Entrance ports ready for new visa policy

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang, Banten

Two weeks prior to the implementation of the new visa policy on Feb. 1, international airports and seaports throughout Indonesia appear to have completed their preparations.

At the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Tuesday, a row of three counters has been erected at the arrival gate for international flights.

During a trial run at the airport on Tuesday, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra expressed his satisfaction with the preparations.

"There will be no more debate over the new visa policy. I answered all the questions posed by the tourism industry during a recent discussion ... They finally agreed that the policy will proceed."

The new policy cuts the length of stay of tourists able to continue availing of the free-visa-on-arrival facility from 60 days to 30 days. The new pay-on-arrival visa will also only allow visitors to stay for 30 days. A tourist has to pay US$25 for a 30-day visit and $10 for a three-day visit.

The pay-on-arrival visa will be required of visitors from over 20 countries.

Among these countries are the United States, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the citizens of other countries that currently provide visa-free facilities to Indonesian tourists will continue to be given visas-on-arrival free of charge. These countries include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, Chile, Morocco, Peru and Vietnam.

"The new policy will enable us to better monitor foreigners entering the country and their activities here," Yusril claimed.

The tourism industry has been vehemently opposed to the new policy, and has not been assuaged by claims that the revenue generated from tourists will be used to help finance the government's antiterrorism campaign in a bid to improve the country's poor security image.