Indonesia is moving forward with plans to provide special visa exemptions to tourists from 20 countries that significantly impact its economy. This initiative, known as the Visa-Free Visit policy in Indonesia, is expected to be finalized before President Joko Widodo-Maruf Amin’s term concludes.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, shared insights during The Weekly Brief with Sandi Uno at Sapta Pesona Building, Jakarta, on Monday (8/7/2024): “We’ve received indications that the Visa-Free Visit initiative will be completed before the end of the current administration.”
Further progress on the Visa-Free Visit policy has entered its final stages, according to Nia Niscaya, Senior Expert at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.
“In the Presidential Regulation concerning Visa-Free Visits, Article 5 stipulates that the policy will be evaluated every six months,” explained Nia on Monday. She added that adjustments can be made through the Ministry of Law and Human Rights regulations.
Nia also clarified that the list of countries eligible for Visa-Free Visits includes 10 ASEAN nations and several additional countries.
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“However, there is provision for amendments to this list through the Ministry of Law and Human Rights regulations,” Nia stated.
Sandiaga emphasized that the selection of these 20 countries is based on their tourists’ substantial economic contributions to Indonesia.
Moreover, the considerations for these countries are aligned with security aspects.
According to a report from Kompas.com (7/12/2023), the countries proposed for Visa-Free Visits include Australia, China, India, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and the Netherlands.
Additionally, countries like Japan, Russia, Taiwan, New Zealand, Italy, and Spain are included, alongside Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and several other nations that have been significant investors in Indonesia.
This Visa-Free Visit policy in Indonesia aims to attract more tourists and boost Indonesia’s economy by simplifying the travel process for visitors from these key countries.
