Indonesia’s government has officially removed Cameroon from the list of countries requiring a calling visa to enter Indonesia. This decision, announced through the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kepmenkumham) Decree Number M.HH-05.GR.01.06 of 2023, ratified on 23rd November 2023, was based on various considerations, including economic cooperation potential and a low level of risk to Indonesia’s security.
According to Immigration Director General Silmy Karim on Tuesday (28/11/2023), the removal of Cameroon from the calling visa list was founded on multifaceted reasoning. “One of the considerations for removing Cameroon from the calling visa list is its potential as a market and gateway for Indonesian products to West and Central Africa. Data from BPS and the Ministry of Trade shows a surplus of 32 million US dollars in the trade balance between Indonesia and Cameroon in 2022,” he expressed.
Silmy further explained the significant decline in Immigration Administrative Actions (TAK) against Cameroonian citizens in recent years. Additionally, there have been no pro-justice cases involving Cameroonian nationals in Indonesia in nearly four years.
The impact of removing Cameroon from the calling visa list will change the visa application procedure for Cameroonian citizens, which will now be handled online through evisa.imigrasi.go.id rather than through the clearing house (CH). Immigration oversight of Cameroonian citizens will now follow standard procedures applicable to foreign nationals.
“Immigration oversight will be applied normally, and Cameroonian citizens will face repercussions if they breach regulations. In case of multiple violations, Immigration reserves the right to propose a re-evaluation of the calling visa removal policy. The Immigration Directorate General continues to evaluate countries listed under the calling visa. Currently, the process of evaluating the removal of calling visas is underway for Guinea in West Africa,” Silmy added.
On the other hand, Indonesian citizens planning to visit Cameroon will now be required to apply for a visa. Tourist visas will have a validity period of up to 30 days, while business visas will be valid for up to six months.
Understanding Calling Visas in Indonesia
A calling visa, issued by the Embassy or Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia abroad, is designed for citizens of specific countries intending to visit Indonesia. This type of visa can only be obtained if the citizen is invited by an Indonesian individual, institution, or company.
Other Updates to Indonesia Visa on Arrival in Indonesia Through 2023
Throughout 2023, Indonesian Immigration introduced several updates to its Visa on Arrival program:
– On January 18, 2023, Kazakhstan became the 87th country eligible for a Visa on Arrival. Kazakhstan citizens can also utilize the e-VOA scheme to apply for their Indonesia Visa on Arrival. Read more about the update here.
– On February 27, 2023, Kenya and Rwanda were included in the list of countries eligible for Visa on Arrival. This addition expanded the total number of nationalities eligible for VoA to 92. Read more about the update here.
– As of April 2023, Panama, Guatemala, and Macau were incorporated into the Visa on Arrival (VoA) program. This update was made through Circular Letter Number IMI-0133.GR.01.01 Year 2023. Find the complete Circulate Letter here.
– On September 2023, the Indonesian Immigration Office announced broadening its Visa on Arrival (VoA) and e-voa (electronic visa on arrival) program to include citizens of Papua New Guinea, following Armenia, Mozambique and Tanzania that have been added prior to the country. Learn more about the update here.
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