Foreign nationals who cannot return to their home countries due to the coronavirus pandemic do not need to apply for an extension of their stay permit with the immigration office. The Directorate General of Immigration has extended automatic stay permits for foreigners arriving in Indonesia after Feb. 5, 2020. Foreigners do not need to come to the immigration office if their permits expire. During the time of COVID-19 emergency measures, foreigners whose stay permits have just expired will automatically be granted an emergency stay permit.
No overstay fees will be imposed. The automatic emergency stay permit extension policy for foreigners is in line with the policy to ban foreigners from entering Indonesia as the government steps up efforts to curb coronavirus transmission. The next step taken by the government was imposing a suspension of visa exemption, visa on arrival, and diplomatic / service visa.
The policy is also based on a circular on restrictions to immigration services to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and information from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Emergency stay permits are valid until the COVID-19 outbreak is declared over by the authorities. Foreigners staying in Indonesia are required to comply with Indonesian regulations regarding the outbreak.
This article is published in THE JAKARTA POST
