Palopo Immigration Office: 90 per cent of services are now digital

Palopo, South Sulawesi — The Palopo Class II Immigration Office (Non-TPI) in South Sulawesi has implemented digital-based services to ease public access to immigration services and to be elderly-friendly. Head of Palopo Immigration Yogie Kashogi said that services at the Palopo Immigration Office are already 90 per cent digital, so there are no longer any ‘percaloan’ practices; the public can handle passport applications independently. ‘Palopo Immigration is 90 per cent digital. The public is digitally literate, so our services can be accessed easily,’ Yogie said in Palopo during a media tour of the Directorate General of Immigration on Friday. He explained that the digitisation of the Palopo Immigration Office’s services begins with application registration conducted online via the M-Paspor app. However, applications can also be made manually by visiting the office, especially for the elderly, or people who do not know the online information. The digitisation also includes a non-cash payment system, a digital queue for counter-based inquiries, checking passport application status via WhatsApp and customer service (CS) and social media. ‘At our office there is also a digital information board that provides information about the services at all times,’ he said. For the public who cannot access online, they can come directly to the Palopo Immigration Office and will be guided by the Immigration CS. ‘We have CS officers to assist people who come to the office. The public are directed to register via the M-Paspor app,’ he added. Palopo Immigration also introduces Service Ambassadors at the entrance who are ready to assist and guide people needing immigration services. This digitisation of immigration services is also effective given that Palopo Immigration covers five work areas: Palopo City, Luwu Regency, Luwu Timur Regency, Luwu Utara Regency and North Toraja Regency. The distances between these areas are long; some are up to 200 kilometres away, taking about five hours by road. The Palopo Immigration Office also offers elderly-friendly services, with a waiting area accessible to pregnant women and children. ‘We have an elderly-friendly room, facilities for pregnant and nursing mothers, and a play area for children,’ Yogie said. Comfort is further enhanced with free snacks and drinks for visitors to the Palopo Immigration Office, including coffee, tea and bottled water.