Indonesia Formally Waives Visa Requirements for 45 Countries

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.