What the Indonesia eVoA is
The Indonesia eVoA (Electronic Visa on Arrival) is a digital permit you get before departure for a 30-day single-entry stay. Citizens of 97 eligible nationalities apply online through the official immigration portal. Your Indonesia eVoA photo is uploaded during this application, so you need a digital photo file, not a printed photo. The eVoA is valid at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali and other qualifying airports, seaports and land crossings, and the photo rules do not change with the entry point.
Indonesia visa photo size explained
The Indonesia eVoA photo must be at least 400 × 600 pixels, width by height, in a portrait 2:3 ratio. A smaller image fails the upload step outright. The portal sets no maximum pixel size, but a bigger image also means a bigger file. In our template the head fills about 70% of the photo height from hair to chin, with a margin of about 7% of the photo height above the hair, so the face fills enough of the frame for comparison with your passport data. Too close or too far from the camera, and the face sits outside the expected band, which is why the online tool crops your visa photo to the correct size for you.
File format and file size
The portal accepts JPEG, JPG and PNG files only. HEIC, the default format on many iPhones, and WebP, common for screenshots, fail at upload without a clear error message. File size is the most practical trap: modern smartphones produce photos far larger than the limit, and the portal gives little feedback. Two figures appear on the same official site: the eVoA information page states 200 KB, while the registration page states 2 MB. A photo file under 200 KB satisfies both limits, so check the file size of your Indonesia visa photo before you submit it online. Our online maker sets the photo size in pixels for you.
Background colour
No page on the official imigrasi.go.id portal names a required background colour for the Indonesia eVoA photo. Our template uses a red background for the photo; independent travel guides often describe plain white. Whatever colour you choose, the background should be smooth and plain, with no patterns, objects or shadows behind your head.
How to apply for the eVoA online
The application is made on evisa.imigrasi.go.id. You register an account as a foreign national, select the B1 Tourist (Visa on Arrival) type for a 30-day stay, upload your passport biodata page and face photo, complete the form with your personal details, local address and travel information, then review, submit and pay by credit card. Up to 5 people can be included in one application, and each person needs their own eVoA photo that meets the same digital photo size and file specifications. The approved eVoA arrives by email as a PDF; bring a printed copy to the immigration counter.
Arrival card, Bali levy and extension
All travellers must also submit a separate digital arrival card through the same portal within 3 days before arrival. Travellers entering through Bali pay the separate Bali Tourist Levy on a different platform. The eVoA can be extended once for 30 more days at an immigration office, between 14 days and 1 day before it expires. For the extension, the office takes a new photo on site and asks for formal dress with shoes, knees, shoulders and chest covered; that rule applies only to the in-person photo, not to the eVoA photo you upload online.
Why Indonesia eVoA photos get rejected
The portal does not explain why a photo failed, so many travellers upload the same photo again and again. The usual causes are simple: a photo that is too small or too large in file size, a HEIC file, a blurry photo, or a photo taken too close to the camera. Photos of objects, scenery, documents or animals are rejected, because the photo must show a human face. Some applicants also report a "photo mismatch" error when the uploaded face does not register as matching the passport holder; a recent, well-lit, forward-facing photo reduces this risk. Fixing the photo size and format before you start saves a restart of the whole Indonesia visa application.
eVoA photo checklist
- Correct photo size: at least 400 × 600 pixels, portrait.
- JPEG, JPG or PNG file, not HEIC or WebP.
- File size under the portal limit; under 200 KB is safe.
- Plain background with no shadows or patterns.
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes fully open.
- Recent, sharp colour photo of your face only.
Children, glasses and head coverings
The official portal publishes no separate photo guidance for children, so apply the same digital specifications as for adults. It also does not address glasses or religious head coverings. As a general biometric principle, keep your eyes fully visible and your face unobscured. Other documents from the same country have their own formats, for example the Indonesia visa photo and the Indonesian passport photo with a red background.
