Rabu, 1 Desember 2021 Pukul 16.20 WIB
Reporter: Ajeng Rahma Safitri
Editor: Muhammad Fijar Sulistyo

The rule prohibiting the entry of foreigners into Indonesia from countries with suspicion of spreading the Covid-19 Omicron variant still raises questions in the community. The regulation states that foreigners who have lived and/or visited countries in the southern African continent and Hong Kong within the last 14 days cannot enter the territory of Indonesia. However, quite a few foreigners from these countries have not returned to their country for a long time and plan to come to Indonesia.

"It should be underlined that the subject in the regulation prohibiting the foreigners from countries potentially spreading the Covid-19 new variant are the travellers, not the citizens," said the Head of the Public Relations Sub-Division of the Directorate General of Immigration, Achmad Nur Saleh, when confirmed about this matter.

Read also : Ramai Covid-19 Varian Omicron, WNI yang Pulang dari Negara Suspek Tidak Akan Ditolak Masuk

Thus, he continued, if the citizens (passport holders) from the eleven countries have not returned for a long time, they would not be denied entry to Indonesia. Provided that the foreigner already has a visa or residence permit and is still valid and follows the international traveller health protocol set by Indonesian government.

“However, if the citizens of the eleven countries do not currently have a visa, they cannot come to Indonesia until this regulation is revoked. Because visa approval process for citizens from these countries is temporarily suspended,” he concluded.

The eleven countries subjected to temporary restrictions include South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini, Malawi, Angola, Zambia and Hong Kong.