The Directorate General of Immigration at the Law and Human Rights Ministry has accepted the decisions about limiting international entry and exit to the COVID-19 Task Force.
The decision comes as the number of COVID-19 positive cases continues to increase.
“Immigration is now not on the front line but comes second. As soon as the task force declares borders to be closed, immigration will definitely close. Because in this pandemic, the power at the front is the power of the task force in terms of health,” explained the Director of Immigration Cooperation Agus Wijaya.
There are a number of exceptions to the opening of foreign travel access. The first is for humanitarian reasons.
“There are indeed exceptions in terms of humanity, such as the arrival of a vaccine that will definitely bring the crew here,” he said. “(Humanity) is different when it comes to family relations. For example, spouses and children of Indonesians are allowed. Then people required for national projects, in terms of the benefit of human life, they can enter.”
Furthermore, Wijaya said exceptions also apply to visa restrictions. The three types of visas that get access are family relationship visas, socio-cultural visas, and education visas.
State officials also will not receive special treatment. If a state official has a valid passport, the visa is still valid, and it is not blocked.
“A circular like that is aimed at leaders. Now if you have passed immigration, whether it’s a state official or whatever, if the passport is valid, the visa is there, and it doesn’t get blocked, it must be dispatched. The restrictions are not made by immigration in each agency,” he said.
President Jokowi previously asked the public on Tuesday 18th January not to travel abroad unless there was an urgent need. Jokowi’s appeal was conveyed to prevent transmission of the Omicron variant. The President also asked the entire community to reduce activities in crowded areas including reducing office activities in the office by working from home (WFH).