E-Visa Introduced

The situation

The Indonesian government has launched an electronic visa (e-Visa) to streamline the visa application process.

A closer look

• Online process. The visa sponsor submits the e-Visa application by submitting the applicant's details, passport information and supporting documents into the online government portal.
• Replacement of visa labels and stickers. Once granted, the e-Visa will be sent via email and a separate application from an Indonesian consular post will no longer be needed for travel.

Impact

• Faster processing. Applicants will benefit from a simplified and faster overall visa and work permit application process. Whereas previously, the visa pre-approval (Telex) had to be converted into a visa sticker/label before the foreign national could enter Indonesia, applicants can now enter directly with the e-Visa received by e-mail, which should reduce the process by approximately three to five business days (though processing may be slightly delayed during the initial phase of implementation). The overall visa therefore now takes approximately six weeks to process, though this depends on system efficiency and government discretion.
• Increased access to applications. Foreign nationals applying for a work permit from locations where the Indonesian consular post is not equipped to issue visa labels and stamps no longer need to travel to another country or city to obtain their visa.

Background

• Purpose of online system. Through the new online application system, the government seeks to streamline the entry visa process (which will also help to minimize person-to-person contact during the COVID-19 pandemic), and to boost the country's foreign investment.
• Regional trend. The Indonesian government has been moving more immigration applications online in recent years. For example in July 2020, the government required that work permit cancellations be submitted through the employer’s online account; and in February 2017, the government announced that all visa pre-approval applications, including those required for the VITAS (Limited Stay Visa) and Multiple Entry Visit Visa applications, must be filed through the online government system. This is in line with a regional trend in the Asia Pacific region of streamlining application processes by replacing in-person submissions with online applications.

Looking ahead

The Indonesian government is likely to continue moving immigration applications online, both in order to streamline immigration applications as well as attract foreign investment.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19-related travel bans, restrictions and concessions, among other information, check Fragomen’s dedicated website.

We worked closely with PNB Immigration Law Firm to prepare this alert. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].