Govt hikes fees for immigration

Govt hikes fees for immigration

JAKARTA (JP): The government yesterday announced increases in various fees charged for immigration papers, even though revenues from this sector exceeded the target last year.

The Directorate General for Immigration said there will be an increase in the cost of Indonesian passports. It will also cost more for visitors to extend their stay.

This sector contributed Rp 27 billion ($12.3 million) to the government coffers last year. The government had only targeted Rp 23 billion.

The increases will be enforced as of April 1, according to a statement signed by Immigration chief spokesman Hario Subayu.

The cost of an ordinary passport will rise to Rp 75,000 from Rp 45,000. The cost of a passport that includes offspring will rise to Rp 100,000 from Rp 60,000.

Also beginning April, the fee for extending a stay permit will increase to Rp 50,000, a limited stay permit to Rp 25,000 and an immigration special stay permit to Rp 150,000. The fee for a permanent stay permit will be Rp 300,000, and Rp 200,000 for each family member.

The penalty for foreigners who overstay their visa will be Rp 25,000 for each day up to 60 days.

The fees are waived for: expatriates who are working under a cooperation agreement with the government; Indonesian or foreign students under scholarships from the Indonesian government; social workers with the approval of the government; the head and main staff of the Taiwan chamber of commerce representative office in Indonesia; foreigners who cannot afford the fee (subject to endorsement from their subdistrict offices); foreigners who are being deported; Indonesians abroad who are being repatriated.

The Directorate General also announced a new regulation compelling transport carriers to abide by a number of immigration regulations as a follow up to the 1992 Law on Immigration. The penalty for non-compliance is Rp 2 million.

Under the law, carriers must inform the Indonesian immigration authorities of their planned arrival and departure, submit lists of passengers and crew members; and forbid their passengers to disembark before being approved by immigration. They are also responsible for returning anyone they brought to Indonesia who doesn't fulfill Indonesian immigration requirements. (emb)