Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia Warns SPLP is Not a Work Permit Document

JAKARTA - The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuala Lumpur reminds all Indonesian citizens (WNI) that the Passport Travel Permit (SPLP) is not a document for work permits or extending residence permits abroad.

"This SLP is only valid for one year, it does not apply as a work permit," said the Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Raden Dato' Mohammad Iman Hascarya Kusumo, in a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, April 15, reported by ANTARA.

SPLP is a document that replaces a passport that is damaged, lost, or has expired while an Indonesian citizen is abroad. SPLP is also used as a document to return to the country in one trip.

Ambassador Iman explained that even though it only applies for one year, it does not mean that the SPLPadalah is a valid document to extend the residence permit for Indonesian citizens in Malaysia.

"It doesn't mean that it is a permit to stay another year, not to extend. So, this is only to send them back home," he said.

In terms of procedure, the period of residence of a citizen of the Republic of Indonesia abroad, including Malaysia, depends on the visa or entry permit obtained at the time of the citizen of the Republic of Indonesia's initial arrival in the country.

The Indonesian Immigration Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Idul Adheman, in the context of the series, said that Indonesian citizens who have SPLP can still be caught in raids if their residence permits have expired.

"It's true (SPLP) is valid for one year, but that doesn't mean it can be here for another year, because it's not a residence permit. If there is a raid, you can be arrested," he said.

In this letter, the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur specifically invited Indonesian citizens without Malaysian permits to immediately take advantage of the Migrant Repatriation Program 2.0 as an initiative of the Malaysian Government, which is valid until April 30, 2026.

Through this program, Indonesian citizens without permits, including foreign workers who stay beyond the permit limit (overstay) in Malaysia, can submit a check out memo (COM) to the Malaysian Immigration Department to be able to return to Indonesia without going through the legal process, with a much cheaper cost than the normal price.

To obtain the COM, Indonesian citizens without permits can bring a passport or SPLP and show a return flight ticket according to the specified date.