Indonesia is considering expanding its visa-free travel program as the government seeks to attract more international visitors, but the proposal has exposed a growing divide between tourism officials focused on boosting arrivals and immigration authorities concerned about security, border control and lost revenue.
The Ministry of Tourism is pushing for a broader Visa-Free Visit (BVK) policy, arguing that easier entry requirements are critical if Indonesia is to compete with Southeast Asian tourism rivals including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, all of which offer visa-free access to a wider range of markets.
Tourism officials say international research clearly demonstrates that relaxed visa requirements increase visitor numbers, create jobs and strengthen the economy.
Indonesia granted visa-free access to citizens of as many as 165 countries between 2015 and 2024 before scaling the program back to just 16 countries in 2025 as part of a more selective immigration strategy aimed at attracting higher-spending visitors while strengthening border controls.
According to a joint study by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Oxford Economics, Indonesia‘s previous visa-free policy increased however international tourism demand by 24% and helped create around 400,000 jobs.
Using foreign visitor data from 2018, the Tourism Ministry estimates that an expanded visa-free program could increase inbound tourism demand by as much as 32.4%.
“Visa-free access is not merely an immigration facility but an important instrument for competitiveness, economic growth and job creation,” the ministry said.
The WTTC also found that destinations offering visa-free entry achieve a median annual increase in international arrivals of 16.6%, compared with 8.1% for countries introducing new visa categories. Separate research by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum concluded that simplifying travel formalities can increase visitor arrivals by between 7.2% and 27%.
Which countries to benefit first from a potential visa-free entry?
The ministry has proposed extending visa-free access under an “8+1” framework to Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Macau and permanent residents of Singapore. Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri has also confirmed that China, the United States and several European countries are being considered as part of a wider government review.
However, Indonesia’s immigration authorities have urged caution. Immigration Director General Hendarsam Marantoko said previous visa-free policies did not produce the expected increase in tourism revenue and warned that expanding the program could weaken border security while reducing government income from visa fees.
“We do not want visitors who do not contribute positively. When visas are waived, we effectively give up a source of state revenue,” Hendarsam said to Indonesia news agency ANTARA.
He also cited recent arrests of foreign nationals allegedly involved in online fraud and concerns that some overseas workers have taken jobs reserved for Indonesians, arguing that any visa expansion must be balanced with stronger enforcement measures.
Despite tighter entry rules, Indonesia’s tourism industry continues to post impressive growth.
The country welcomed 14.3 million international visitors in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. During the first four months of 2026, foreign arrivals reached 4.68 million, an 8.24% increase year over year and the strongest January-April performance since 2020.
Malaysia remained Indonesia’s largest inbound market in April, accounting for 16.65% of arrivals, followed by Australia with 12.65% and China with 10.73%.
Tourism remains one of Indonesia’s most important economic sectors, contributing Rp945.7 trillion (about US$55.7 billion) to GDP in 2025, or 3.97% of the national economy, while supporting nearly 26 million jobs. Tourism revenue increased another 6.3% in the first quarter of 2026 to US$4.05 billion, with average international visitor spending rising 5.36% to US$1,345.61 per trip.
