Indonesia Joins South Korea and Mauritius in a Shock Digital Visa Revolution That Will Change Global Travel Forever
Indonesia Joins South Korea and Mauritius in a Shock Digital Visa Revolution That Will Change Global Travel Forever. This digital visa revolution is already reshaping how borders work. Travellers are no longer facing the same long queues and confusing paper forms. Instead, a new digital system is taking over. Indonesia joins this sweeping shift after South Korea and Mauritius moved first. Together, these destinations are setting a bold new standard for border control. The change feels sudden, even shocking, because it affects every stage of a trip. From planning to check-in to arrival, global travel will never feel the same again. As Indonesia joins South Korea and Mauritius in this transformation, travellers are being pushed to adapt fast. Those who understand this digital visa revolution early will find global travel easier, smoother, and far more predictable.
Digital transformation in three destinations
In 2026, three of the most visited destinations in Asia and the Indian Ocean region have been highlighted for the way digital systems have been introduced or strengthened to manage incoming travellers. Indonesia has been seen as advancing through the All Indonesia Arrival Card and a revamped Electronic Visa on Arrival system, widely known as eVOA. South Korea has been noted for the rollout of a mandatory e-Arrival Card from 1 January 2026, while still operating the K-ETA framework with special exemptions for 22 countries. Mauritius has been observed as modernizing through its All-in-One Travel Digital Form and by announcing a future Electronic Travel Authorization, or eTA, that has been intended to further streamline border formalities.
Across all three destinations, the common thread has been the replacement or reduction of paper-based forms with online platforms that must be used before departure. Travellers have been required or strongly encouraged to submit personal data, travel itineraries, health information, and customs declarations online, thereby enabling authorities to pre-screen arrivals and manage airport flows more efficiently. While each system has retained its own structure and requirements, the overall narrative has reflected a shared global move toward digital borders.
Indonesia in 2026: eVOA and All Indonesia Arrival Card
Indonesia’s approach in 2026 has been characterized by a dual digital architecture: a modernized Electronic Visa on Arrival system and a nationwide All Indonesia Arrival Card platform. Together, these systems have been designed to handle visa issuance and arrival formalities in a unified digital environment, greatly reducing reliance on paper forms at airports and seaports.
Modernization through eVOA
The eVOA has been positioned as the core mechanism for short-term visits to Indonesia during 2026, particularly for leisure and general tourism. It has been described as an online substitute for the traditional Visa on Arrival, enabling travellers from 97 eligible countries to secure their visa before boarding their flight, and to go directly to passport control without stopping at visa counters. In practice, this system has been aimed at reducing congestion in arrival halls and providing more predictability regarding entry conditions.
The eVOA has been categorized under the B1 code for tourism purposes, with a validity of 90 days from the date of issue. Within that validity window, a stay of 30 days per entry has been permitted, accompanied by the possibility of a single 30-day extension, resulting in a maximum of 60 days in-country on this visa. The extension has been required to be requested no later than 10 days before the initial stay period expires, and, following policy updates around May 2025, that extension has been required to be finalized through an in-person visit to a local immigration office. The official fee has been set at 500,000 Indonesian rupiah, roughly equivalent to 35 US dollars including card processing charges, and most applications have been processed within a timeframe of 24 to 72 hours. Each issued eVOA has been delivered as a PDF document featuring a unique number and QR code, intended to be stored on a mobile device or printed for presentation on arrival at immigration.
Document requirements and application process
A clear document checklist has been associated with the eVOA application. Applicants have been required to submit a colour scan or high-quality photo of the passport’s main bio page, with the passport having at least six months’ validity from the date of arrival. A recent passport-style photograph on a white background has been required, though a phone selfie meeting those criteria has been accepted. In addition, the full address of the intended accommodation in Indonesia has been requested, along with proof of a confirmed return or onward flight. At least two blank passport pages have been expected to be available for entry and exit stamps, and sufficient financial means, broadly indicated around the equivalent of 2,000 US dollars, have been expected to be demonstrable if requested.
A strict stance has been taken on the type of passport accepted. Emergency passports have not been recognized for eVOA purposes, and every traveller, including infants and children, has been required to hold an individual visa. This has ensured that family groups have been processed in the same digital framework, with each traveller’s details clearly linked to their own document.
The application journey has been routed through the official Indonesian eVisa portal at evisa.imigrasi.go.id. Prospective visitors have been instructed to register on the platform, select their nationality, and choose the Electronic Visa on Arrival option. The portal has then guided users through uploading passport and photograph images, entering accommodation and flight details, and completing payment by credit or debit card. Once the application has been submitted, a confirmation email containing a reference number has been issued. After approval, the PDF visa document with its QR code has been downloaded and either saved or printed for use at border control.
Eligible countries and visa-free nations
The eligibility of 97 countries for the eVOA and conventional Visa on Arrival has reflected Indonesia’s strategy to make access straightforward for many major source markets. A wide spread of Asian countries has been included, from India and China to Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asian partners such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Numerous European states, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and most EU and Schengen members, have been present on the list, alongside smaller states such as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican. The Americas have been represented by the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and others. From Oceania, Australia and New Zealand have joined Papua New Guinea and Fiji on the list, while the Middle East and Africa segment has included the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Seychelles.
Parallel to this, a compact group of 13 countries has continued to enjoy visa-free entry for 30-day tourist stays, which have not been extendable. That group has comprised Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. For these nationalities, short trips have been facilitated without the need for visa applications, although the digital arrival formalities have still needed to be respected.
Designated entry points and practical implications
The eVOA and Visa on Arrival systems have not been recognized across every single border facility in Indonesia. Instead, a defined list of international airports and seaports has been authorized to process these visas. On the aviation side, major gateways such as Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta and Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali have been central, alongside Juanda in Surabaya, Kualanamu in Medan, Sultan Hasanuddin in Makassar, Sam Ratulangi in Manado, Yogyakarta International Airport, Zainuddin Abdul Madjid in Lombok, Minangkabau in West Sumatra, and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II in Palembang. Key maritime entry points have included Benoa in Bali, several Batam seaports such as Batam Centre, Sekupang, Nongsa Pura, Harbour Bay, and Marina Teluk Senimba, Sri Bintan Pura in Tanjung Pinang, and Tanjung Balai Karimun in the Riau Islands.
This selective list has meant that travellers planning complex itineraries or overland border crossings have needed to confirm that their chosen point of entry has been eligible for eVOA or VoA processing. In practice, most international visitors have been channelled through the main airports and ports already equipped with these facilities, harmonizing the digital and physical aspects of border control.
The All Indonesia Arrival Card
Alongside the visa framework, Indonesia has introduced a comprehensive arrival declaration mechanism known as the All Indonesia Arrival Card. Since around September 2025, this digital form has been mandated for all arriving passengers, including Indonesian nationals and foreign visitors. It has been designed to replace multiple earlier tools, notably the SATUSEHAT Health Pass and the Electronic Customs Declaration, bringing together immigration, customs, health, and quarantine data in a single online submission.
The All Indonesia platform has been accessed through allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id and via a dedicated mobile application called All Indonesia, available on both major app stores. The system has supported Bahasa Indonesia, English, and Chinese, and has been offered entirely free of charge. Forms have been permitted to be submitted up to 72 hours before arrival, and typical completion time has been estimated at under three minutes for an individual traveller. By October 2025, usage of this digital card has been made mandatory at all international airports across the country, indicating a nation-wide adoption rather than a pilot limited to major hubs.
Travellers have been asked to provide personal details such as full name, date of birth, and nationality; passport numbers and validity dates; airline or shipping details including flight or vessel number and dates of arrival and departure; and the hotel name and address or other accommodation in Indonesia. A health section has captured information on any recent symptoms and countries visited in the previous 21 days, while a customs section has required disclosure of animals, plants, restricted items, number of baggage pieces, and even IMEI numbers of electronic devices in certain cases. Once submitted, a QR code has been generated, which has needed to be presented, either on a device or in printed form, to immigration and customs officers upon arrival.
Bali tourism levy and overstay rules
One more digital element has been added for Bali-bound travellers in the form of a dedicated tourism levy. Visitors to the island have been required to pay 150,000 Indonesian rupiah, around 10 US dollars, as a contribution to cultural preservation and environmental sustainability initiatives. This levy has been separate from visa costs and has had to be settled before or during arrival, often via online channels.
Indonesia has also maintained strict penalties for overstaying a visa. Fines of 1,000,000 rupiah per day of overstay have been imposed, with longer overstays leading to detention and deportation. Overstays beyond 60 days have been treated particularly harshly, usually resulting in automatic detention, enforced departure, and an entry ban from Indonesia. These rules have underlined the importance of aligning travel plans closely with visa validity and staying attentive to extension deadlines where applicable.
South Korea in 2026: e-Arrival Card and K-ETA
South Korea’s border modernization has been built on two pillars: a mandatory e-Arrival Card for all foreign travellers and the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization for nationals of visa-free countries and territories. Together, these digital instruments have been designed to manage both short-term visitors and longer-term entrants in a streamlined way.
The e-Arrival Card as a new standard
From 1 January 2026, the e-Arrival Card has been made mandatory for foreign nationals entering South Korea. This digital form has replaced the familiar paper arrival card that used to be distributed in-flight or at airport counters. The card has been accessible via the official portal at e-arrivalcard.go.kr, and it has been offered free of charge. Travellers have been expected to submit their information within the 72-hour window preceding their arrival in Korean territory, with times calculated according to Korea Standard Time.
A transition period through the end of 2025 has been implemented, during which both paper and digital options were accepted. After that, the digital version has become the sole standard, and the change has been accompanied by guidance that large groups, up to 1,000 travellers, could be processed through desktop access, while smaller groups of up to nine people could be handled via mobile devices. Multiple language options, including English, have been provided to make the system usable for a wide range of visitors.
The obligation to complete the e-Arrival Card has been applied to all foreign arrivals, but with several exemptions. Korean citizens and foreign residents who hold valid resident cards have been exempted, as have travellers holding a valid K-ETA approval, crew members on duty, and specific participants in group e-visa programs. Transit passengers who have not passed through immigration checks have not needed to submit the form either. For everyone else, the card has been treated as a prerequisite to smooth entry.
The information requested has covered personal identity details, passport number and expiry date, date of birth, and gender, along with travel information such as mode of arrival, arrival date and flight number, departure arrangements, purpose of visit, accommodation address, email contact, and occupation category. Once the form has been submitted, a confirmation has been sent and an issuance number generated. That number has been recommended for safekeeping but, importantly, has not needed to be printed or shown physically; the data has been transmitted directly to Korean immigration systems, enabling a fully digital arrival declaration.
Post-submission, edits to key details such as purpose of entry, place of stay, or departure date have been permitted before immigration inspection, using the issuance number or email to retrieve the record. However, the arrival date has been modifiable only within a three-day window from the original submission, which has emphasized the need for accurate timing.
K-ETA and its evolving exemption lists
K-ETA has remained a separate but tightly related scheme. It has been required for travellers from 112 visa-exempt countries and regions who intend to enter South Korea without a traditional visa. Implemented fully in September 2021, K-ETA has functioned as a pre-travel authorization, confirming that a visitor meets entry criteria before boarding.
Applications have been submitted via the official website at k-eta.go.kr or through the K-ETA mobile app. The fee has stood at 10,000 Korean won, typically around seven to ten US dollars, and approvals have usually been issued within 30 minutes, although manual checks have sometimes extended this to 24 hours. The authorization has remained valid for three years or until the associated passport expires, whichever comes first, and it has allowed multiple entries during that period. Authorities have recommended that applications be completed at least 72 hours in advance of departure.
Holding a valid K-ETA has brought specific advantages. Travellers with this authorization have not needed to submit an e-Arrival Card, since their data has already been in the system, and they have been allowed to use dedicated K-ETA immigration lanes, often enjoying shorter processing times upon arrival.
At the same time, South Korea’s Ministry of Justice has maintained a temporary exemption from K-ETA for nationals of 22 countries and regions, and this exemption has been extended through the end of 2026. This group has included Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Macao in Asia; the United States (including Guam) and Canada in the Americas; major Western European economies such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain; additional European states such as Poland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, and Austria; and Australia and New Zealand in Oceania. Travellers from these countries have not been required to hold K-ETA in order to enter visa-free, but they have still needed to complete the e-Arrival Card unless they chose to apply voluntarily for K-ETA. When they have opted to secure K-ETA, they have then been exempt from the arrival card and allowed to use K-ETA lanes, illustrating a flexible but interconnected architecture.
For the remaining visa-exempt nations—approximately 90 countries—K-ETA has remained mandatory, including many states in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. The duration of stay permitted in Korea has depended on the specific bilateral or multilateral agreements in place. For example, Canadian citizens have been allowed six-month stays, many European and allied countries have been granted stays of up to 90 days, and certain others have been given limits of 30, 60, or three months. Mauritius has been included among countries generally allocated a 30-day stay period under these arrangements.
Mauritius in 2026: All-in-One Form and future eTA
Mauritius has been following a similar path of digitization, albeit with a different configuration. A functional All-in-One Travel Digital Form has already been in place, and a new Electronic Travel Authorization has been announced but not yet operational by early 2026.
The All-in-One Travel Digital Form
The Mauritius All-in-One Travel Digital Form has been live since December 2021. It has been created to consolidate immigration, customs, and health data into a single online interface, largely in response to the need for comprehensive health surveillance during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Access has been provided through the official government platform at safemauritius.govmu.org, and the service has been entirely free for users.
All non-Mauritian nationals, whether visiting for tourism, business, or longer-term stays, have been expected to complete this form before travelling, regardless of whether they required a visa. Mauritian citizens have been exempted from this obligation. Official guidance has recommended that the form be submitted at least three days prior to arrival, and completion has generated a PDF file containing a QR code. That document has then been required to be printed and presented to health or immigration officials on arrival at the main international airport.
The data captured has included personal identifiers such as full name, nationality, and passport information; travel details such as flight or vessel number and arrival date; purpose of visit, with options including tourism and business; full accommodation address in Mauritius; phone and email contacts; and a health declaration, which has covered symptoms and vaccination status, including the presence of a Yellow Fever certificate for travellers coming from affected regions. Emergency contact details have also been part of the form.
All foreign travellers arriving by air, land, or sea have been covered by this requirement, with only transit passengers remaining exempt so long as they have not passed through immigration. Children have been included in the system as well. Those under 12 years of age have been allowed to be added to a parent’s application, while those aged 12 or older have needed their own individual forms.
Where the digital form has not been completed in advance, foreign travellers have been asked to fill out a paper Immigration Disembarkation Card on arrival, which has tended to extend processing times and has sometimes led to longer queues. Self-service kiosks and staff support have been made available at airports to assist those who have not completed the form or experienced difficulties with the online process.
Visa policy, categories, and basic requirements
Mauritius has been known for its relatively liberal visa regime. Many nationalities have been allowed visa-free entry, while others have been offered visas on arrival for specified durations. The general ceiling for tourist stays has been set at six months in a calendar year, subject to approval on a case-by-case basis by immigration authorities.
At a structural level, four main visa categories have been outlined. Travellers from a wide range of countries have not required any visa in advance or on arrival and have had their permissible stay stamped directly into their passports at the border. A second group has received a 60-day visa on arrival, covering various countries across different regions. A smaller group has been eligible only for two-week stays on arrival, including countries such as Algeria, Iran, Madagascar, Myanmar, and Nigeria. A final group consisting of states such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen has been required to obtain a visa in advance by applying through Mauritian diplomatic channels.
A substantial list of countries has been included among those not needing visas. In Asia, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives, and Brunei have been counted. Across Europe, all European Union members, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Croatia have been included. In the Americas, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay have been among those granted visa-free access, while in Oceania, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Nauru, Kiribati, and Tuvalu have been present on the list. The Middle East and Africa have seen visa-free access for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Israel, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Seychelles, and additional states.
For nationals who have been obliged to obtain a visa before travel, a standard documentation bundle has been required. It has generally comprised a completed visa application form, two recent passport-sized photographs, photocopies of the passport’s data pages, and proof of a valid residence permit when the applicant has lived outside their own country. A copy of the ticket to the country of origin or residence has been needed, along with a recent bank statement, hotel reservations with contact details, sponsorship letters if a local sponsor has been involved, a business letter for business visas, or a covering letter from a ministry or institution for official events or workshops.
Beyond visas, general entry requirements have been applied to all travellers. A valid passport with at least one blank page and validity covering the entire planned stay has been expected, with some guidance recommending at least 30 days of minimum validity beyond entry. Proof of onward or return travel has been needed, as has evidence of sufficient funds, adherence to the All-in-One Travel Digital Form requirements, and presentation of a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate where travel from endemic regions has been involved.
Mauritius has also maintained a range of visa types tailored to different purposes. Tourist visas have been associated with leisure stays of up to six months in a year, business visas have allowed up to 120 days per calendar year with a 90-day maximum per trip, social visas have covered religious or socio-cultural activities for up to 45 days, and multiple-entry visas have been available to foreign business persons, again with a 120-day annual cap. Transit visas have been designed for short, sub-24-hour stays while moving on to third countries, medical visas have covered treatment periods up to six months, and a Premium Travel Visa has supported remote workers and long-stay visitors for up to one year.
Announced Mauritius eTA
Looking ahead, Mauritius has announced the introduction of an Electronic Travel Authorization intended to streamline and digitize border control procedures even further. This eTA has been positioned as a tool that would shorten queues, simplify processes for visitors and citizens, and integrate with broader digital identity and security systems. The announcement has been made at a high-profile hospitality industry event, highlighting the strategic importance of tourism for the country.
However, as of early 2026, key operational details have not yet been finalized or publicly released. No firm launch date has been communicated, and it has not been confirmed whether the eTA will be required for all travellers or only for specific groups such as visa-exempt nationals. Fee structures, validity periods, rules on permitted lengths of stay, and the interface between the eTA and existing visa-on-arrival or advance visa categories have remained under discussion. It has also not yet been clarified whether an interim period will see the eTA running alongside current paper or digital systems.
In that context, official advice has warned travellers against engaging with third-party websites that already advertise Mauritius eTA services. Until an official portal and policy are published by the Mauritian government, no genuine eTA application has been required or possible. Travellers have therefore been advised to continue following current entry rules and to rely on the All-in-One Travel Digital Form as the principal pre-arrival requirement.
Comparative landscape and traveller guidance
In joined perspective, Indonesia, South Korea, and Mauritius in 2026 have been perceived as converging on a similar model: digital pre-arrival declarations and authorizations are being used to replace paper bureaucracies and to allow border agencies to make risk assessments before travellers land.
In Indonesia, the key tools have been the eVOA and All Indonesia Arrival Card, supplemented by the Bali tourism levy and strict overstay sanctions. In South Korea, the combination of e-Arrival Card and K-ETA has been used to manage visa-free travellers and short-stay visitors. In Mauritius, the All-in-One Travel Digital Form has been supported by a flexible visa policy and a forthcoming eTA.
For travellers planning itineraries to these destinations, several practical themes have been emerging. Official government websites and portals have needed to be used exclusively in order to avoid unnecessary fees or scams. Digital forms have been best submitted within a 72-hour window before arrival, or at least three days in the Mauritius case, to ensure ample processing time. Passport validity has needed to be carefully checked, with Indonesia particularly insisting on six months’ validity and all three destinations expecting sufficient validity to cover the full stay. Evidence of onward travel and adequate financial means has been prudent to carry, and digital confirmations, QR codes, and reference numbers have needed to be stored on mobile devices and, ideally, printed as backup.
Travellers heading to Indonesia have been advised to remember that the eVOA and the All Indonesia Arrival Card are separate obligations and that a Bali visit entails an additional levy. Visits to South Korea have required attention to the interplay between K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card, especially for citizens of the 22 countries temporarily exempt from K-ETA through 2026. Passengers bound for Mauritius have been encouraged to comply fully with the All-in-One Travel Digital Form and to keep track of developments regarding the future eTA, while treating any current eTA offers with caution until official channels have been publicly announced.
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Indonesia Joins South Korea and Mauritius in a Shock Digital Visa Revolution That Will Change Global Travel Forever appeared first on
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