Jakarta Globe, Novy Lumanauw, Jun 12, 2015
Visitors at Fatahillah square, the heart of Jakarta's old town known locally known as Kota Tua. (AFP photo/ Romeo Gacad) |
Jakarta.
The Indonesian government this week finally formalized a visa-free travel
regulation that was announced months ago for citizens from 45 countries, in a
bid to boost tourism and improve relations with those countries.
President
Joko Widodo signed the presidential regulation on visa-free travel for tourists
on Tuesday.
“Visa-free
travel is offered to citizens of several countries and special administrative
regions in consideration of the importance of reciprocity and benefits,”
Indonesia’s Cabinet Secretariat website quoted from the regulation, in a post published on Friday. “Those citizens are allowed to stay for 30 days but the
visit permit can’t be extended or changed to other stay permits.”
The
regulation was originally set to take effect in April.
Citizens
from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as
from several other states could already travel to the country visa-free, but
the complete list of visa-free states and territories is now:
Singapore,
Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines,
Chile, Morocco, Peru, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Russia, South Korea,
Japan, United States, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany,
France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Austria,
Denmark, Norway, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Qatar, United Arab
Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and South Africa.
Australians,
the third-largest group of foreign visitors after Singaporeans and Malaysians
according to the latest available Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data, will
still need a visa to enter the country, although tourists can buy one on
arrival.
The five
international airports through which citizens of the 45 countries and
territories can enter Indonesia visa-free are Soekarno-Hatta in Jakarta, Ngurah
Rai in Bali, Kuala Namu in Medan, Juanda in Surabaya and Hang Nadim in Batam.
Sri Bintan
and Tanjung Uban seaports in Bintan Island and Sekupang and Batam Center ports
in Batam will also provide the facility.
No comments:
Post a Comment