Indonesia: Widespread Protests May Affect Mobility and Immigration Processing
September 2, 2025
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At a Glance
- Widespread protests that began in Jakarta on August 25, 2025, driven by cost-of-living concerns, have spread to major cities in Indonesia and intensified, leading to crowd-control measures and localized transport disruptions.
- While immigration offices remain open, courier delays, appointment rescheduling, and slower processing are occurring in affected areas.
- Continued unrest may prolong operational slowdowns in Indonesia. Foreign nationals and employers should remain aware of the latest available information and safety measures.
The situation
Widespread demonstrations that began in Jakarta on August 25, 2025, have spread to several other major Indonesian cities, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, and Medan.
Background
Initially focused on cost-of-living concerns and government allowances, the protests intensified following a fatal incident during police crowd-control efforts. The unrest has resulted in casualties, damage to public facilities, and temporary disruptions to local transport services.
Impact
- Travel warnings. The U.S. Embassy in Indonesia has issued several demonstration alerts for Jakarta and Surabaya. The United Kingdom and Australia are advising travelers to avoid protest sites and monitor local developments.
- Transport impact. While no airspace or land border closures have been announced, localized public transport services have been disrupted. Repairs are ongoing in Jakarta.
- Immigration processing. While immigration offices remain open nationally currently, our client operations indicate processing delays in Jakarta and other affected areas, particularly for courier deliveries of passports and supporting documents.
- Appointments and reporting. Some foreign nationals are rescheduling residence permit (ITAS) renewal biometrics appointments for safety reasons. Police reporting (STM) processes may also face delays where local stations are impacted or restricted.
Looking ahead
Given the nature of the situation, affected foreign nationals and employers should remain abreast of the latest available information and safety measures.
Fragomen is closely monitoring the ongoing civil unrest across Indonesia. This alert provides the latest updates on mobility impacts and immigration considerations. Updates will continue as needed until the situation stabilizes.
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].
