Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has introduced stricter procedures for extending stay permits, now requiring foreign nationals to apply in person at immigration offices across the country.
Effective May 29, all foreigners—including those on visas on arrival—must undergo a photo capture and interview at a local immigration office to process their stay permit extensions. The move marks a departure from the previous online-only system, where applicants could register and upload necessary documents through the evisa.imigrasi.go.id platform.
According to Acting Director General of Immigration Yuldi Yusman, the new policy is aimed at preventing abuse of stay permits and tightening the monitoring of sponsors responsible for foreign nationals in the country. The policy is also expected to enhance compliance with immigration laws.
The revised procedure applies to a wide range of visa types, particularly short-term stay permits, and aligns with Indonesia’s broader efforts to maintain better immigration control while continuing to support tourism growth.
Indonesia’s tourism sector has seen a steady recovery, welcoming 4.33 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first four months of 2025—a 5.6% increase from the same period in 2024.
While the new visa application rules may lengthen the extension process, officials believe the added oversight will safeguard the integrity of Indonesia’s immigration system and tourism policies.
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