Immigration: Passport Holders Destination Germany Can Apply For Signature Confirmation

ILLUSTRATION/An applicant undergoes an interview session for making passports at the Immigration Office Class II Dumai, Riau, Monday (8-8-2022). BETWEEN PHOTOS/Aswaddy Hamid/wsj.

JAKARTA - The Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) said that passport holders without a signature column for Germany can apply for signature at the immigration office.

"For Indonesian citizens with passports without a signature column and want to travel to Germany and its surroundings, they can do a signature endorsement," said Director of Immigration Traffic at the Directorate General of Immigration of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Amran Aris, in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, August 13.

This policy follows the rejection of an Indonesian passport by Germany due to the absence of a signature column in the latest passport design.

As a follow-up to the problems that occurred, the Directorate General of Immigration coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Embassy in Jakarta to find a solution.

"Until now, the Directorate General of Immigration is coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey the conditions of discomfort to the Indonesian passport holder so that a solution can be given," he said.

In the Circular Letter of the Directorate of Immigration Traffic Number IMI.2.UM.01.01-3.3773 regarding the application of the signature of the Indonesian passport holder, it is stated that the Head of the Immigration Division instructs all heads of immigration offices in his working area to accommodate applications for the application of the passport holder's signature.

This is especially true for passport holders without a signature column on the endorsement page by the head of the immigration office/official.

People who hold electronic or non-electronic passports who want to apply a signature on the passport endorsement page, he said, can apply at the immigration office or the nearest Indonesian Representative without being charged anything.

Since 2019 the Directorate General of Immigration has issued electronic and non-electronic passports without a signature column with efficiency considerations.

For information, the Directorate General of Immigration has registered Indonesian passports with the ICAO-PKD and has been recognized. Thus, its legitimacy has been widely recognized in all countries of the world.

Finally, the Directorate General of Immigration together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will submit diplomatic notes and specimens of passport documents for the last 5 years to the German Embassy in Jakarta.