In an effort to maintain safety and prevent the further spread of COVID-19, the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Checkpoint (TPI) has refused entry for 541 foreigners from 1st January to 9th November 2021.
Head of the Soekarno-Hatta TPI Class I Immigration Office Romi Yudianto said the refusals were in line with the application of Law and Human Rights Minister number 26 of 2020, Law and Human Rights Minister number 27 of 2021, and Law and Human Rights number 34 of 2021.
“The refusal to allow entry to 541 foreigners is a form of implementing a selective policy in the midst of a pandemic to prevent imported cases that have the potential to be brought in by foreigners,” said Romi in an official statement.
According to him, foreigners who were refused entry into Indonesia through the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Checkpoint were from 71 countries. Citizens from the following faced the most refusals:
- Pakistan, 75
- India, 64
- Nigeria, 53
- China, 50
- The United States, 46
“A total of 46 refusals were based on recommendations from the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Port Health Office because they did not meet the requirements set out in the COVID-19 Task Force Circular, such as not having PCR results and not being able to show a certificate of a completed course of COVID-19 vaccines,” he said.
Selective policy
The COVID-19 pandemic turned immigration into a frontline defence against imported cases to Indonesia.
“On this basis, immigration carries out various steps to restrict entry for foreigners into Indonesia through a selective policy, meaning that only foreigners who provide benefits and do not threaten security and public order are allowed to enter and be in the territory of the Indonesian state,” Romi added.
In accordance with the regulation of the Law and Human Rights Minister number 34 of 2021, the granting of entry permits to foreigners is given after going through an immigration check and meeting the health protocols required by the COVID-19 Task Force. This applied to holders of service visas, diplomatic visas, visit visas, limited stay visas, official stay permits, diplomatic stay permits, limited stay permits, and permanent residence permits.
In addition, immigration also provides entry access to foreigners, business travel card holders, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (KPP APEC), and traditional border crossers. According to the regulation, from 1st January to 9th November 2021, at least 167,369 foreigners entered Indonesia.