morning, so I booked myself one of the airport hotels. It was super cheap and conveniently inside the airport. I landed in terminal 3 and flew out of terminal 2 the next morning. My hotel was located in terminal 2 so they provided me with a shuttle, and the next morning it took me about 5 minutes to get to my gate.

The presentation of Imei QR for your phone is right after you pick up your bags. the process was simple. I showed the form, they scanned the QR, and that was that.

Being back in Bali

Home views

home views

reuniting with friends

beautiful echo beach

reunited with my bike

back to regular massages

Life is pretty normal

life in Canggu

It’s hard to put into words the feeling of being back. It feels strange and normal at the same time. I reunited with all my friends, got my motorbike running, I had a few massages, and even started going out for lunch and dinner.

Life in Bali is super normal. At the beginning it felt a little weird, coming from full lockdown in Canada to this. But slowly I got used to the Bali bubble and honestly, I couldn’t be happier to be living a normal life. I am still taking precautions, and most places have some sort of procedure in place. Truthfully the precautions here are not as strict as you will find back home, so if you are feeling afraid of the virus and hesitant to travel, you might be a bit out of your comfort zone here.

Covid in Bali

I have followed up with the numbers in Bali, have talked to my friends who stayed here, and decided that I was comfortable with the situation and ready to return. My travel insurance covers Covid, and I am much less afraid of it than I was when I left 9 months ago. This is something that is personal, and no one can tell you how to feel.

As far as the numbers go, it’s hard to know the truth as the testing isn’t sufficiently done, but it seems like the biggest concentration of cases are in Denpasar (main city) and affecting the elderly population, as you have seen around the world. I have friends here who know people who had the virus, and as far as the expat community goes, everyone had mild symptoms and recovered fast.

Restrictions

I am no saying there is no Covid here, but given the fact that the restrictions are low, and that the virus has definitely been on the island since early last year (Bali received direct flying from Wuhan, and all over China until late March), I don’t think we will see a surge in cases. The outdoors environment and availability of social distancing also helps.

I was happy to follow all the rules back at home, and I believe in wearing masks and protecting others, but I also believe that there are ways to live a normal life, and it is time for us to do so. Bali feels like the right place for me to be in for this, and I am looking forward to resuming the life I left here earlier this year.

How is Bali doing

As I mentioned, most expats here are living normal life. Where I live, Canggu, is mostly westerners, so you will find 90% of restaurants and shops open. A los of people are taking advantage of the low tourism and visiting other islands, and exploring around for great deals. But there are quite a few different realities on the island.

Touristy areas like Seminyak and Kuta are absolutely dead. The only tourism currently on the island is actually coming from Jakarta, so it gets a little busier on the weekends, but it is still not enough to make a difference in the tourism industry.

80% of Bali’s economy comes from tourism. Often one member of the family (a driver, a cook, a tour guide) provides for an entire family, and even entire villages. People are suffering, and it’s quite heartbreaking. If you feel compelled to help the beautiful people of this island, there is an amazing organization called Bali Food Bank that is helping feed families and it’s doing an incredible job.

Well, that’s all! I hope I covered everything! If you have any questions, drop me a message in the comment section, and I will be happy to try and answer.