Asia - Bali-Expediting Immigration & Customs Processing?

Hi-
Is there a service and/or agent to expedite the notoriously slow immigration and customs lines upon arrival at DPS?
Thanks.

If you apply for your visa in advance then you can skip the Visa on Arrival queues at DPS and go to the second set of immigration desks which are marked for Indonesians and for those with visas already.

Otherwise if you stay in a Club Room at the InterContinental Bali they have staff that will get you your visa and take you straight through the crew lane upon arrival - definitely a nice way to start a holiday in Bali. ^

Thanks alot. I'm actually staying at the Sofitel, and a representative notified me that the hotel offers "Airport Clearance" for $20. If that service minimizes the wait, then it's well worth the cost. In my experience, the Visa-On-Arrival line is far less stressful than the subsequent Immigration line.

I used such a service organised by my villa last year and it was so smooth. Didn't cost me much. I came across this earlier in the year, more expensive but with lounge access. Have not used it.

http://www.thebaliconcierge.com/airport-lounge-services.html#

How long does it usually take to get through the immigration? I'm also considering this service, as I'm worried that I may not be able to stand after 30 hours of travelling. :)

my total time to transit last year, including purchasing the Visa on Arrival, was ~5 minutes.

I waited about 5 minutes for the visa on arrival and another 10 for immigration and I was near the front of our planeload of passengers. I think the people at the tail end of the line spent more than 30 minutes total. Only 3 immigration lines were open when we arrived around 10PM.

Not many people on my flight had pre-bought their visa. If you buy yours before the trip you'll skip one line and get practically to the front of the line for immigration. Another tip, when the plane door opens, walk fast. The more people you pass on the way to immigration, the better your position in line will be.

I gather that some of you really have been fortunate (or perhaps I've been unfortunate), but whenever I've arrived at 1450 on CX785 from HKG, there always seem to be other planeloads of tourists and the VOA and immigration areas have been jammed. Maybe things have eased up since last summer.
Thanks to all for the advice.

DPS is getting better, it was so bad in 2007, a hour wait was the norm, but went through last week in 5 minutes, mid afternoon around 2ish and friends advise that the time to avoid is the JAL arrival which clogs up the system, as many of the paxs do not have the US$10 or US$25 for visas. If there are two of you travelling, arrange for one to line up with the passports with the hand luggage whilst the other pays for the visas and gets the receipts. Worked for us when last year when it was bad, I had to loudly advise there was a crowd in the toilet when I tried to enter the passport line though. regards bkkrop

Last May, I arrived on the evening SQ flight around 7:00 p.m. with a visa in my passport issued by the Indonesian Embassy in Washington. Wound up about 10th or 12th in line despite overtaking probably half the plane on the walk from the gate to immigration. For the first time, I saw pax making it through the Visa on Arrival lines much faster than I did. Even when the Indonesians line started taking foreigners, it still took a while. Not sure what the issue was, and it wasn't a big deal, but smooth is not really the watchword at DPS.

DPS is getting better, it was so bad in 2007, a hour wait was the norm, but went through last week in 5 minutes, mid afternoon around 2ish and friends advise that the time to avoid is the JAL arrival which clogs up the system, as many of the paxs do not have the US$10 or US$25 for visas. If there are two of you travelling, arrange for one to line up with the passports with the hand luggage whilst the other pays for the visas and gets the receipts. Worked for us when last year when it was bad, I had to loudly advise there was a crowd in the toilet when I tried to enter the passport line though. regards bkkrop

nice tip^

From the Indonesian Embassy website it states that if applying via mail one needs:
Tourist Visa Applicant
Please provide the following additional requirements:
Itinerary (original/copy) or a letter from travel agents, airline, steamship company, confirming the purchase of tickets into Indonesia (Note the officer may ask the copy of the original airplane ticket).
Letter of Employment, indicating the employment status of the applicant. For retiree, please submit proof of the retirement fund.
For students please provide letter of intent from the school stating that the student still enrolled at the school.
For Non-US citizen: Please provide Copy of US Permanent Residence/Visa/Valid I-20 from schools/ universities. Please be advised that applicant with a B1/B2 visa would not be processed. Such applicant suggested for obtaining Indonesian visa from country of origin/ country of residency.
Copy of bank statement, indicate the current applicant's fund at least two weeks prior to the date of obtaining visa, or a letter from the bank stating that the applicant has a sufficient fund.
Visa fee is US $45.00 and may be paid by cash, money order or company check payable to Embassy of Indonesia. Cash may be used only if the applicant applies in person at the Embassy. No personal check.

If I'm getting a visa upon arrival in Bali, I'm assuming that I just need a passport with 6 months expiration left, the $$, and a copy of our flights in/out of Bali.

nice tip^

From the Indonesian Embassy website it states that if applying via mail one needs:
Tourist Visa Applicant
Please provide the following additional requirements:
Itinerary (original/copy) or a letter from travel agents, airline, steamship company, confirming the purchase of tickets into Indonesia (Note the officer may ask the copy of the original airplane ticket).
Letter of Employment, indicating the employment status of the applicant. For retiree, please submit proof of the retirement fund.
For students please provide letter of intent from the school stating that the student still enrolled at the school.
For Non-US citizen: Please provide Copy of US Permanent Residence/Visa/Valid I-20 from schools/ universities. Please be advised that applicant with a B1/B2 visa would not be processed. Such applicant suggested for obtaining Indonesian visa from country of origin/ country of residency.
Copy of bank statement, indicate the current applicant's fund at least two weeks prior to the date of obtaining visa, or a letter from the bank stating that the applicant has a sufficient fund.
Visa fee is US $45.00 and may be paid by cash, money order or company check payable to Embassy of Indonesia. Cash may be used only if the applicant applies in person at the Embassy. No personal check.

I'm assuming that I just need a passport with 6 months expiration left, the $$, and a copy of our flights in/out of Bali.

The website spells out what the requirements are. Why would you assume you could get the visa with less than that?

The website spells out what the requirements are.
if applying for visa ahead of time.
Why would you assume you could get the visa with less than that?
I find it amazing that folks traveled to Bali with a letter of employment, I'm curious if you or others had this item with you.

if applying for visa ahead of time.

I find it amazing that folks traveled to Bali with a letter of employment, I'm curious if you or others had this item with you.

I understood your comment as regarding what one needs to submit to the Embassy to obtain the visa in advance.

The visa-on-arrival requirements may be different. I don't know, as I've never done that. I've always submitted the application to the Embassy in DC. And, yes, I have sent a letter of employment and all the other stuff they require.

I understood your comment as regarding what one needs to submit to the Embassy to obtain the visa in advance.

The visa-on-arrival requirements may be different. I don't know, as I've never done that. I've always submitted the application to the Embassy in DC. And, yes, I have sent a letter of employment and all the other stuff they require.

I guess I worded my original question poorly, it may have appeared that I was trying to skirt a requirement if applying via mail. I'm NOT applying via mail.

If I'm getting a visa upon arrival in Bali, I'm assuming that I just need a passport with 6 months expiration left, the $$, and a copy of our flights in/out of Bali.

Can someone who has obtained a visa upon arrival confirm that I do NOT need a letter of employment?

Arriving at 7PM from SIN in November, showed them Passport, Itinerary, and $10 US and shortly thereafter had VOA that filled one whole page in the passport. No other paperwork required.

The last 3 trips have always been with other flights arriving at the same time and never waited more than 5-10 minutes, just dont try to take any booze in