Indonesia – Five-Year Multiple-Entry Visitor Visas Now Available
Effective 28 June 2016, foreign nationals can apply for a multiple-entry visitor visa (Visa Kunjungan) valid for five years, rather than for just one year, as previously.
Another change is that former Indonesian citizens and their families with multiple-entry visitor visas can now have their initial 60-day stay permit extended twice for 60 days each time, for a total stay of 180 days before they have to leave the country and re-enter (under the same five-year multiple-entry visitor visa).
New Validity Period for Visitor Visa:
- A multiple-entry visitor visa was previously issued with a maximum validity of one year. This has now been extended to five years.
- The visitor visa (Visa Kunjungan) is intended for purposes other than business or tourism, such as visiting friends or relations or attending short study or training programmes.
Extending the Stay Permit of a Visitor Visa Holder
On arrival in Indonesia, a visitor visa holder is issued with a stay permit for a stay of up to 60 days.
- Single-entry visitor visa holders can extend this stay permit up to four times, for 30 days each time, for a maximum total stay of 180 days. The latest amendment does not change this rule.
- Most multiple-entry visitor visa holders cannot extend the stay permit, but can instead exit and re-enter the country for stays of up to 60 days each time, up to a (new) maximum of five years.
- Since the introduction of the latest amendment, however, multiple-entry visitor visa holders who are former Indonesian citizens or their families are allowed to extend their stay permit twice for 60 days each time, for a maximum total stay of 180 days, before they have to exit and re-enter the country on the same multiple-entry visitor visa.
- A multiple-entry visitor visa was previously issued with a maximum validity of one year. This has now been extended to five years.
- The visitor visa (Visa Kunjungan) is intended for purposes other than business or tourism, such as visiting friends or relations or attending short study or training programmes.
Note that any applications for visitor visas which have already been submitted but where the visa not yet been issued, will be processed using the amended regulations.
Furthermore, previously issued visitor visas and stay permits will keep their issued validity, and will not be affected by the recent amendment. The changes were introduced in Regulation No. 26 of 2016 which amends Government Regulation No. 31 of 2013 on the Implementation of Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration.
Action Items
- Note that pending and future multiple-entry visitor visas will be valid for five years;
- Note also that multiple-entry visitor visa holders who are former Indonesian citizens or their families are now allowed to extend their stay permit twice for 60 days each time, for a maximum total stay of 180 days, before they have to exit and re-enter the country on the same five-year multiple-entry visitor visa.