Government plans to review Visa policy

DENPASAR (indo.com): Government will review the number of countries eligible for visa-on-arrival (VOA) when entering Indonesia to increase the number of foreign tourist arrivals to the country.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik and Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaludin said recently that a plan is underway to encourage more tourists to have a free visa facility, particularly from lucrative European market by reviewing the VOA policy.

Under the new immigration policy introduced on February 1, 2004, the nationals of 21 countries can purchase a visa on arrival in Indonesia while the nationals of 11 other countries are allowed to have a visa-free facility. Nationals from other countries that exclude the two groupings must apply for a visa in their home countries before arriving in Indonesia.

The government, championed by the then Minister of Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra, applied a strict policy of reciprocity in deciding which countries would be granted easy access at Indonesian border check points, including airports and harbors.

Under the old visa policy, nationals of 48 countries were granted visa on arrival for stays of 60 days.