VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Ministry of Law and Human Rights has said the Ministerial Regulation (Permenkumham) No. 34 of 2021 allowing foreign nationals to enter Indonesia has been through a number of evaluations.

"The regulation is not issued suddenly out of the way, but has undergone assessment from various parties including the COVID-19 Task Force," the ministry's head of public relations and general directorate of immigration, Arya Pradhana Anggakara, said here on Wednesday.

The Ministerial Regulation No. 34 of 2021 concerning the Visa Issuance and Residence Permits in the Period of Handling the Spread of COVID-19 and Recovering The National Economy was signed by the Minister of Law and Human Rights, Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly, he noted.

According to Anggakara, the issuance of the new ministerial regulation  which has replaced the previous one No. 27 of 2021) does not loosen the regulation on foreigners coming into the country.

The new regulation even has a new and strict requirement for foreigners who want to enter Indonesia, he pointed out.

"The regulation requires every foreigner who is entering Indonesia to show a vaccine certificate that proves they have obtained a full dose of the (COVID-19) vaccine," he said.

Every foreigner who wants to enter the country must submit a negative COVID-19 swab test result and have health insurance that will cover the treatment cost in case they fall sick, he added.

"So, in case they arrive in Indonesia and are exposed to COVID-19, they already have health insurance to pay for themselves in Indonesia," Anggakara said.

Furthermore, upon arrival in Indonesia, every foreigner must undergo quarantine and take a swab or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to ensure that they are completely healthy and safe from COVID-19, he added.

Based on the regulation, foreigners who can get permission to enter Indonesia include those holding a Work Permit, Diplomatic Stay Permit, Temporary Stay Permit, Permanent Stay Permit, business travel card holders, conveyance crew and their conveyances, and traditional border crossers. (Antaranews)