TimorNewsNetwork

On-arrival visa up to 60 days

Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 01/28/2010 9:30 AM | Headlines

Foreign tourists and businesspeople from 64 countries have welcomed the new policy allowing a visa-on-arrival extension for up to 60 days, saying it will encourage people to spend more time in the archipelago.

A new regulation stipulates that from Jan. 26 onward, Indonesia will provide a 30-day visa-on-arrival, with the possible extension of another 30 days.

The government also announced that it would no longer issue the visa-on-arrival for seven days and tourists applying for the visa would receive the initial 30-day permit for US$25.

Foreign tourists and businesspeople who previously had seven-day visas can extend them to 30 days without having to leave the country.

The new regulation reportedly aims to attract more foreign tourists to travel and spend more time within the archipelago.

“If tourists want to stay longer than 30 days, they can apply for a maximum 30-day extension,” said Maroloan J. Baringbing, head of media, at the immigration section of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.

He said the new policy would give the government better control of the non-tax revenue from immigration.

It is also aimed at boosting tourism in the country.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Andrea Cooper, an Australian tourist who visited Kalimantan last year for 14 days on the visa-on-arrival.

“The extension is more welcoming than the previous limit.”

Chinese tourist Ailin Chen, who visited Jakarta and Yogyakarta two years ago and has relatives in Indonesia, said the visa extension would encourage people to explore the country more.

“Indonesia is a very large country with much to observe and enjoy.

“If people could stay longer, they would be encouraged to see more. And it would benefit the local economy if tourists spend money here,” she said.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry targets to net 7 million international tourists in 2010, up from 6.4 million last year.

This target is much smaller than the number of tourists in neighboring Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, which last year attracted 10 million, 15 million and 22 million visitors respectively.

In the last 12 years to 2007, tourist numbers fluctuated between 4 million and 5 million.

The average length of stay has declined from 10 days in 1997 to barely 8.5 days in 2008.

Countries granted on-arrival visa by Indonesia

1. South Africa

2. Algeria

3. US

4. Argentina

5. Australia

6. Austria

7. Bahrain

8. Belgium

9. The Netherlands

10. Brazil

11. Bulgaria

12. Czech Republic

13. Cyprus

14. Denmark

15. UAE

16. Estonia

17. Fiji

18. Finland

19. Hungary

20. India

21. UK

22. Iran

23. Ireland

24. Iceland

25. Italy

26. Japan

27. Germany

28. Cambodia

29. Canada

30. South Korea

31. Kuwait

32. Laos

33. Latvia

34. Libya

35. Liechtenstein

36. Lithuania

37. Luxemburg

38. Maladewa

39. Malta

40. Mexico

41. Egypt

42. Monaco

43. Norway

44. Oman

45. Panama

46. France

47. Poland

48. Portugal

49. Qatar

50. China

51. Romania

52. Russia

53. Saudi Arabia

54. New Zealand

55. Slovakia

56. Slovenia

57. Spain

58. Surinam

59. Sweden

60. Switzerland

61. Taiwan

62. Timor Leste

63. Tunisia

64. Greece

Source: The Jakarta Post