Visa And KITAS Management In Indonesia Still Tele-tele: Immigration Bureaucratics Needs To Be Reformed Soon

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is furious to see immigration performance related to licensing for Visa on Arrival (VoA) and Limited Stay Permit Cards (KITAS) which are still long-winded. The process is still using an old culture which in the end makes it difficult for foreign nationals to enter Indonesia.

Immigration, said Jokowi, is still regulating and controlling, not facilitating and serving. Many have submitted complaints to me, both from investors, tourists, both about people who want to get KITAS. The aura that I feel is."

So what? Finally what? Recovery. This is what has changed completely, must. This must change completely. If we want investment to come, tourists must change. I frankly get voices like that too embarrassed," said Jokowi while chairing a meeting with his staff at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta on September 9, 2022.

See countries with rapid progress. They can pamper investors through various conveniences in licensing.

As for investors, how much is the investment? The country must see. He wants to create jobs, how many thousand people? Or how much contribution to our economy? The orientation must be there. Or increase exports? said the President.

Therefore, I checked, why are we not attractive. The most large contribution is our immigration matters, which are still old-school," the President added.

Jokowi asked for immigration performance to be changed immediately. We have to start really Mr. Minister. Change it. If they don't have the ability to recover, replace everything from the director general to the bottom. It won't change for us."

"I hope that after this meeting, there will be a total change to our immigration," he added.

Public Policy Observer Agus Pambagio assesses that what Jokowi has done is the right step. It's just a matter of how it will be implemented in the field, whether it is still the same or has changed.

This is because the reality that occurs in the management of Visa on Arrival licensing is still slow.

There is a long queue or immigration not on the spot. In fact, only passport stamps, the purpose of how many days is just that. There should be no need to queue and it's difficult," Agus told VOI, Tuesday (13/9).

Similar to the processing of KITAS permits. The process and licensing requirements are too complicated which in the end are often used by individuals as a source of income.

Investors will certainly stay here for a long time, they will definitely take care of KITAS so they don't go back and forth. It's impossible to extend the visa out. Well, that permit, usually uses recommendations, it takes a long time, and in the end it's a mess, "continued Agus.

Based on Permenkumham No. 27 of 2014, a limited stay permit is a permit granted to foreigners to live and be in Indonesian territory for a limited period of time.

Launching the Immigration site of Soekarno Hatta Airport, limited stay permits can be granted to:

KITAS management in general must first go through online registration through an online residence permit. Then come to the nearest Immigration Office with a domicile of foreigners and bring complete requirements.

General Requirements:

Meanwhile, for investors, experts, experts on ships, spiritualists, and foreigners who take part in education and training, there are additional requirements.

For example, for investors, it is also equipped with:

Individual requirements such as, mixed marriages, children born in Indonesia, children under the age of 18 from the parents of the KITAS holder, must also be equipped with additional requirements.

For example, additional requirements for mixed marriages:

Zaman should now be able to use internet of thinking technology. There is no need to queue, so that it minimizes broker practices in KITAS management or on arrival visas," added Agus.

In addition, Agus Pambagio also highlighted the visa-free rules for visits in Presidential Regulation 21 of 2016. According to him, visa-free must be resipular or replying. In a sense, countries that are included in the visa-free list in Indonesia must also provide the same rules when Indonesian citizens visit the country.

Previously, there were only 45 countries, but in the regulation signed by President Jokowi on March 2, 2016, there were 169 countries that were exempt from the obligation to have visas for the purpose of a visit to Indonesia.

"The reality is that not all countries give us visa-free. Until there are far away countries such as equity, why give visa-free," he said.

In Article 4 paragraph 1, the recipient is free of visit visa as referred to in Article 3 is given a visit stay permit for a maximum of 30 days. "It cannot be extended to the validity period or transferred to another residence permit".

If the residence permit for the purpose of the visit for 30 days which is accommodated through Visit Visa Free is deemed inadequate, the Visit Visa when Arrival (Visa on Arrival) and Visit Visa facilities can still be used.

This is expected to provide greater benefits in improving the economy, especially increasing the number of foreign tourist visits.

"Is the effectiveness proven?" asked Agus.

Instead, the Presidential Decree has an impact on criminal issues and social ills. See Bali in 2021, there were many foreign tourists who had problems, damaged traditional and cultural values, went on a rampage, committed immorality, and became criminal.

Udayana University Bali law expert Jimmy Usfunan once said there must be a policy formulation to lure tourists with measurable targets. A visa-free policy is only for potential countries that can provide income for Indonesia.