Immigration Directorate General Introduces New Stay Permit Requirements for Foreign Nationals
JAKARTA — The Directorate General of Immigration under the Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Services has established new regulations for the processing of stay permits for foreign nationals in Indonesia.
Referring to Circular Letter Number IMI-417.GR.01.01 of 2025, which will take effect from 29 May 2025, foreign nationals residing in Indonesia will be required to attend in-person photo sessions and interviews at immigration offices when applying for stay permit extensions.
Prior to these steps, foreign nationals must register their stay permit applications and upload required documents online through the website evisa.imigrasi.go.id. The procedure also applies to foreign nationals holding visa on arrival (VoA).
Acting Director General of Immigration Yuldi Yusman explained that the policy was established for damage control purposes, namely to minimise the potential misuse of stay permits, maintain orderly immigration administration, and oversee the role of foreign national sponsors.
"We have devised these adjustments to the stay permit extension procedures based on a comprehensive evaluation by the Directorate General of Immigration. We found that the rate of stay permit misuse and sponsors failing to fulfil their responsibilities remains high. In the foreign investment operations (OPS PMA), for example, conducted jointly with BKPM during the first quarter of 2025, the Directorate General of Immigration apprehended a total of 546 foreign nationals suspected of stay permit misuse, as well as 215 companies suspected of being fictitious or problematic, whose business licences had been revoked by the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM)," said Yuldi.
Referring to Circular Letter Number IMI-417.GR.01.01 of 2025, which will take effect from 29 May 2025, foreign nationals residing in Indonesia will be required to attend in-person photo sessions and interviews at immigration offices when applying for stay permit extensions.
Prior to these steps, foreign nationals must register their stay permit applications and upload required documents online through the website evisa.imigrasi.go.id. The procedure also applies to foreign nationals holding visa on arrival (VoA).
Acting Director General of Immigration Yuldi Yusman explained that the policy was established for damage control purposes, namely to minimise the potential misuse of stay permits, maintain orderly immigration administration, and oversee the role of foreign national sponsors.
"We have devised these adjustments to the stay permit extension procedures based on a comprehensive evaluation by the Directorate General of Immigration. We found that the rate of stay permit misuse and sponsors failing to fulfil their responsibilities remains high. In the foreign investment operations (OPS PMA), for example, conducted jointly with BKPM during the first quarter of 2025, the Directorate General of Immigration apprehended a total of 546 foreign nationals suspected of stay permit misuse, as well as 215 companies suspected of being fictitious or problematic, whose business licences had been revoked by the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM)," said Yuldi.