indonesia allows new visa application for foreigners in the updated immigration policy

Jhoni Ginting, The Director General of Immigration recently said that the foreigners who entered Indonesia with visa-free access are now required to apply for the telex visa to enable their other permits including stay and only then they will be allowed to stay in the country. 

Jhoni explained the additional provisions and steps that are to be taken for different permit holders which effectively confirms and allows the most foreigners to stay in the country as long as they comply with the official steps. This circular was issued after the lash back and the confusion caused by the updated immigration policy which went effective from July 13.

This new update includes all the foreigners who entered through visa free access, temporary stay permits and permanent stay permits and now have those permits expired. All foreigners falling in these categories are required to apply for a telex visa using the Immigration’s online application system.

The term “telex visa” is used to refer to a recommendation letter pre-approved by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration for prospective visa applicants, which must then be delivered to and processed at Indonesian embassies abroad in order to obtain the actual visa.

Since these are unprecedented times foreigners which fall in the category of telex visa can also simply apply for ITAS or visitor permits while making the mandatory payment to Immigration without having to leave Indonesia.

You can go through the full circular here In Indonesian here. The authenticity has been confirmed with Putu Suhendra, who heads the information department at the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office.

These changes came after over a week when Immigration announced the new policy, which concluded the end to the emergency stay permits that were issued due to travel restrictions at the beginning of corona virus outbreak.