A proposal to grant Taiwanese citizens visa-free access to Indonesia has been submitted to the Indonesian Directorate-General of Immigration, announced Sandiaga Uno, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, during a press briefing with foreign journalists yesterday.
In his address, Sandiaga outlined Indonesia’s “golden visa” and “second home visa” programs and emphasized the country’s investment potential in various special tourism economic zones. He expressed hope that foreign companies would consider investing in diverse cities across Indonesia.
While the Indonesian government has stated it is reviewing visa exemptions for 20 regions and countries, including Taiwan, the latter was notably absent from a recent list of approved visa-free nations. “It is unsatisfactory that the Indonesian government only approved visa-free entry for 13 regions and countries,” Sandiaga remarked, pointing out that neighboring Malaysia and Thailand have already implemented broader visa exemptions.
He noted that the Directorate-General of Immigration reviews the list of visa-free countries every three months and will become a non-ministerial department under the new Cabinet, which will be inaugurated on Monday with Prabowo Subianto as the incoming president.
Sandiaga expressed optimism that the visa exemption program could be expanded to include China and Taiwan, along with other top source countries such as Australia, India, the United States, and various European nations. The immigration agency, he stated, holds the authority to approve visa-free status and will finalize decisions through interagency discussions.
Emphasizing the significance of visa exemptions as a strategic policy to enhance tourism, he cited the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index, where Indonesia currently ranks 22nd globally. He asserted, “The visa programs are crucial for Indonesia to break into the top 10 in the index.”
Additionally, Sandiaga announced Indonesia’s participation in an international travel fair in Taiwan next year, alongside plans for two weekly charter flights between Taipei and Banyuwangi beginning with the Lunar New Year. He highlighted the popularity of the Ijen volcano complex and Mount Bromo among Taiwanese and Chinese tourists, predicting that these direct flights will boost tourism from these markets to Indonesia.