Indonesia Reinforces Immigration Oversight with New Biometric Requirements for Visa Extensions
Indonesia Reinforces Immigration Oversight with New Biometric Requirements for Visa Extensions

Indonesia Reinforces Immigration Oversight with New Biometric Requirements for Visa Extensions

While this growing influx of expatriates and international visitors contributes positively to economic and cultural development, it also presents increasing risks of immigration violations, ranging from overstays and misuse of residence permits to failures in reporting presence and providing required information to immigration authorities.

To address these concerns, the Directorate General of Immigration Indonesia has issued Circular No. IMI-417.GR.01.01 of 2025 on the Adjustment of Immigration Stay Permit Services, reinstating biometric photo procedures at immigration offices as a mandatory component of the ITAS (Temporary Stay Permit) and ITK (Visit Stay Permit) extension process.

Starting from Wednesday, 21 May 2025, all foreign nationals applying for any type of ITAS or ITK extension will be required to visit their registered immigration office to complete biometric data collection, including facial photographs. This amendment marks a shift from the previous regulation—Decree No. IMI-261.GR.01.01 of 2025, which had allowed such services to be conducted online or through officer-assisted desks.

Key Objectives of the Reinstated Biometric Policy:

With increasing numbers of foreign nationals entering Indonesia, the government has announced stricter immigration regulations to protect national sovereignty and ensure compliance. Reinstatement of the biometric policy is a key part of this effort. This regulation facilitates compliance in the following ways:

  1. Minimise the risk of immigration violations through tighter procedural controls.
  2. Map the distribution and activities of foreign nationals by immigration office jurisdiction to ensure real-time data availability.
  3. Ensure greater legal certainty for immigration stay permit services and related applications.
  4. Support a more efficient and effective immigration administrative supervision process under the Smart Immigration Governance (SIG) framework.

Impacted Visas and Permits

The new Visa Extension regulation will affect a wide range of temporary stay permits and visas, including but not limited to:

  • Work KITAS
  • Investor KITAS
  • Retirement KITAS
  • Dependent KITAS (Spouse/Family-Sponsored Visas)
  • Golden Visa (Silver Hair, Digital Nomad, and Global Talent Visas)
  • Second Home KITAS

While implementation is scheduled to commence at the South Jakarta Immigration Office, other regional offices are expected to follow in the coming weeks. As such, applicants are strongly advised to prepare for in-person biometric submissions at their respective immigration offices in accordance with their registered domicile.

At Lets Move Indonesia, we remain committed to helping individuals and businesses navigate these changes with clarity and compliance. Our legal and immigration consultants are on hand to offer tailored guidance for your visa extension processes under this new regulation.

For further information or assistance, please contact our immigration advisory team.

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