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Visa requirements, security, medical & other essential information
The following information will give you the basic facts you need to know before starting out on your trip. Visa requirements, security concerns, local medical facilities and laws vary tremendously across the Asia Pacific region, so it is important that you know the facts for your destination and don't arrive without a visa or inadvertently break a local law! The information on this page is intended to give you an overview - please be sure to confirm entry requirements with your travel agent when purchasing your ticket.
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:
Indonesia is an independent republic consisting of more than 16,500 islands spread over 3,000 miles. Indonesia’s economy is developing, and tourist services are plentiful in the major tourist areas.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
A passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in Indonesia and an onward/return ticket are required. Indonesian authorities regularly deny entry to visitors who arrive with less than six months validity on their passports.
Visitors are required to have a visa to enter Indonesia. You may apply for a visa on arrival at the airports in Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Medan and a few other cities. Visas on arrival are available at a limited number of seaports.
Visas on arrival are not available at any land border crossing. Travelers should check carefully when planning travel between Indonesia and other countries in the region to be sure their return to Indonesia is through a designated visa on arrival port or airport.
Travelers will not be allowed to enter or return to Indonesia at an entry that does not have visa on arrival facilities. All airline passengers, including children, are subject to a rupiah-denominated departure tax, which must be paid by cash. The international departure tax as of July 2005 is 100,000 rupiah; domestic departure taxes are lower and vary by airport.
Visitors may be granted a 3-day visa on arrival for a fee of $10 or a 30-day visa on arrival for a fee of $25. Both visas are non-extendable, and travelers must exit the country to be able to purchase another 3-day or 30-day visa on arrival.
A visitor's visa for business purposes and social/cultural stays of longer duration require a letter of intent/sponsorship from the employer and/or sponsor. Indonesia strictly enforces its immigration/visa requirements.
Several Westerners have been jailed for visa violations. Violators may also be subject to substantial fines. Please consult the Criminal Penalties section below for further information.
SAFETY AND SECURITY:
Visitors are advised to defer all non-essential travel to Indonesia. Those who choose to travel to Indonesia despite this warning are advised to observe vigilant personal security precautions and to remain aware of the continued potential for terrorist attacks against Western interests throughout Indonesia.
The terrorist threat in Indonesia remains high. Attacks could occur at any time and could be directed against any location, including those frequented by foreigners and identifiably Western facilities or businesses in Indonesia.
Such targets could include, but are not limited to places where Westerners live, congregate, shop, or visit, including hotels, clubs, restaurants, shopping centers, identifiably Western businesses, housing compounds, transportation systems, places of worship, schools, or public recreation events.
The terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiah has cells in several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, and connections with Al Qaeda. A terrorist bombing outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on September 9, 2004, killed eleven and injured more than 180 people.
An August 2003 terrorist bombing at a major international hotel in Jakarta injured several Westerners, and over 200 persons were killed in a terrorist attack in Bali in October 2002. A further bombing took place in Bali in October 2005 killing 26.
Sectarian, ethnic, communal and separatist violence continue to threaten personal safety and security in several areas. Over the past three years, domestically targeted bombings have struck religious, political and business targets.
In 2003, the Jakarta international airport, an open-air concert in Aceh, and other Indonesian government facilities were bombed.
Visitors should avoid travel to Aceh. Northern parts of the island of Sumatra, and particularly the province of Aceh, suffered severe damage following an earthquake and series of tsunami waves in December 2004.
While reconstruction efforts are underway, communications infrastructure, roads, medical care and tourist facilities on the western and northern coasts of Sumatra, and on coastal islands off Sumatra, were seriously damaged and have not yet been fully restored.
Infrastructure on the island of Nias was seriously damaged in an earthquake on March 28, 2005. Adequate lodging facilities are difficult to find in Aceh and Nias. Regulations regarding entry into and permission to remain in Aceh can change at any time.
As of March 2005, all foreigners wishing to travel to Aceh require written permission from the Indonesian authorities. Humanitarian workers should be cautious of their security when traveling in Aceh due to the continuing potential for separatist and terrorist violence, which could be directed against American humanitarian assistance workers.
Visitors should not travel to Aceh to participate in humanitarian relief efforts except under the auspices of a recognized assistance organization that has permission to operate in Indonesia.
Those participating in relief efforts should make sure that their organization has facilities in place to accommodate and feed staff and a security plan approved by Indonesian authorities.
Those considering travel to the province of Papua should exercise extreme caution because of sectarian, ethnic, communal and separatist strife. Papua’s on-going separatist conflict has the potential to become violent.
You should avoid travel to Maluku, in particular the capital city of Ambon. Since April 2004, sectarian violence has killed at least 40 and injured more than 220 people.
Visitors should avoid travel to Central, South and Southeast Sulawesi; those considering travel to North Sulawesi should exercise extreme caution. Sporadic violence occurred in Poso and in neighboring areas of Central Sulawesi in 2003 and 2004, resulting in several fatalities.
Central Sulawesi’s general security situation remains unstable; bombings and killings occurred in late 2004 and 2005 in Poso and Palu. A bombing May 28, 2005 in a public market in Tentana, near Poso, killed 21 people and injured dozens.
The Philippine-based terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group poses an ongoing kidnapping risk/threat in areas near Malaysia and the Philippines.
CRIME:
Indonesia has a high crime rate. Credit card and ATM fraud are growing problems, as are robberies. Crimes such as pick pocketing and theft occur throughout the country. Thieves on motorcycles commit “snatch thefts” where they speed up to a victim from behind and snatch a purse, bag or cellular telephone.
Thefts and robberies from cars stopped at traffic lights have been reported on occasion. Visitors are advised to keep car doors locked and windows rolled up. Visitors in Jakarta and Surabaya are also advised to engage a taxi either from a major hotel queue or by calling a reputable taxi company, rather than hailing one on the street.
Claiming to act in the name of religious or moral standards, certain extremist groups have, on occasion, attacked nightspots and places of entertainment. Most of these attacks have sought to destroy property rather than to injure individuals.
These groups have on occasion threatened to mount hunts for Westerners and members of certain religious groups to demand they leave the country. International news events can sometimes trigger anti-Western demonstrations.
Maritime piracy is a persistent and growing problem in Indonesian waters, targeting primarily commercial vessels. The majority of piracy attacks occur in the Straits of Malacca between the Riau Province and Singapore and in the waters north of Sulawesi and Kalimantan. Before traveling by sea in these areas, passengers are advised to review the current security situation with their local port agent.
Visitors should exercise prudence when scuba diving, surfing and snorkeling, and when visiting remote tourist locations, as every year several tourists die in accidents while participating in such activities.
Surfers and divers should be aware that local fishermen in coastal waters off Sumatra may use explosives to facilitate catching quantities of fish, although this practice is illegal in Indonesian waters.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:
The loss or theft abroad of a passport should be reported immediately to the local police and your Embassy or Consulate. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred.
Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
MEDICAL FACILITIES:
The general level of sanitation and health care in Indonesia is far below international standards. Some routine medical care is available in all major cities, although most expatriates leave the country for serious medical procedures.
Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to Singapore or Australia, the closest locations with acceptable medical care, can cost thousands of dollars. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.
Several cases of polio occurred in western Java in mid-2005; the Indonesian Ministry of Health has begun an extensive vaccination campaign for children in the affected region. Travelers are encouraged to consult their personal physicians and the above websites for additional information.
MEDICAL INSURANCE:
You are advised to consult with your medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:
While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those at home. The information below concerning Indonesia is provided for reference only.
In general, traffic in Indonesia is congested and undisciplined. The number and variety of vehicles on the road far exceed the capacity of existing roadways to handle the traffic. Road conditions vary from good (in the case of toll roads and major city roads) to dangerously poor.
Generally, road safety awareness is very low in Indonesia, although it is increasing. Buses and trucks are often dangerously overloaded and tend to travel at high speeds. Most roads outside major urban areas have a single lane of traffic in each direction, making passing dangerous.
Most Indonesian drivers do not maintain a safe following distance and tend to pass or maneuver with considerably less margin for error than in other countries.
Although traffic in Indonesia moves on the left side of the road, drivers tend to pass on both sides and may use the shoulder for this purpose. It is common for drivers to create extra lanes regardless of the lane markings painted on the roads.
Throughout the country, motor vehicles share the roads with other forms of transportation such as bicycle pedicabs, horse and ox carts, and pushcarts.
Although Indonesia requires the use of seat belts in front seats, most Indonesian automobiles do not have seat belts in the rear passenger seats. The use of infant and child car seats is not common, and it can be very difficult to rent a car seat for temporary use.
Helmets are required on motorcycles, but this law is inconsistently enforced. Passengers rarely wear helmets. Accidents on rented motorcycles constitute the largest cause of death and serious accident among foreign visitors to Bali.
Driving at night can be extremely dangerous outside of major urban areas. Drivers often refuse to use their lights, and most rural roads are unlit. Sometimes, residents in rural areas use road surfaces as public gathering areas, congregating on them after dark.
When an accident involving personal injury occurs, Indonesian law requires both drivers to await the arrival of a police officer to report the accident. Although Indonesian law requires third party insurance, most Indonesian drivers are uninsured, and even when a vehicle is insured, it is common for insurance companies to refuse to pay damages.
Drivers should be aware that ambulance service in Indonesia is unreliable, and that taxis or private cars are often used to transport the injured to a medical facility. In cases of serious injury to a pedestrian, the driver of the vehicle could be required to help transport the injured person to the hospital.
When an accident occurs outside a major city, before stopping, it may be advisable to drive to the nearest police station to seek assistance.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Indonesia as being in compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards for oversight of Indonesia’s air carrier operations.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Foreigners involved in commercial or property matters should be aware that the business environment is complex, and dispute settlement mechanisms are not highly developed. Local and foreign businesses often cite corruption and ineffective courts as serious problems.
Business and regulatory disputes may be treated as criminal cases in Indonesia. It is often difficult to resolve trade disputes. Visitors frequently experience difficulties when purchasing goods by Internet from Indonesian suppliers with whom the buyer has not met personally.
Counterfeit currency is a problem in Indonesia. Banks, exchange facilities and most commercial establishments do not accept currency that is worn, defaced, torn or issued before 1996.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS:
Indonesian customs authorities have strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Indonesia of items such as prescription medicines and foreign material or videotapes.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES:
Indonesia strictly enforces visa regulations. Immigration officials have detained people for conducting business, academic, or other non-tourist activities while in tourist visa status.
Penalties for such immigration/visa violations incur a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of 25 million Rp. Travelers are encouraged to contact an Indonesian consular office to determine the appropriate visa category before traveling to Indonesia.
While in a foreign country, you are subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those at home and may not afford the protections available to the individual at home. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in your country for similar offenses.
Persons violating Indonesia’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Indonesia are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
The death sentence can be given in cases of drug trafficking; several foreigners have been sentenced to death in recent years. |
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