15th September 2022 – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) requests for the current Immigration system to be changed completely. This is due to the fact it is still “old-fashioned” and hinders investors and tourists to Indonesia.
This is told when Jokowi leads the meeting regarding Visa on Arrival (VoA) and Limited Stay Permit (KITAS) in Istana Merdeka on Friday (9/9).
“I really hope that after this meeting happens that there will be a complete change in our immigration. As currently, it hasn’t changed at all,” said Jokowi in an uploaded video through the Presidential Secretary’s YouTube channel on Saturday (10/9).
Jokowi admitted that there are many investors and tourists who complained about the difficulty to get residence permits in Indonesia. Additionally, they complained that the current immigration system is still very regulated and controlling.
The President also added that this matter is to be solved in any way possible. He has no qualms if all the Director General of Immigration (Dirjen) and its underlings are completely changed.
“We need to make it [Visa service] easier and serviceable. This must be completely changed. If necessary, replace the Director General, and the underlings too, so that [everyone] will understand that we want to change. If we want investors and tourists to come, it must be changed,” he said.
He emphasized that the arrival of investors and foreign tourists is a big contribution to Indonesia’s economy. That’s why most of developed countries need to provide faster and easier visa services. He considered that it’s the way that should be emulated and applied in Indonesia as soon as possible.
The public policy observer, Agus Pambagio, said that there are at least three problems faced by Immigration currently. Those are the management of Limited Stay Permits (KITAS), processing of Visa on Arrival (VoA), and Visa Free RI which has yet to be reciprocal.
