Batam-Bintan Travel Bubble is Now Officially Open! Here are The Rules and Regulations Starting from 24 January 2022

JAKARTA, 22 JANUARY 2022 - President Joko Widodo has approved the plan to open the tourist door between the Riau Islands and Singapore (Batam Bintan-Singapore or abbreviated as BB-S) through a travel bubble scheme after various preparations were carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy for a year.

"The President has agreed to start the implementation of the BB-S travel bubble as a prototype to start the economic opening, especially tourism in a limited and controlled scheme," said Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto while leading a virtual coordination meeting on Wednesday, 19 January 2022.

The regulation for the health protocol has been arranged in the Circular of the Head of COVID-19 Handling Task Force Number 3 of 2022 regarding the Health Protocol for the International Travelers with Travel Bubble Mechanism in the Area of Batam-Bintan with Singapore in Times of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. Here are some conditions/regulations that must be fully understood by the international travelers who are planning to enter Indonesia with travel bubble mechanism:

All international travelers with travel bubble mechanism must enter the area of Batam and Bintan through the entrances as follows:
1. Nongsapura International Ferry Terminal for the travel bubble area in Nongsa Sensation in Batam; and
2. Bandar Bintan Telani Ferry Terminal for the travel bubble area in Lagoi Bintan Resort in Bintan.
All international travelers with travel bubble mechanism must comply with the conditions/requirements as follows:
1. Presenting cards or certificates (physical and digital) of having received a complete dose of COVID-19 vaccine which are administered at least 14 days before departure written in English aside from the national language or the language of the origins of departure. The vaccine cards or certificates must also be verified on the Official Website of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia or e-HAC International Indonesia;
2. Showing the negative results through the RT-PCR test in the country/region of origin with sample taken within a maximum of 3 x 24 hours before departure and attached during the health examination or on the Indonesian International E-HAC;
3. Showing tourist visa or other entry permits according to the regulations applied, with exclusions to international travelers with Singapore citizenship;
4. Showing evidence of booking confirmation and payment of travel bubble travel packages in the Lagoi Bintan Resort or Nongsa Sensation area;
5. Specifically, foreign nationals must show evidence of health insurance ownership with a minimum coverage value of 30,000 SGD which includes financing of COVID-19 handling and medical evacuation towards a referral hospital;
6. Using PeduliLindungi and Bluepass apps during activities in the travel bubble area;
7. Running the body temperature check and RT-PCR examination on arrival at the entrance to the travel bubble area of Batam and Bintan;
8. In the event that the results of the RT-PCR examination on arrival at the entrance as referred to in letter g shows negative results, the international travelers with travel bubble mechanism can continue the journey by following the procedure as follows:
  1. Examination of immigration documents and customs documents;
  2. Baggage collection and disinfection; and
  3. Pickup and delivery to the location of the tourist destination.
9. In the event that the results of the RT-PCR examination on arrival at the entrance as referred to in letter g show positive results, then followed up with the following conditions:
  1. International travelers receiving positive test result without any symptoms or experiencing mild symptoms must undergo insulation or treatment in the place of insulation accommodation that is separate from the travel bubble area at the cost of entirely self-funded for the foreign nationals or borne by the government for Indonesian citizens;
  2. International travelers receiving positive test result with moderate or severe symptoms must undergo insulation or treatment at the referral hospital at the cost of entirely self-funded for foreign nationals or the borne by the government for Indonesian citizens; or
  3. Undergo medical evacuation towards a referral hospital in accordance with the procedure set by the related referral hospital.
While in the travel bubble area of Batam and Bintan, all international travelers with travel bubble mechanisms must comply with the following conditions/requirements:
1. International travelers are only allowed to interact with tourists or parties within one travel bubble area;
2. International travelers are only permitted to carry out activities in the predetermined zone in accordance with the trips (itinerary) set;
3. Report to health workers in the travel bubble area when experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 to be further examined with RT-PCR test later; and
4. Comply with the mechanism of close contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine that apply in Indonesia if a positive COVID-19 case is found in the relevant travel bubble area.
The mechanism of close contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine for international travelers, officers, and employees in the Bintan and Batam travel bubble area who receive positive COVID-19 test results during tourist activities are carried out with the following conditions:
1. Those who receive positive COVID-19 test result without symptoms or experiencing mild symptoms must undergo insulation or treatment in an insulation accommodation place separated from the travel bubble area;
2. Those who receive positive COVID-19 test result with moderate or severe symptoms must undergo insulation or treatment at the referral hospital;
3. Insulation or treatment costs for positive COVID-19 cases as referred to in letter a and b will be entirely self-funded for foreign nationals, borne by the hotel manager for officers and hotel employees, and borne by the government for the non-Indonesian citizen hotel officer;
4. Undergo medical evacuation towards a referral hospital in accordance with the procedure set by the related referral hospital; and
5. Close contact tracing is carried out on all participants in the same group (bubble) with the positive case of COVID-19 based on the mechanism set by the local Health Office.
All parties involved in the travel bubble mechanism must apply the health protocol strictly while in the travel bubble area as follows:
1. Using a 3-layer fabric or medical mask that covers the nose, mouth, and chin;
2. Changing masks regularly every four hours, and dispose of mask waste in the place provided;
3. Washing hands regularly using water and soap or hand sanitizer, especially after touching objects that are touched by others;
4. Keeping a minimum distance of 1,5 meters with other people and avoid the crowd;
5. Using the PeduliLindungi appl during activities in the travel bubble area.
All international travelers with travel bubble mechanisms must comply with the health protocol and international travel requirements that apply in the destination country/region when returning to Singapore.
The Harbor Health Office (KKP) for International Harbor facilitates all international travelers with travel bubble mechanisms with the status of Indonesian citizens or foreign nationals that require emergency medical services on arrival in Indonesia in accordance with applied regulations.