Outbreak of Coronavirus: Indonesian Government Policy Updates on Travel and Immigration Restrictions

published on 12 March 2020 | reading approx. time 4 minutes

I. Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation Number 7 of 2020 concerning Visa and Residence Permit Granting in an Effort to Prevent a Coronavirus Outbreak

Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation Number 7 of 2020 (the “Regulation”) was issued to control and restrict the access of Chinese citizens and/or other foreign citizens coming from the territory of the People’s Republic of China to Indonesia in light of the Coronavirus outbreak. Visiting Visa and Visiting Visa on Arrival are temporarily restricted for Chinese citizens and/or other foreign citizens who have resided in and/or visited the People’s Republic of China within 14 days before entering Indonesia.

 
Below please find the conditions for the restricted grant of travelers´ visa and other Indonesian immigration permits:

1. Visa Applications in the People’s Republic of China

Visiting Visa and Limited Stay Visa may be granted to foreign citizens applying for a visa with Foreign Service Officials at the Indonesian Diplomatic Representations in the People’s Republic of China in accordance with the laws and regulations if they do fulfill the following requirements:

1. Having a health certificate stating he/she is free from the coronavirus, issued by health authorities of his/her country of origin in English (“Coronavirus-Free Health Certificate”);
2. Having solely stayed for the past14 days in territories of the People’s Republic of China that are free from the coronavirus; and
3. Providing a statement of consent to the following:
   •   to enter into quarantine administered by the Indonesian government for 14 days; or
   •   to stay/transit for 14 days in other countries free from the coronavirus before entering Indonesia.
    
   Entry Stamps shall be provided on the travelers’ passports by immigration authorities pursuant to health examinations.

2. Visa Applications in Other Countries and Emergency Re-entry Permits

Chinese citizens applying for Visiting Visa and Limited Stay Visa with Indonesian Diplomatic Representatives in other countries free from the coronavirus also have to meet similar requirements:

1. Having a valid Coronavirus-Free Health Certificate,
2. Providing a statement of consent to the following:
   •   to enter into quarantine administered by the Indonesian government for 14 days ; or
   •   to stay/transit for 14 days in other countries free from the coronavirus before entering Indonesia.

Entry Stamps shall be provided on the travelers’ passports by immigration authorities pursuant to health examinations. If these requirements are not fulfilled, the visa application will be declined.

 
The same requirements and terms shall also apply to the application for Emergency Re-entry Permits for foreign citizens holding an Indonesian Permanent Residence Permit and coming from the People’s Republic of China.

3. Emergency Residence Permit and Extension of Existing Permits

Emergency Residence Permits in Indonesia may be granted to the following group of foreign citizens:

1. Chinese citizens
2. Foreign citizens holding a residential permit in the People’s Republic of China, or
3. Husbands, wives or children of Chinese citizens
    

This Emergency Residence Permit is only granted in connection with the coronavirus outbreak as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), and in the event that there is no vehicle available to transport the Chinese citizens and/or other foreign citizens from the territory of Indonesia to the People’s Republic of China.
 
The Emergency Residence Permit will not be granted to current holders of a residential permit or limited stay permit still valid and extendable according to the laws and regulations. However, the extension of existing Limited Residential Permits held by Chinese citizens may be granted, provided that such permit has not yet exceeded the maximum term of 6 (six) years.

 
Extensions of Indonesian Limited and Permanent Residence Permits held by foreign citizens who are staying in the territory of the People’s Republic of China at the time of application may be carried out on behalf of his/her name by his/her sponsor.

On the effective enforcement date of this Regulation, i.e. 28 February 2020, the Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation Number 3 of 2020 is revoked and declared invalid.

II. Temporary Travel Restrictions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Source: Official Page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 
There has been a significant raise in Coronavirus or COVID-19’s cases outside the territory of the People’s Republic of China all over the world, especially in Iran, Italy, and South Korea (“Restricted Countries”). For a temporary period, the Indonesian government implements the following special policies relating to travelers coming from such Restricted Countries:
 

Iran: Tehran, Qom, and Gilan
Italy: Lombardi, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Marche, and Piedmont
South Korea: Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province

2. Travelers from the Restricted Countries outside of the territories mentioned above are required to obtain a health certificate (Surat Keterangan Sehat) issued by the health authorities in the respective countries. The health certificate must still be valid and has to be presented to the airline during check-in. Travelers without such health certificate will be denied access to or transit through Indonesia.

 
3. Before landing, travelers from the Restricted Countries are required to fill in a Health Alert Card (Kartu Kewaspadaan Kesehatan) prepared by the Ministry of Health of Indonesia. In this Health Alert Card, questions regarding the passenger´s travel history must be answered, and if the traveler has been traveling to one of the above territories within the past 14 days, the traveler will be denied access to or transit through Indonesia.

 
4. Indonesian citizens who have been traveling to the Restricted Countries and specifically to the above territories must undergo additional health checks upon arrival at Indonesian airports.

 
This policy has been effective as of Sunday, 8 March 2020, at 00.00 am WIB for a temporary period, and will be evaluated in accordance with the further development of circumstances.