New regulations limit C18 visa stay permits to 90 days without extension and restrict multiple applications with the same company guarantor.
The Directorate General of Immigration has issued updated provisions regarding the granting of visit visas for prospective foreign workers (Tenaga Kerja Asing, TKA) undergoing skills assessments (C18 visa index). This policy is outlined in the Circular Letter of the Director General of Immigration, Number IMI-453.GR.01.01, dated May 27, 2025, and came into effect on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
“Through this regulation, we hope to prevent the misuse of foreign workers by companies. There are two key points we wish to emphasise in this new rule. First, the validity period of the C18 visa stay permit is a maximum of 90 (ninety) days and is non-extendable. Second, foreign nationals are prohibited from using a C18 visa with the same company guarantor more than once,” explained the Acting Director General of Immigration, Yuldi Yusman, on Friday, 13th of June 2025.
Yusman further clarified that applications for C18 index visit visas submitted before the 14th of June 2025 at 00:01 WIB will remain valid under the previous provisions. These visas will continue to be issued with a maximum validity period of 60 (sixty) days and may be extended.
To apply for a C18 visa, the guarantor (sponsor) of the prospective foreign worker is required to create an account on the official portal at evisa.imigrasi.go.id. Once registered, the guarantor may complete the required data and documents for the prospective foreign worker and submit the visa application. Required documents include:
- a passport with a minimum validity of six months,
- proof of living expenses in the form of bank statements from the last three months in the name of either the foreign national or the guarantor,
- a recent colour passport photograph (taken within the past year),
- and an invitation letter for a skills assessment from a government agency or private institution.
“The Directorate General of Immigration continues to facilitate the entry of prospective foreign workers while carefully managing their activities to prevent potential violations,” Yusman concluded.