Government to issue new rules on immigration

Government to issue new rules on immigration

JAKARTA (JP): The government will soon implement a new
immigration policy that will lift the existing barriers for
Chinese tourists entering Indonesia, an official has said.

Director General of Tourism and Culture I Gde Ardika said on
Tuesday the policy would, among other things, allow Chinese
visitors to enter Indonesia through the 13 main entry points
instead of only five as currently allowed.

"The policy is expected to be implemented sometime in April.
The tourism ministry and other related authorities are currently
preparing the details, which will later be discussed with the
Chinese authorities," he said.

He said his office had recommended the government give
citizens of China the "free visa short stay" facility or at least
allow Chinese visitors to arrange their visas on arrival in
Indonesia.

The recommendation was being discussed and had yet to be
decided upon, he said.

Introduced in 1983, the free visa facility allows citizens
from 48 countries, including the United States, Australia, the
Netherlands, Britain, Japan, Ireland, Germany, Kuwait, Malaysia,
Singapore, Egypt, Mexico, France, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates, Greece and Hong Kong, to enter Indonesia without having
to obtain a visa prior to arrival.

The facility, which is not available to citizens of China,
South Africa and several other countries, also allows the
eligible visitors to stay in Indonesia for a maximum of two
months, to travel and to attend conventions and seminars.

Ardika said current regulations demanded citizens of China
obtain the proper visa before entering Indonesia.

Chinese visitors are only permitted to enter Indonesia from
five airports, including those in Jakarta, Medan in North
Sumatra, Surabaya in East Java and Denpasar in Bali, he said.

The new policy was expected to attract more Chinese tourists,
he said, adding that not many Chinese tourists wanted to come to
Indonesia because of the country's stiff immigration rules.

Official data show that only about 600 Chinese tourists flew
directly to Indonesia's tourist island of Bali in 1999, higher
than 326 in 1998 and 579 in 1997.

Ardika said the government expected the number of Chinese
visitors to increase sharply to roughly six million a year in the
near future following the implementation of the new policy.

He said the new policy was being prepared in response to
President Abdurrahman Wahid's recent criticism of the country's
stern immigration regulations for Chinese visitors.

Abdurrahman, during a visit to China late last year, blasted
Indonesia's overly-strict immigration regulations for Chinese
citizens entering Indonesia, saying the tight policy was merely a
ruse to extort money from visa applicants.

Abdurrahman then instructed concerned ministries to phase out
the immigration rules.

Indonesia and China resumed diplomatic ties in 1990, which had
been frozen since 1967, two years after an abortive communist
coup which Indonesia then claimed involved China.

In a bid to boost Indonesia's flagging tourism industry,
Abdurrahman turned down a recent intention of the Office of the
Coordinating Ministry for Security and Political Affairs to
review the existing free visa short stay program, according to
Ardika.

Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs Gen.
Wiranto said late last year his office was considering a review
of the free visa facility because it had brought about
unfavorable effects, including drug smuggling.

Ardika said the President's decision to keep the facility in
place had been warmly welcomed by tourism-related companies
because they believed the program was a significant incentive for
foreign tourists coming to Indonesia.

Indonesia received 3.93 million visitors in 1999, up on 3.51
million in 1998. (cst)