Indonesian Immigration has introduced the Diaspora Visa to offer comfort and convenience to the Indonesian diaspora wishing to visit Indonesia.
Silmy Karim, Director General of Immigration, explained that the Diaspora Visa can be granted for a duration of five or ten years.
According to Karim, this policy was implemented to facilitate the Indonesian diaspora’s desire to contribute to Indonesia. The Diaspora Visa simplifies the process of staying in Indonesia for an extended period, enabling the diaspora to view their homeland as a place where they can work.
“The Diaspora Visa addresses their challenges. Now, it is straightforward for the Indonesian diaspora to stay for an extended period and contribute to Indonesia,” stated Karim at the Directorate General of Immigration Building in Jakarta on Thursday, 16th November 2023.
Additionally, Karim elaborated that the Diaspora Visa offers other conveniences, including direct residence permits. Applications for the Diaspora Visa can be easily and concisely submitted via evisa.imigrasi.go.id. Moreover, a Diaspora Visa can be applied for without a guarantor, with the application requirements involving several elements, namely:
- Possess a passport with a minimum validity period of 12 months.
- Provide financial evidence reflecting the ability to cover living expenses during the stay.
- Attach a colour photograph as part of the application documents.
- Submit a statement of commitment within 90 days of arrival. The statement of commitment can take the form of purchasing Indonesian Government bonds, investing in shares/mutual funds in public companies in Indonesia, or saving/deposits amounting to at least US$35,000 or Rp542,000,000;
- Include documents proving that the foreigner was once an Indonesian citizen, such as an identity card, birth certificate, family card, Republic of Indonesia passport, diploma, or house certificate.
Several countries, including India, Ireland, and Portugal, have implemented similar policies for their diaspora. Karim emphasised the importance of adopting good and useful policies from other countries to harness the potential of the Indonesian diaspora, which is spread across 18 countries, with a diaspora of approximately six million people.