VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Directorate General of Immigration of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights has now allowed foreign nationals to apply for a fresh visitor visa or extend their visa online.

"At the occasion of the Directorate General of Immigration anniversary, foreigners can now apply for a tourist visa and pre-investment visitor visa through the molina.imigrasi.go.id website," director general Silmy Karim said here on Thursday.

Earlier, foreign nationals holding an electronic visa on arrival (e-VoA) had to visit a local immigration office to apply for a visa extension, he said, adding that the launch of the service will allow them to apply for visa anywhere and at any time.

To apply for a tourist visa, pre-investment visitor visa, or e-VoA online, foreign nationals will need to sign up on the molina.imigrasi.go.id website, he informed.

After logging into their new account, they will need to fill up the form and upload all documents required for the application.

Once all the data is submitted, applicants will have to make the payment, whose methods have been specified on the website, and after the payment is verified, the visa will be sent to the applicant's registered e-mail.

"The new service will use an online payment method," he said.

Foreign nationals applying for a tourist visa and pre-investment visitor visa are not required to submit the name of their sponsor, he added.

The new service is expected to encourage growth in the tourism and investment sectors, the director general affirmed.

“The Directorate General of Immigration is keen to facilitate global entrepreneurs and investors to visit and study investment potentials before they are committed to investing in Indonesia," Karim said.

He also expressed the hope that the agency's endeavors to smoothen foreign nationals' visits to Indonesia will benefit the country and bolster the country's positive image in the global community. (Antaranews)