Going on a Business Trip to Indonesia Soon? Read the Requirements Here

With an estimate of US$5.8 billion being wiped from Indonesia’s tourist revenues as of July 2020, the country plans to recover its coronavirus-battered economy strategically. The government has negotiated on building bilateral travel corridors with countries including the United Arab Emirates, China, South Korea, and Singapore. The government is continuously negotiating with other countries to allow essential workers to travel to Indonesia in order to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties.

These bilateral arrangements are not meant for the general public. They have been set up exclusively for business travelers to facilitate the nation’s economic activities. In other words, Indonesia has established travel corridor arrangements with the United Arab Emirates, China, South Korea, and Singapore for those traveling with diplomatic or fundamental business objectives.

Though the bilateral agreements differ from one country to another, all four travel arrangements follow similar procedures and regulations. People who plan to travel to Indonesia must consider the following points:

1 | Those entering Indonesia must be fundamental business travelers who are nationals of the United Arab Emirates, China, South Korea or Singapore.

2 | They must be invited by sponsors, including the governments, institutions, and businesses that have already established a travel agreement with Indonesia.

3 | The sponsor must apply for an Indonesian e-Visa on behalf of the traveler.

4 | Before their departure, travelers must obtain a negative PCR test certificate processed 72 hours before the departure time and present return tickets for the trip.

5 | Once they have arrived at the negotiated entry points in Indonesia, travelers must go through a health check and undergo a PCR test, all of which will be performed at their own expense.

6 | Until they have obtained the PCR test certificate, travelers must stay at a non-residential, self-funded accommodation. They can proceed with their business travel purposes in Indonesia only when they have presented a negative test result.

7 | They must use non-public transportation or transportation provided by the host or institution of their sponsor.

8 | The government or institution sponsoring the traveler is obligated to ensure that the traveler follows all Indonesian health protocols during his/her stay in the country.

Due to different bilateral negotiations between Indonesia and each of the above-mentioned countries, these travel arrangements are linked to specific requirements and regulations. The special terms and conditions applied are as follows:

Singapore:

Once their e-Visa has been approved, travelers must submit their travel history to the Electronic Health Alert Card (e-HAC) application and present a PCR swab test processed 72 hours before departure with a valid return air or ferry ticket. They must depart from either Changi International Airport or Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and arrive at either of Indonesia’s two entry points: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport or Batam Centre Ferry Terminal. Once they have presented a negative PCR test result, travelers can proceed with their business travel to Indonesia, with a maximum stay of 30 days in the country.

For detailed information, please follow this link.

China:

When applying for an e-Visa, the applicant’s sponsor must obtain a recommendation letter from the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and notify which city they will be traveling to. Based on the applicable regulations, the government will issue a visa in accordance with the applicant’s visit to Indonesia. Chinese nationals can travel to Indonesia via all international airports in Indonesia and can take a direct flight to Indonesia by commercial or charter planes. On arrival, the visitors must download PeduliLindungi application to trace confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the area. Visitors will be actively monitored for 14 days.

For detailed information, please follow this link.

South Korea:

South Korean citizens or residents traveling to Indonesia can use these four entry points: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta; Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali; Juanda International Airport, Sidoarjo, East Java; and Kuala Namu International Airport, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra. On arrival, they must download PeduliLindungi to track confirmed cases of COVID-19. They will also be actively monitored for 14 days.

For detailed information, please follow this link.

United Arab Emirates (UAE):

Based on their specific travel intentions, UAE nationals will be given a single entry visa for business purposes, a limited single entry visa for working purposes, or a diplomatic and service visa for diplomatic purposes. There are four entry points in Indonesia for UAE nationals, namely: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta; Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali; Juanda International Airport, Sidoarjo, East Java; and Kuala Namu International Airport, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra. The inviting institutions and the Embassy of the UAE in Jakarta must ensure the travelers strictly abide by all the local rules and regulations enforced for mitigation of COVID-19.

For detailed information, please follow this link.

A discussion is underway about making similar travel corridor arrangements with other countries. Recently, a bilateral travel bubble between Japan and Indonesia was established and specific deal regulations are awaiting completion. These travel corridors are hopeful pathways to Indonesia’s economic recovery and creating a promising future for international tourists visiting Indonesia.

While you’re in the process of preparing for your e-Visa application, you’re welcome to plan an enjoyable business trip to Indonesia. With plenty of bucket list places and comfortable coworking spots present across the country, you are bound to work efficiently and create memorable experiences on your trip!

Source:

https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/11/06/ministry-prioritizes-four-regions-for-tourism-rebound.html

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-indonesia-reciprocal-green-lane-business-travel-13260686

https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/indonesia/rgl/requirements-and-process

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-07-30/China-Indonesia-FMs-talk-on-travel-bubble-South-China-Sea-Syl1MCoy9G/index.html

https://kemlu.go.id/portal/id/read/1603/halaman_list_lainnya/travel-corridor-arrangementfast-lane-indonesia-tingkok

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indonesia-South-Korea-reopen-borders-for-business-from-Monday

https://kemlu.go.id/portal/en/read/1602/halaman_list_lainnya/indonesia-south-korea-travel-corridor-arrangement

https://www.aseanbriefing.com/news/indonesia-uae-establish-travel-corridor-salient-features/

https://kemlu.go.id/portal/en/read/1625/halaman_list_lainnya/safe-travel-corridor-arrangement-indonesia-uae

https://go.kompas.com/read/2020/10/25/210517474/japan-agrees-to-travel-bubble-with-indonesia-for-essential-business?page=all