Indonesia Cuts Visa-Free Entry by 87% to Tighten Foreign Screening

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Directorate General of Immigration at Indonesia’s Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Affairs has cut the issuance of Visa-Free Entry by 87.91 percent in the first half of 2026 as part of a selective policy to filter the entry of qualified foreign nationals.

"We are prioritizing digital transformation and selective policies to ensure that every foreigner entering Indonesia adds value to the national economy without neglecting national security," said Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko in a statement in Bandung on Sunday, as quoted by ANTARA.

Hendarsam stated that the tightening of Visa-Free Entry issuance reduced the number of issuances from 438,423 in the first half of 2025 to 52,999 in the same period this year. However, non-tax state revenue (PNBP) from the visa sector increased 6.42 percent to around Rp2.81 trillion.

He says that current immigration policies are no longer focused on the number of travelers, but rather on providing better service and more effective supervision in the face of global dynamics.

From January to June 2026, the Directorate General of Immigration issued 3,924,500 visas, a 6.77 percent decrease compared to the 4,209,465 visas issued in the same period last year. On the other hand, the issuance of paid visit visas with the C1 index increased by 2.76 percent to 3,829,902 visas.

The most frequently issued visa type was Visa on Arrival with 3,481,490, followed by C1 index visit visas with 113,323 and C20 index visas for equipment installation with 83,852. The Golden Visa program also recorded 143 issuances in the first semester of 2026.

The most foreign tourists visiting Indonesia came from Australia, with 848,802 people. The next largest groups came from China (668,432), India (334,107), South Korea (202,101), and the United States (186,463).

In addition to tightening visa issuance, the Directorate General of Immigration is strengthening its supervision of foreigners within the country.

During the first semester of 2026, Immigration took 10,911 immigration administrative actions. A total of 3,260 actions were taken, canceling residence permits and deporting foreigners who violated immigration regulations or posed a security risk.

Immigration is also processing criminal charges against 23 foreign nationals. Of these, 17 are still under investigation, four are undergoing trial, and one has received a final and binding sentence.

"Every administrative action, from detention to deportation, is our step to screen the quality of incoming foreigners to minimize potential risks to national security and order," said Hendarsam.

During the first six months of 2026, Immigration also detained 2,102 blacklisted foreign nationals. 93.2 percent of these were related to immigration violations.

At the request of law enforcement officials, officials at airports and seaports delayed the departure of 1,704 at-risk travelers and prevented 401 Indonesian citizens and 36 foreign nationals from traveling abroad.

In domestic immigration services, the Directorate General of Immigration issued 1,673,816 Indonesian passports and rejected 9,017 passport applications that did not meet the requirements.

In addition, Immigration issued 23,082 Limited Stay Permits (ITAS), 3,330 Permanent Stay Permits (ITAP), and processed 54 applications for Global Citizenship of Indonesia. National crossing data during the first semester of 2026 recorded 12,891,069 arrivals and 12,866,474 departures.

Hendarsam said this achievement serves as a basis for the Directorate General of Immigration to continue improving the quality of immigration services and supervision to respond to evolving global challenges.

Read: UAE Expands Short-Term Entry Permits for Tourists

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