Foreign nationals in Indonesia will now be required to visit an immigration office in person to extend their stay permits, a new regulation that also applies to Visa on Arrival (VoA / e-VoA) travellers.
This policy, outlined in Circular Letter Number IMI-417.GR.01.01 Year 2025 by the Directorate General (Ditjen) of Immigration under the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, mandates that foreign nationals complete a photo capture and an interview during the extension process. Before visiting the immigration office, applicants must register their stay permit requests and upload necessary documents online at evisa.imigrasi.go.id. The same procedure will apply to those entering Indonesia under a visa on arrival (VoA).
Acting Director General of Immigration, Yuldi Yusman, said the policy aims to mitigate potential misuse of stay permits, ensure orderly immigration administration, and supervise the role of WNA guarantors. “We initiated this adjustment to the stay permit extension procedure by thoroughly evaluating the results of a comprehensive assessment by the Directorate General of Immigration. We found that the number of stay permit abuses and guarantors who did not fulfill their responsibilities was still high,” he stated.
Yuldi referred to the foreign investment operation (OPS PMA) conducted in partnership with BKPM during the first quarter of 2025, during which the Directorate General of Immigration apprehended 546 foreign nationals suspected of stay permit misuse. Additionally, 215 companies were suspected of being fictitious or problematic and had their business licenses revoked by the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
Periodic statistical data revealed a notable increase in immigration enforcement actions. From January to April 2024, there were 1,610 such cases involving foreign nationals, compared to 2,201 cases during the same period in 2025. This represents a significant 36.71% increase in enforcement activity. Citing Law Number 6 of 2011 on Immigration, Article 63 Paragraph (2), the regulation underscores that guarantors are responsible for the presence and activities of the foreign nationals they guarantee and are required to report any changes in civil status, immigration status, or address.
For individuals in vulnerable groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and those in urgent situations, the registration process, document submission, and payment can be completed directly at the immigration office through a walk-in procedure with assistance from immigration officers. Photos and interviews will also be conducted at the office.
Yuldi urged foreign nationals who are extending stay permits or making data changes to provide accurate information during interviews. “We remind foreign nationals to provide accurate information to officers to avoid future problems,” he said.
Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Agus Andrianto, emphasized the broader objective behind the policy. “With the implementation of this policy, the Directorate General of Immigration hopes to strengthen the supervision system over the presence and activities of foreign nationals in Indonesia, and ensure that all immigration processes comply with applicable legal provisions,” he stated.
