Autogates let you clear passport control in Indonesia without dealing with an officer: the system reads your passport, matches your face against the photo and records your entry electronically. At the airports in Bali and Jakarta this can noticeably cut the time it takes to get through control, especially in high season.
But it is important that your entry is correctly recorded in the system. A mistake at the autogate may come to light later — for example, when you extend your visa or leave the country.
Who can use an autogate
Foreigners can use an autogate if they have:
- a biometric passport with an electronic chip;
- an electronic entry permit: an e-VOA, an electronic visa of category C or D, a KITAS or a KITAP.
KITAS and KITAP holders also need to have their biometrics registered.
If the VOA is issued at the airport counter after you land, you have to clear passport control with an officer.
Don’t forget All Indonesia
Before your trip you need to fill in the All Indonesia electronic arrival card. It combines the data required for immigration, customs and health control.
The form is free and is filled in on the official All Indonesia website or in the app. You can do this within three days before arrival or after you land, but it is easier to complete it in advance. Once you have filled it in, you will receive a QR code.
All Indonesia does not replace a visa or any other entry permit.
Children can use autogates too
As of 26 August 2024, the minimum age for using autogates was lowered from 14 to 6 years. A child aged 6 or over needs their own biometric passport and a valid entry permit.
Children under 6 must go through control with an officer.
This is particularly important: you cannot go through the autogate yourself and simply carry a small child through in your arms. If you do, the child’s entry may go unregistered.
What mistakes happen in practice
Legal Indonesia has dealt with cases where parents carried a small child through the autogate without the child’s passport being checked. The problem surfaced later, when no record of the child’s entry could be found in the immigration system.
A similar situation arises if a passenger mistakenly walks past both the autogates and the officers’ counters. Not having a physical stamp after an autogate is normal, but there must always be an electronic record of the border crossing.
How to use an autogate correctly
Fill in All Indonesia in advance and check that your passport and entry permit are suitable for automated control. At the autogate, take the cover off your passport and remove your glasses and headwear. Place the photo page on the scanner and look into the camera.
Once the check is successful, the gates will open and your entry will be recorded electronically. No stamp is put in your passport.
If the autogate does not read your passport, try placing it more evenly or use the terminal next to it. If you still cannot get through, speak to an immigration officer.
What to do if your entry was not registered
If you find that you went through control incorrectly or that a child’s entry was not recorded, it is best to contact the immigration service as soon as possible. You will need passports, visas, air tickets, boarding passes and any other proof that you arrived in Indonesia legally.
Legal Indonesia helps sort out situations like these, prepares the documents needed for an application to immigration, and can also arrange an e-VOA, other electronic visas and the All Indonesia card in advance.
If you are travelling with children or are not sure whether your passport or visa will work at an autogate, it is best to check before you fly.
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