Indonesia Slashes Visa-Free Entry by 87.9% in First Half of 2026 as Part of Selective Immigration Policy

Xavi
Jul 12
4 min read

Updated: Jul 12

Indonesia cuts visa-free entry by 87.91% in first half of 2026 as part of selective immigration policy. — Indonesia cuts visa-free entry by 87.91% in H1 2026

JAKARTA — July 12, 2026 — Indonesia has implemented one of its most aggressive immigration policy shifts in recent history, cutting visa-free entry issuances by a staggering 87.91 percent during the first half of 2026.

The significant decrease—from 438,423 in the first half of 2025 to merely 52,999 during the same timeframe this year—indicates a major shift in how the world's largest archipelagic country handles foreign visitors. Interestingly, despite this drop, state revenue from visa services has risen.

According to Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko, this is not about closing doors—it's about opening them to the right people.

"Our focus is on digital transformation and targeted policies to guarantee that every foreign visitor to Indonesia contributes positively to the national economy, while also maintaining national security." — Hendarsam Marantoko, Director General of Immigration

The Numbers Behind the Policy Shift

Visa Issuance: A Tale of Two Trends

Metric	H1 2025	H1 2026	Change
Visa-Free Entry	438,423	52,999	-87.91%
Total Visas Issued	4,209,465	3,924,500	-6.77%
Paid Visit Visas (C1)	—	3,829,902	+2.76%
Visa Revenue (PNBP)	~Rp2.64 trillion	Rp2.81 trillion	+6.42%

While visa-free entry plummeted, total visa issuance only dropped by 6.77 percent—demonstrating that travelers are still arriving, but through paid channels rather than visa exemptions.

Most Popular Visa Types (H1 2026)

Visa Type	Issued
Visa on Arrival (VoA)	3,481,490
Paid Visit Visa (C1 Index)	113,323
Equipment Installation (C20)	83,852
Golden Visa	143

The Visa on Arrival (VoA) remained the most popular option, with over 3.48 million travelers choosing this convenient entry method. The Golden Visa program, targeting high-net-worth individuals, recorded 143 issuances in the first half of 2026.

Who Is Visiting Indonesia?

Top Source Countries (H1 2026)

Rank	Country	Visitors
1	Australia	848,802
2	China	668,432
3	India	334,107
4	South Korea	202,101
5	United States	186,463

Australia remains Indonesia's largest source market, with over 848,000 visitors—a testament to the strong cultural and geographical ties between the two nations. China follows with 668,432 visitors, while India, South Korea, and the United States round out the top five.

Selective Immigration: What This Means

Director General Hendarsam emphasized that current immigration policies are no longer focused on the number of travelers but rather on providing better service and more effective supervision.

Key Policy Shifts

Quality Over Quantity: Indonesia is actively filtering who enters the country, prioritizing tourists and professionals who contribute to the economy.
Digital Transformation: The government is leveraging technology to streamline visa processing while maintaining strict oversight.
Economic Value: Every foreign national is now assessed based on their potential economic contribution.
National Security: Enhanced supervision aims to minimize risks to national security and public order.

"We are prioritizing digital transformation and selective policies to ensure that every foreigner entering Indonesia adds value to the national economy without neglecting national security." — Hendarsam Marantoko

Enforcement: Immigration Takes Action

Enforcement Actions (H1 2026)

Action	Number
Total Administrative Actions	10,911
Deportations & Permit Cancellations	3,260
Blacklisted Foreigners Detained	2,102
At-Risk Travelers Prevented	1,704
Criminal Cases Investigated	23

Indonesia is not just controlling entry—it is also cracking down on those who violate the rules. Immigration authorities took 10,911 administrative actions during the first half of 2026, with 3,260 resulting in deportations or permit cancellations.

Criminal Cases: 23 Foreign Nationals

Status	Number
Under Investigation	17
Ongoing Trial	4
Final Verdict	1
Total	23

Of the 23 criminal cases against foreign nationals, 17 remain under investigation, four are currently in trial, and one has received a final and binding sentence.

Blacklist and Prevention

2,102 blacklisted foreign nationals were detained (93.2% linked to immigration violations)
1,704 at-risk travelers were prevented from departing Indonesia
401 Indonesian citizens and 36 foreign nationals were stopped from traveling abroad

"Every administrative action, from detention to deportation, is our step to screen the quality of incoming foreigners to minimize potential risks to national security and order." — Hendarsam Marantoko

Domestic Immigration Services

Passport Issuance

Service	Number
Indonesian Passports Issued	1,673,816
Passport Applications Rejected	9,017

Permits Issued

Permit Type	Number
Limited Stay Permits (ITAS)	23,082
Permanent Stay Permits (ITAP)	3,330
Global Citizenship Applications	54

Border Crossings

Direction	Number
Arrivals	12,891,069
Departures	12,866,474
Net Surplus	+24,595

Analysis: Why Indonesia Is Tightening Its Immigration Policy

The Rationale

Indonesia's shift reflects a growing trend among Southeast Asian nations to move beyond simple mass tourism strategies. The government is:

Balancing Security and Tourism: Recognizing that unfettered visa-free access can create security vulnerabilities while attracting low-quality tourism.
Maximizing Revenue: Despite the drop in visa-free entries, visa sector revenue increased by 6.42 percent—proving that paid visas generate more revenue per traveler.
Targeting High-Value Travelers: The Golden Visa program, though still small (143 issuances), represents a long-term strategy to attract investors and ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Learning from Regional Neighbors: Indonesia is following a path similar to Thailand and Vietnam, which have also tightened visa policies to attract higher-spending tourists.

What the Data Tells Us

Insight	Implication
87.9% visa-free drop	Government is actively filtering entry
6.42% revenue increase	Quality travelers generate more revenue
10,911 enforcement actions	Strong focus on compliance and security
143 Golden Visas	Growing interest in long-term investment

Looking Ahead

Hendarsam stated that this achievement serves as a foundation for the Directorate General of Immigration to continue improving the quality of immigration services and supervision to respond to evolving global challenges.

"The Directorate General of Immigration continues to improve the quality of immigration services and supervision to respond to evolving global challenges." — Hendarsam Marantoko

What Travelers and Businesses Should Expect

Smoother Processing for Qualified Travelers: Digital transformation means faster processing for those who meet the criteria.
Tighter Screening for All: Expect more scrutiny at entry points.
More Paid Visa Options: Visa-free entry may continue to shrink as paid visas expand.
Stronger Enforcement: The government is clearly signaling that violations will be met with consequences.