UAE-Indonesia Travel: New Visa-On-Arrival Service for 97 Countries Announced

UAE residents from 97 eligible countries will soon be able to receive an electronic visa on arrival (e-VoA) when traveling to Indonesia, thanks to a new partnership between the country and VFS Global.

Announced on Wednesday, the collaboration will streamline the visa application process, offering travelers a quicker and more efficient way to obtain their visa before arrival.

Set to be active by the first half of December 2024, the new e-VoA platform is meant to streamline travel for UAE citizens eligible for the visa. By letting users finish the whole application procedure online, the platform will save time and ease the burden of standing in big queues at the airport, By completing the necessary paperwork and paying the visa fees using the VFS Global website, visitors will be able to obtain a pre-approved e-VoA.

Travelers will pay IDR 500,000, roughly Dh120, for their visa and an extra VFS Global service fee of IDR 230,000, or roughly Dh50. This will pay for the entire cost of the service, therefore guaranteeing a quicker and more seamless arrival into Indonesia. Once a payment has been made online, travelers can enjoy quick access via e-gates or traditional immigration counters at the airport, as VFS Global notes.

This advancement complements a larger initiative to improve Indonesian travel experiences and tourism. Apart from making the visa application more user-friendly, the e-VoA system has other tools meant to enhance the experience for candidates, To automatically pop application details, for instance, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology will be applied, therefore lowering mistakes and accelerating the procedure. Particularly helpful for bigger travel groups, such those headed for conventions or group trips, the portal will also feature a group booking system.

VFS Global has worked extensively with Emirates to enable its customers to access this service as naturally as feasible, Those traveling Emirates to any Indonesian location will be asked to apply for their e-VoA straight through the airline's website, which will thereafter direct them to the VFS Global portal. This integration guarantees that guests have everything ready before they leave, thereby enabling them to enter Indonesia without any difficulties.

VFS Global is also making sure that travellers using their e-VoA applications have help accessible. With intentions to build more offices in Australia shortly, the company has set aside specific counters at its offices in Dubai, Mumbai, and Shanghai for Indonesia e-VoA services, These facilities are intended to offer anyone needing assistance with the application process in-person support. The company will also provide customer service in seven languages: English, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, German, and French, therefore guaranteeing that aid is available to a broad spectrum of candidates.

Founder and CEO of VFS Global Zubin Karkaria stressed the advantages of this new digital offering. He underlined how it will significantly improve the visa application experience for visitors, therefore strengthening the security, efficiency, and user-friendliness of the process, Through better convenience and peace of mind, the service hopes to increase tourism to Indonesia by streamlining the procedure and providing pre-approval choices.

The e-VoA system also includes tools to guarantee that every application's provided document is accurate and whole, This covers technologies for verifying missing or inaccurate data, therefore lowering the likelihood of immigration delays or rejections. These tests 

included into the application procedure help the platform guarantee a better travel experience for people coming to Indonesia.

UAE citizens as well as nationals from numerous nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Japan, and many more will be able to use this new e-VoA service. Indonesia's dedication to welcome a wide spectrum of foreign visitors and ensure that the visa application process is as inclusive as feasible is shown by the extensive list of 97 qualified nations.

This new project between Indonesia and VFS Global represents a major advance in streamlining the visa application procedure for UAE citizens and visitors from other qualified nations, Along with alliances with airlines like Emirates, the e-VoA platform will give a more flawless and quick travel experience for tourists visiting Indonesia, therefore supporting the country's continuous attempts to improve its transport infrastructure and increasing tourism.