Business Visas for visiting Indonesia

If you are planning to visit Indonesia for a more formal visit for business purposes, you will likely need to apply for a business visa. If you are a citizen of the USA, major European countries and a few other countries around the world (there is a list available online), you will not need a visa upon arrival if your stay is less than one month. For those of you who will be needing a visa, a visa on arrival fee for a stay of up to 7 days will cost US$10 and US$25 for a stay of up to 30 days. For stays exceeding 30 days, you will need to obtain a visa prior to your visit.

If you plan to obtain a visa prior to your arrival, there are two types of visas available: a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa. A single entry visa may only be used once to enter Indonesia and an Indonesian Embassy or Consulate General may issue a Single Entry Visa for a visit of up to 60 days (the fee is US$45). On the other hand, a multiple entry visa will allow you to enter Indonesia several times during the year and is valid for one year (the fee is US$100). However, your stay can be no longer than 60 days and your passport must be valid for at least a year.

Generally speaking, you will need the following documents in order to obtain a business visa:

A letter of intent (in duplicate) from your employer or sponsor describing the purpose of the visit and guaranteeing all transportation and living expenses that will be incurred while in Indonesia.

For a multiple entries visa, you will need a letter of invitation (in duplicate) from your business partner or sponsor in Indonesia that describes the purpose of your visit.

Itinerary (original/copy) or a letter from your travel agent or airline that confirms the purchase of tickets to Indonesia (you may be asked for a copy of the original airplane ticket).

However, due note that if your travel plans call for entering the restricted regions of Maluku, Poso and Irian Jaya/West Papua, you must obtain special authorization from Indonesian authorities and inform the Indonesian Embassy or Consulate General of your intention to visit a restricted region (Note: They will not grant you a visa without official notification from the relevant authority to enter these regions). This rule also applies to anyone who has previously worked in these regions (i.e. Freeport employees). To obtain permission to enter these regions, your Indonesian sponsor may obtain permission through the Clearing House at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU). 

Although obtaining a business visa for Indonesia can be a fairly straight forward process, business travelers should still consult with the nearest Indonesian Embassy or Consulate General to obtain the most up-to-date and accurate information as rules may be different depending upon your nationality.