Batam-Bintan is Now Officially Open! Here are The Rules and Regulations as of 31 August 2022

JAKARTA, 31 August 2022 - President Joko Widodo has approved the plan to open the tourist door for Batam and Bintan after various preparations were carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. Batam and Bintan entrances are accepting international travelers starting from 24 January 2022 with specific rules and regulations. Starting from 18 May 2022, traveling to Indonesia becomes more convenient with no RT-PCR test results required to be taken prior to departure from the country or region of origin. Be sure to catch all the details below!

Entering with  Visa Exemption Arrangement Facility and Visa On Arrival

According to the Circular Letter of the Directorate General of Immigration No. IMI-0650.GR.01.01 of 2022 concerning the Ease of Immigration to Support Sustainable Tourism during the COVID-19 Pandemic effective from 27 July 2022, the Indonesian government has added countries and special entities whose citizens can enter Riau Islands with Visa Exemption and Visa On Arrival (VOA) for leisure purpose.

Below are the list of countries and special entities for Visa Exemption Arrangement facility in alphabetical order: 

1. Brunei Darussalam,
2. Cambodia,
3. Laos,
4. Malaysia,
5. Myanmar,
6. Philippines,
7. Singapore,
8. Thailand, and
9. Vietnam.

Visit Visa Exemption for Tourism Purpose is granted for foreign nationals at the Immigration Checkpoints as follows:

Immigration Checkpoints on Airports

1. Hang Nadim, Riau Islands;
2. Raja Haji Fisabilillah, Riau Islands;

Immigration Checkpoints on Seaports

1. Bandar Bentan Telani Lagoi, Riau Islands;
2. Bandar Seri Udana Lobam, Riau Islands;
3. Batam Centre, Riau Islands;
4. Batu Ampar, Riau Islands;
5. Belakang Padang, Riau Islands;
6. Citra Tri Tunas, Riau Islands;
7. Kabil, Riau Islands;
8. Marina Teluk Senimba, Riau Islands;
9. Nongsa Terminal Bahari, Riau Islands;
10. Sekupang, Riau Islands;
11. Selat Lampa, Riau Islands;
12. Sri Bayintan, Riau Islands;
13. Sri Bintan Pura, Riau Islands;
14. Tanjung Balai Karimun, Riau Islands;
15. Tanjung Uban, Riau Islands

 Immigration Checkpoints on Cross-Border Post: Serasan, Riau Islands;   

Effective from 27 July 2022, below are the list of countries and special entities for VOA for tourism, in alphabetical order:

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Austria
4. Bahrain
5. Belarus
6. Belgium
7. Bosnia Herzegovina
8. Brazil
9. Brunei Darussalam
10. Bulgaria
11. Cambodia
12. Canada
13. China
14. Colombia
15. Croatia
16. Cyprus
17. Czech Republic
18. Denmark
19. Egypt
20. Estonia
21. Finland
22. France
23. Germany
24. Greece
25. Hong Kong
26. Hungary
27. India
28. Ireland
29. Italy
30. Japan
31. Jordan
32. Kuwait
33. Laos
34. Latvia
35. Lithuania
36. Luxembourg
37. Malaysia
38. Maldives
39. Malta
40. Mexico
41. Monaco
42. Morocco
43. Myanmar
44. Netherland
45. New Zealand
46. Norway
47. Oman
48. Peru
49. Philippines
50. Poland
51. Portugal
52. Qatar
53. Romania
54. Russia
55. Saudi Arabia
56. Serbia
57. Seychelles
58. Singapore
59. Slovakia
60. Slovenia
61. South Africa
62. South Korea
63. Spain
64. Sweden
65. Switzerland
66. Taiwan
67. Thailand
68. Timor Leste
69. Tunisia
70. Türkiye
71. Ukraine
72. United Arab Emirates
73. United Kingdom
74. United States of America
75. Vietnam

VOA for Tourism Purpose are granted for foreign nationals at the Immigration Checkpoints as follows:

Immigration Checkpoints on Airports

1. Hang Nadim, Riau Islands;
2. Raja Haji Fisabilillah, Riau Islands;

Immigration Checkpoints on Seaports

1. Bandar Bentan Telani Lagoi, Riau Islands;
2. Bandar Seri Udana Lobam, Riau Islands;
3. Batam Centre, Riau Islands;
4. Citra Tri Tunas, Riau Islands;
5. Marina Teluk Senimba, Riau Islands;
6. Nongsa Terminal Bahari, Riau Islands;
7. Sekupang, Riau Islands;
8. Sri Bintan Pura, Riau Islands;
9. Tanjung Balai Karimun, Riau Islands;

The details of the updated rules and regulation can be found on this link and can be summarized as follows according to Circular Letter of the COVID-19 Task Force Number 25 of 2022 concerning Health Protocols for International Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic:

1. Visit Visa Exemption or Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose can be issued accordingly with the following requirements:

   1. Passport (diplomatic/official/ordinary) that is valid for a minimum of 6 (six) months,

   2. A return ticket or a pass to continue the trip to another country,

   3. Proof of payment of PNBP Visa on Arrival of 500,000 IDR (in the case of applying for a Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose), and

   4. Proof of ownership of health insurance which includes financing for handling COVID-19 and medical evacuation to a referral hospital.

2. The entry stamp on the granting of a Visit Visa Exemption or Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose will be valid as a Visit Stay Permit with the certain period, as follows:

   1. Visit Visa Exemption: maximum 30 days and cannot be extended.

   2. Visa on Arrival: maximum of 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days at the Immigration Office in the area where the foreign national lives. 

3. Visit Visa Exemption or Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose can also be granted for foreign nationals on official visit or government duties to attend international events, for which shall be applied additional requirement: to enclose an invitation letter issued by the Indonesian government to attend the international conferences/trials/meetings.
4. The provision of Visit Visa Exemption or Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose as stipulated above applies to holders of diplomatic passports, service passports, or ordinary/general passports.

Entering with E-Visa

According to the Circular Letter of the COVID-19 Task Force Number 25 of 2022 concerning Health Protocols for International Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which came into effect on 31 August 2022, there are also other entries to the Riau Islands, available for e-visa holders.

All International travelers, both Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals can enter Indonesia through the entry points assigned, which are:

a. Airports

1. Hang Nadim International Airport, Batam Island;
2. Raja Haji Fisabilillah International Airport, Bintan Island;

b. Harbors

All international seaports in Indonesia are now opened as entry points for international travel through the consideration of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation.

Health Protocols

International travelers must comply with health protocols detailed in this link according to the Circular Letter of the COVID-19 Task Force Number 22 of 2022 concerning Health Protocol for International Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic. These protocols can be summarized as follows:

1. All foreign travelers (foreign nationals) who will enter the territory of the Republic of Indonesia shall adjust the general travel requirements to be allowed to enter the territory of Indonesia, which includes the use of PeduliLindungi app as well as showing a card/certificate (physical or digital) proving that you have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered at least 14 days before departure.

2. Foreign travelers are not required to show a negative RT-PCR test result in which samples were taken in the country or region of origin.

3. Upon arrival at the entry points, foreign travelers must undergo a COVID-19 symptom check, including a body temperature check, with the following conditions :

1. If there is no symptom of COVID-19 and body temperature is below 37.5 degrees Celsius: no need to undergo RT-PCR examination upon arrival

2. If there is any symptom of COVID-19 or body temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius: must undergo RT-PCR examination upon arrival.

4. As a requirement for domestic travel or departure abroad from Indonesia, international travelers with the status of Indonesian citizens aged 18 years and above must present a card/certificate (physical or digital) of receiving the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine (booster) displayed through the PeduliLindungi application. You can check out this link to find out about the detailed regulations for domestic travel.

5. The provision regarding the period of isolation (quarantine) no longer applies. All foreign travelers without symptoms related to COVID-19 and whose body temperature is below 37.5 degrees Celsius are able to continue their journey. However, it is highly recommended to monitor their health independently.

6. The provision for showing COVID-19 vaccination certificate (physical or digital) is excluded for all foreign travelers with the following categories:

1. Foreign nationals who hold diplomatic or official visas related to official/state visits of their foreign officials at the ministerial level and above and foreign nationals who enter Indonesia under the Travel Corridor Arrangement scheme, according to the principle of reciprocity;

2. Foreign nationals who intend to travel domestically in order to go outside the territory of Indonesia, as long as they do not leave the airport area during the transit process, provided that they (i) have been authorized by the Port Health Office and (ii) show the flight ticket schedule for direct transit from the city of departure to the international airport in Indonesia;

3. Under 18 years of age;

4. Currently undergo post-COVID recovery and have been declared clear from COVID-19, as evidenced by a COVID-19 recovery certificate from a public hospital or Ministry of Health in the country/region of origin of departure; or

5. Have a special health condition or comorbid disease that prevents the foreign travelers from receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, as evidenced by a doctor's certificate from a public hospital of the country/region of origin of departure.

7. The above policies are temporary and will be readjusted according to global health developments.

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*Disclaimer : This article was updated on August 31, 2022. Due to the dynamic nature of travel regulations, please refer to official websites and links found in this article for the latest updates and developments.