Visa-on-arrival for 13 nations

Visa-on-arrival for 13 nations

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has decided to allow the nationals of 13 countries
in Europe and the Middle East to obtain a visa-on-arrival (VOA)
in an effort to attract tourists to the country amid terrorism
fears.

The decision brings the number of foreign countries to have
been granted the facility to 33.

"The policy is aimed at attracting foreign tourists to visit
Indonesia. We have set a target of bringing in more than six
million foreign tourists this year," State Minister of Culture
and Tourism Jero Wacik said after a meeting at the office of the
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

Jero said the latest bombings that rocked the Central Sulawesi
town of Tentena and reports of fresh terrorist attacks against
foreign interests would have no impact on the tourist industry.

He said the government was also in the process of granting a
visa-on-arrival facility to the Netherlands and Sweden.

While the minister refused to explain why the two European
countries were not included on the list of countries eligible for
the VOA facility, a source said the government was worried about
the possible entry of South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist
members living in the Netherlands.

Exiled leaders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group are
living in Sweden as asylum seekers. Indonesia has left Sweden's
ambassadorial post vacant since last year.

A visa-on-arrival will now be valid for either six or 30 days.
A six-day visa will cost US$10 while a 30-day visa will cost $25.

Additional countries granted VOA facility

India

Saudi Arabia

Kuwait

Belgium

Spain

Portugal

Russia

Egypt

Austria

Ireland

Qatar

Greece

Luxembourg