Immigration Implements Emergency Residence Permits for Foreign Nationals Affected by Middle East Conflict

The Class I Special Immigration Office at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has implemented an emergency residence-permit policy for foreign nationals affected by flight disruptions resulting from the Middle East conflict. Head of the Class I Special Immigration Office at the airport, Galih Priya Kartika Perdhana, stated that the policy is designed to anticipate overstays by foreign nationals who cannot continue their journeys following flight cancellations. ‘They will not be fined, or Rp 0. There will be no administrative overstay penalties as long as they meet the criteria in the circular,’ Galih said in a statement on Thursday (5 March 2026). He explained that in the early days of the conflict, Soekarno-Hatta Airport experienced crowding due to numerous flights to and from the region being cancelled. ‘In the initial period the situation was quite congested because many flights were disrupted,’ he noted. As a result of the disruptions, several foreign nationals already at Soekarno-Hatta could not return to their destination countries, potentially leading to overstays. However, for those who had previously undergone the departure clearance process but whose flights were cancelled, the immigration authorities will cancel the process and restore their residence-permit status to its original state. The policy refers to Circular issued in 2025 by the Acting Director General of Immigration, which governs the granting of residence permits in emergency conditions for foreign nationals affected by certain situations. Currently, according to Galih, conditions at Soekarno-Hatta are gradually returning to normal following advance notice of flight cancellations to passengers. ‘Nevertheless, Immigration remains vigilant and coordinates with the ministry and related authorities to anticipate developments.’