Indonesia reviews 30 day ASEAN visa waiver after 210 arrests in Batam

Why the 2023 visa-free suspension still shapes entry today

Indonesia suspended visa-free entry for 159 countries in June 2023 through Minister of Law and Human Rights Decree No. M.HH-GR.01.07. Only 10 ASEAN states kept their 30-day visa-free access: Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Presidential Regulation 95 of 2024 later replaced the old visa-free framework, and a 2025 regulation of the Minister of Immigration and Corrections added Brazil, Peru and Türkiye to the list.

Immigration officials are now reviewing even that ASEAN waiver after May raids on a scam syndicate in Batam, where about 210 foreign nationals were arrested, and on an online gambling ring in Jakarta, Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko said. The two raids detained more than 500 people, including nationals of Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar and China, AFP reported. No new decree, country list or start date has been published.

Marantoko said the agency would first strengthen early detection, intelligence work and border screening. It would evaluate the visa-free policy only if similar cases kept occurring, Antara reported.

Who gets squeezed by the rules in force

Non-ASEAN tourists, digital nomads and short-stay visitors from outside the visa-free list already pay for entry. Most use the Visa on Arrival or e-VOA, valid 30 days with one 30-day extension or a pre-arranged visit visa under the framework reclassified by Minister of Immigration and Corrections Decree No. M.IP-08.GR.01.01/2025 on June 2, 2025.

Citizens of the 10 ASEAN states still enter visa-free for 30 days, though that status is what the review targets. Any tightening would push them onto VOA or pre-arranged visit visas.

Expats on KITAS, ITAP, second-home visas, investor visas or the golden visa aren't the focus of the review, which centers on transient offenders. Re-entry checks and sponsor scrutiny may stiffen, immigration officials said.

Practical steps before booking

• Confirm current status on the Directorate General of Immigration website before travel; the 2023 suspension list and ASEAN waiver can shift by ministerial decree without long notice.
• Apply for the e-VOA online ahead of arrival if eligible, then carry proof of onward travel and accommodation.
• Remote workers staying beyond tourist purposes should match the visa class to the activity, because the scam crackdown is tied to enforcement of the no-work rule on visa-free and VOA status.
• Second-home and golden visa applicants should verify the latest property value and capital thresholds with a licensed agent before transferring funds.

Watch for follow-up visa updates tied to the review. Read our full Indonesia guide for the complete picture.

Correction, Sept. 23, 2026: An earlier version of this article said the 2023 suspension remained in force, credited the review to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and named that ministry as the issuer of the 2025 visa classification decree. When this article was published, Presidential Regulation 95 of 2024 had replaced the old framework and Brazil, Peru and Türkiye had visa-free entry. Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko announced the review, and the decree was issued by the Minister of Immigration and Corrections.