Indonesia Allows Visitor Visa While Requiring Vaccine Passports
Indonesia Allows Visitor Visa While Requiring Vaccine Passports
(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia is allowing foreigners holding more types of visas, including visitor permits for tourism and education, to enter the country as long as they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Non-Indonesians with visitor visa, which can also be for family, journalistic or transit reasons, can enter the country, said Wiku Adisasmito, spokesman for the government’s Covid-19 task force. Those holding the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business travel cards, permits to stay for diplomatic and work purposes, or permanent or limited rights to stay, can also enter, according to a statement on the immigration office’s website.
Offshore visa applications have been reopened as of Thursday.
Southeast Asia’s largest economy has been shut to most foreign travelers since April last year amid the pandemic, only allowing certain visitors to enter for business essential purposes. The country had considered reopening its borders multiple times as the travel ban battered its tourism industry, while the threat of new coronavirus variants kept its borders closed.
Vaccine Passport
Indonesia will require proof of full vaccination in visa applications, as well as a statement to ensure that the visitor will comply with all health protocols and has health insurance, or is willing to independently pay for medical costs if they were to contract Covid-19.
International entry is only allowed through two airports in Jakarta and Manado as well as three sea ports in Batam, Riau and North Kalimantan in a bid to prevent the arrival of any new variants, according to a separate Transport Ministry statement. Entry by land is limited to arrivals through Entikong and Aruk in West Kalimantan.
Some travel-related stocks have gained after the announcement. Tour operator PT Panorama Sentrawisata surged 2%, while hoteliers PT Pudjiadi & Sons rose 4.9% and PT Hotel Sahid Jaya International gained as much as 16% to reach the highest in more than a month.
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