12 June 2015; Special Note; The Indonesian Government has finally confirmed visa free entry to these 30 extra countries. Continue here to read the most current rules on the Indonesian (tourist) Visas available.

Continue here to read a 25 January update on how the Indonesian Government decides against visa free entry for Australians.

The below press release was an answer to an earlier statement by Arief Yahya, the current minister of tourism, on 5 November 2014.

Press release by Heriyanto, public relation officer of the Indonesian Immigration department

Original Indonesian version of press release available at www.imigrasi.go.id

Free Visa for Short Visits – Presidential Decree No. 43 of 2011

Jakarta (01/05/2015) – Due to the latest development in regards to the information that Indonesia will expand the Free Visa for Short Visits to another five (5) countries, in addition to the existing fifteen (15) countries that have been set in Presidential Decree No. 43 In 2011, it was necessary to give the following explanation:

  1. In the information shared on the Internet, many foreigners (from the allegedly 5 countries who believe that they are exempt from Visa On Arrival) mention that they cannot obtain the allegedly free visa that was discussed. The foreign nationals of these 5 countries feel that they are citizens of countries that are exempt from the provision to have a visa for short visits that took effect in January 2015;
  2. To avoid misunderstandings due to the maze of information about Free Short Visit Visas submitted to the community, we emphasize that to this day, the provisions of the applicable law as the basis for the Free Short Visit Visa regulation to foreign citizens is the Presidential Decree No. 43 of 2011 which frees citizens of 15 (fifteen) countries to have a visa to enter the territory of Indonesia, namely: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Chile, Morocco, Peru, Vietnam, Ecuador, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar;
  3. Beyond the citizens of the countries specified in the provisions stipulated in Presidential Decree No. 43 of 2011, other nationals are still required to have a visa to enter Indonesia. The immigration officers on duty at the airport only implement the current laws;
  4. Although there have been proposals to expand the provision of Free Visa for Short Visits by adding 5 (five) other countries, namely China, Russia, Australia, South Korea and Japan, to this day there are still no new provisions in addition to the Presidential Decree No. 43 of 2011 which remains the guidance for the airport immigration officials.

Signed on 5 January 2015 by Heriyanto, public relation officer of the Indonesian Immigration department

Continue here to learn all about;

Content Protection by DMCA.com