Immigration Directorate on Alert Over Middle East Airspace Closure Following Conflict
Jakarta - Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration has increased alert status across all airport immigration checkpoints following military conflict in the Middle East region that has resulted in airspace closures in several countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Iran.
Acting Director General of Immigration Yuldi Yusman stated in an official statement in Jakarta on Sunday that his office has taken swift action by cancelling departures, both manually and through systems, for airline passengers and crew affected by the disruptions.
“The Immigration Directorate ensures that immigration services at airports remain running optimally and smoothly. Our focus is to maintain service continuity, orderly inspection procedures and certainty of process for passengers affected by flight cancellations or diversions,” said Yuldi.
He noted that this situation has directly impacted the operations of international flights to and from Indonesia.
Based on Immigration Directorate monitoring through Saturday, 28 February at 21.00 Western Indonesia Time, eight international flights at three major airports—Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, I Gusti Ngurah Rai and Kualanamu—have experienced cancellations or delays.
According to Yuldi, a total of 2,228 passengers have been affected by the cancellations and delays. The affected passengers comprise 1,644 foreign nationals and 584 Indonesian citizens.
In response to this situation, the Immigration Directorate has instructed immigration officers at airports to respond to the current flight situation, including by adjusting personnel placement in international arrival and departure areas according to flight dynamics.
Additionally, immigration officers have been instructed to conduct intensive coordination with airport authorities, airlines and relevant agencies to address schedule changes, route changes and flight cancellations.
Officers have also been directed to continuously monitor flight developments through official channels and credible flight data sources.
The Immigration Directorate has also issued a letter from the Director General of Immigration Number IMI-GR.01.01-133 dated 1 March 2026.
Through this letter, immigration offices overseeing airports have been instructed to issue emergency residence permits with validity of up to 30 days, which can be extended if necessary in accordance with regulations.
Additionally, a zero rupiah fee policy has been applied for foreign nationals experiencing overstay due to this situation, provided they submit a certificate from the airline or airport authority.
“We urge international passengers, particularly those on routes affected by transit through the Middle East region, to always check flight status through official airline applications and immediately coordinate with the airline or airport officers if requiring immigration assistance,” said Yuldi.
Combined attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran on Saturday, 28 February in the early morning hours targeted several strategic areas, including the capital Tehran.
The escalation occurred amid indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran, mediated by Oman, concerning restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. The third round of these negotiations took place in Geneva on Thursday, 26 February.
In response to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, the Indonesian government has called on all parties to exercise restraint and prioritise resolution through diplomatic channels.