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World desk4 min

Visa and Arrival Card Scams: How Australians Can Check Before Paying

Check visa and arrival-card services through official destination links before entering passport or payment details. Indonesia’s arrival card, e-VOA and Bali levy are separate.
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Before paying for a visa or arrival form, confirm the service through the destination’s official immigration authority, embassy or consulate. Some third-party sites charge to submit applications, and some are scams; a fake or invalid visa can have serious consequences. Requirements differ by country, so do not assume every destination has an arrival card or uses the same official web address. Smartraveller explains how to avoid travel scams.

How to check whether a visa or arrival-card website is legitimate

  1. Start with official travel advice. Read the destination’s current entry requirements on Smartraveller, then follow its links to the relevant embassy, consulate or immigration authority. Smartraveller warns that travellers may be told to buy visas they do not need, or be charged for illegal or overpriced ones. Some third-party application sites are scams. See Smartraveller’s visa-scam advice.
  2. Check the exact web address. A professional-looking design or a search result at the top of a page does not establish that a site is official. Confirm that the destination’s government advice links to the service before entering passport or payment details.
  3. Work out what you are paying for. Identify whether the application is for a visa, an arrival card, a health declaration or a local visitor levy. Check whether the displayed amount is a government charge or an intermediary’s separate service fee. A fee-charging intermediary is not automatically fraudulent, but the official government link and a clear explanation of charges matter.
  4. Match the application to your trip and passport. Check names, passport details, dates and entry points before submitting. Errors can lead to extra costs or travel disruption.

Do not treat a country-code domain as a universal proof of legitimacy. For Indonesia, Smartraveller says official government sites include go.id; other countries may use different domains. Use the destination-specific link from official advice rather than relying on a general domain rule. Check Smartraveller’s Indonesia advice.

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Indonesia: the arrival card, e-VOA and Bali levy are separate

According to Smartraveller’s Indonesia advice as accessed on 7 October 2026, all international passengers entering Indonesia must complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card online within 72 hours (three days) before travel. Smartraveller warns that fake sites charge to submit the card; use the official government link in its advice and check the address before entering details. The Indonesian government’s official sites include go.id. Find the official arrival-card link via Smartraveller.

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What each payment covers

  • All Indonesia Arrival Card: An arrival document, not a visa. Follow the linked official instructions and confirm any current charge there.
  • e-VOA or VOA: Smartraveller lists the Indonesian e-VOA/VOA at IDR 500,000, with a small additional online processing fee for the e-VOA. It says travellers can apply through the Directorate General of Immigration e-Visa site or through All Indonesia after submitting the arrival card, and recommends applying at least 48 hours before travel.
  • Bali tourist levy: Smartraveller separately lists IDR 150,000 per foreign tourist entering Bali, subject to exemptions. This is a local tourist levy, not a visa charge.

Those amounts and procedures can change. Check the current official guidance before paying, and compare each requested charge with the document or service it is supposed to cover. Smartraveller’s Indonesia page has the current instructions and official links.

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Vietnam: an eVisa and a pre-arrival form are not the same thing

Smartraveller’s Vietnam advice distinguishes the required visa from a Digital Pre-Arrival Form. It says eligible arrivals at international airports including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Phu Quoc are encouraged to complete the form online within 72 hours of arrival. Expansion to other airports and land crossings was expected, but its timing was unconfirmed in the advice. Check the latest destination guidance to see whether the form applies to your route. Read Smartraveller’s Vietnam advice.

The advice also says travellers must have an appropriate visa before travel and should use the official eVisa website. Carefully compare the visa with the passport: a typo or omitted name can result in charges, denied boarding, refusal of entry or deportation. The pre-arrival form does not replace the visa.

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What to do if a caller claims to be DFAT

DFAT warned on 5 July 2022 that scammers had impersonated the department and used caller IDs that appeared to show DFAT Canberra or state-office numbers. DFAT says: “DFAT does not call members of the public requesting personal immigration details.” Hang up rather than disclose personal or passport information in response to an unsolicited call. Read DFAT’s phone-scam warning.

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How to report suspected visa or migration fraud

Some reporting routes apply specifically to fraud involving Australian visas or migration services, rather than a foreign arrival-card website. Home Affairs directs people to report suspected migration fraud to Border Watch; reports may be anonymous. It also identifies Scamwatch, operated by the ACCC, as a reporting option. If an overseas person or group targeted you, consider contacting local police or consumer-protection authorities where you live. See Home Affairs’ visa-scam guidance and reporting options.

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Home Affairs’ warnings about agents who provide false advice, take money without lodging an application or supply false documents concern people seeking an Australian visa. In Australia, paid immigration assistance must be provided by a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner. Consequences of immigration fraud can include financial loss, visa cancellation or refusal, future ineligibility, a return ban, or being stranded or sent home. For Australian visa matters, use official government channels, reputable travel agents, Australian Visa Application Centres or Australian diplomatic missions. Read Home Affairs’ guidance.

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