Bali’s new autogates have been fully operational for just under a month.
The new autogates installed at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport are helping reduce queue times for both domestic travelers and international tourists.
Although autogates are now widely used in airports around the world, many travelers are yet to use the technology, so Bali Immigration has issued some hints and tips to help keep everyone moving.
I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport is now home to 90 autogates, with 60 in the arrivals hall and an additional 30 in the departure areas.
The autogates can be used by all Indonesian passport holders with an e-passport and all international travelers who have an e-passport and an e-visa.
This includes the e-visa on arrival. The autogates cut immigration processing times down to an average of 23 seconds, and staffed counters are always still open for those who wish to talk to an immigration officer on arrival.
The installation of the autogates has taken many months, and speaking at the official sign-off on the mega project, the Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, told reporters, “As one of the main gateways for Indonesian tourism, the average international arrival at TPI Ngurah Rai Airport reaches 18,000 – 21,000 people per day.”
He added, “With the autogate facility, the immigration inspection process only takes 15-25 seconds per person. This is a good breakthrough to smooth immigration inspection traffic, becoming more effective and efficient.”
As more tourists feel comfortable using the autogates, usage is increasing from both domestic travelers and international tourists.
However, initial figures show that around 67% of international travelers are using the autogates, and 62% of Indonesian passport holders are.
To help encourage more passengers to use the autogates, the Indonesian Immigration Agency has released a series of top tips and best practices to keep everyone moving through the autogates as efficiently as possible.
In a social media post, Immigration explains the common mistakes that mean that tourists are either denied entry through the autogates, are stopped by immigration officials, or cause delays for fellow users.
The first top tip is for passengers to remember not to step over the yellow line before their turn in the queue.
The thick yellow line on the ground is a marker for all autogate users waiting their turn to stand behind; this way, the passenger in front has sufficient space to enter the autogate passageway, and the queuing passengers do not interfere with the opening and closing of the gate mechanism, and are not caught by the ID scanning camera in the autogate itself.
The second is not to take photos or videos nor as selfies of the autogate and immigration area. This is a rule that applies to the staffed immigration counters, too. Photography and videography are not permitted, and anyone caught doing so may be subject to additional checks and questioning.
When standing in the queue to use the autogate, it’s a good idea to open the passport to the ID page, also known as the biometrics page, as this is the only page that the autogate will scan. Scanning the wrong passport page causes extra delays.
Wearing facial accessories such as sunglasses and face masks is prohibited since the autogate scanner needs a clear view of the face to conduct its automated checks. Hats, caps, and headphones must also be removed.
Bali Immigration is also advising travelers to keep an eye on their belongings as they pass through the autogates.
One of the most common mistakes immigration officers see is passengers walking off and leaving their hand luggage on the floor of the autogate passageway once the front gate opens.
For those who need additional support or for those who are expecting problems with the autogates, immigration staff is also supervising the autogates at all times.
Immigration staff at Bali Airport can speak a range of languages, and there are always English-speaking staff on hand to help travelers navigate the airport upon arrival and departure.