Gov’t Issues Circular on International Travel Health Protocols

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The COVID-19 Task Force Tuesday (01/04) issued Circular Number 1 of 2022 on Health Protocols for International Travel amid COVID-19 Pandemic that shall be effective starting January 7, 2021 until further notice.

Following the issuance of the new circular, Circular Number 26 of 2021 on Health Protocols for International Travel amid COVID-19 Pandemic will expire.

The circular, which is signed by Head of the COVID-19 Task Force Suharyanto, aims to monitor, control, and evaluate measures to prevent spike in the transmission of COVID-19, including new variants such as SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 found in several countries, as well as the future variant of the SARS-CoV-2.

To that end, to anticipate the transmission of the new variant of COVID-19, international travelers, both foreign nationals (WNA) and Indonesian citizens (WNI), must observe strict health protocols and obey the policies regulated by the Government.

One of legal bases for this circular is the result of the Limited Meeting on January 3, 2022.

The provisions stipulated in the circular are as follows:

1. International travelers who are Indonesian citizens (WNI) are allowed to enter Indonesia, while still following strict health protocols as stipulated by the Government.
2. Indonesia temporarily closes entry points for foreign nationals (WNA) who directly travel / transit from, have lived and / or visited in the last fourteen days in countries / regions with the following criteria:
   1. countries / regions that have confirmed community transmission of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529: South Africa, Botswana, Norway, and France;
   2. countries / regions that are geographically adjacent to the countries that have significantly community transmission of the new variant of B.1.1.529: Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, and Lesotho; and / or
   3. countries / regions with confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1,529 reaching more than 10,000 cases: UK and Denmark.
3. Temporary closure for WNA into the Indonesian territory is excluded for travelers who meet the following criteria:
   1. travelers with no travel history and / or stay within 14 days in countries / regions as referred to in number 2;
   2. travelers who comply with Regulation of Minister of Law and Human Rights Number 34 of 2021 on Indonesian Visa and Immigration Residence Permit during the Period of COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery;
   3. travelers who comply with their bilateral agreement scheme including Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA); and/or
   4. travelers who receive a special written consideration / permission from ministries / agencies.
4. All international travelers (both WNA and WNI) must follow these following requirements:
   1. Travelers must comply with the provisions of health protocols stipulated by the Government;
   2. Travelers must show a vaccination card / certificate (print out / digital) with fully doses of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before departure as the requirement to enter Indonesia with these following provisions:
      1. WNI and WNA must show a vaccination card / certificate (print out / digital) with fully doses of COVID-19 vaccine as requirement to enter Indonesia;
      2. If the WNI has not received yet the vaccine dose from abroad, the WNI will be vaccinated in quarantine place upon arriving in Indonesia after testing negative for COVID-19 by the second RT-PCR test;
      3. If the WNA has not received the vaccine dose yet from abroad, the WNA will be vaccinated in quarantine place upon arriving in Indonesia after testing negative for COVID-19 by the second RT-PCR test, with the following conditions:
         1. age between 12 – 17 years old;
         2. having a diplomatic stay permit and a working stay permit; and / or
         3. holding a Limited Stay Permit (KITAS) and a Permanent Stay Permit (KITAP).
      4. WNA who is already in Indonesia and will travel both domestic and international is required to be vaccinated through the national scheme program or the gotong royongprogram in accordance with the laws and regulations;
      5. The obligation to show a COVID-19 vaccination card or a certificate (print out / digital) as requirement to enter Indonesia is excluded to:
         1. WNA who holds a diplomatic visa and service visa related to official state working visit of state officials at the ministerial level or above and a WNA who enters Indonesia under the TCA scheme, based on the reciprocity principle must observe strict health protocol;
         2. WNA who has not been vaccinated yet and intends to travel domestically and continues to take an international flight out of Indonesian territory is allowed to not show a vaccination card or a certificate as long as the WNA does not leave the airport area during the transit to take an international flight under the following conditions:
            1. WNA has been permitted by the local Port Health Authorities (KKP) to do domestic travel that aims to continue international travel out of Indonesia; and
            2. WNA must show the flight ticket to abroad for direct transit from the departure city to international airport in Indonesian territory with the destination country as final destination.
         3. International traveler who is under 18 years old; and
         4. International traveler with a special health condition or comorbid that cause the WNA unable to receive vaccines. WNA is obliged to show a medical certificate from the doctor working at Government’s hospitals in departure country.
      6. Vaccination card / certificate (print out / digital) with fully doses of COVID-19 vaccine written in English, in addition to the written language of the origin country.
   3. The travelers must show RT-PCR test with a negative result through RT-PCR test in origin countries / regions valid in 3 x 24 hours prior to departure which must be attached during medical checkup or e-HAC International Indonesia;
   4. International travelers who undergo quarantine covered independently are obligated to show payment confirmation receipt from accommodation provider while staying in Indonesia;
   5. Upon the arrival, international travelers must be tested with a RT-PCR and undergo a quarantine for 7 x 24 hours
   6. WNI who travels from countries / regions as stated in Number 2 is allowed to enter Indonesia and must be tested by RT-PCR and undergo 10×24 quarantine;
   7. Quarantine obligation as stated in Letter e and f is carried out with this following condition:
      1. WNI, including Indonesian migrant workers (PMI), students, or government employees returning from international working trip, or Indonesian representatives for international competition or festival undergo quarantine which the cost is covered by the Government as stipulated in the Memorandum of the COVID-19 National Task Force on Entry Point, Quarantine Place, and RT-PCR Obligation for Indonesian Citizens Traveling from Abroad.
      2. WNI excluded from the criteria stated in I must undergo quarantine in quarantine accommodation covered independently; and
      3. WNA including foreign diplomats, not included the head of foreign representative and the family of the head of foreign representative, undergo quarantine in quarantine accommodation through covered independently.
   8. Quarantine accommodation places as referred to in Letter f.2 must be recommended by the COVID-19 National Task Force and must meet the terms and conditions of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association for their cleanliness, health, safety, and environmental sustainability (CHSE) and ministry that in charges of health affairs for the Jakarta greater area or provincial offices that are also in charge of health affairs related to the certification of COVID-19 health protocols;
   9. In the event that WNI/WNA has a positive result of the RT-PCR test upon arrival as referred to in Letter e and f, the WNI will be sent to the hospital for treatment covered by the Government and the cost of the treatment of WNA in the hospital will be covered independently;
   10. In the event that a WNA cannot afford the cost of self-quarantine and / or the treatment in the hospital, the sponsor, ministries / agencies / state-owned enterprises who give the entry permit for the WNA must be responsible for that.
   11. WNI and WNA must undergo the second test of RT-PCR with these following conditions:
       1. On the 6^th day of quarantine for international travelers who undergo quarantine for 7 x 24 hours; or
       2. On the 9^th day of quarantine for international travelers who undergo quarantine with for 10 x 24 hours.
   12. If the re-test of the RT-PCR as referred to in Letter k shows a negative result, WNI and WNA are allowed to continue their trips and are recommended to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days, while observing health protocols;
   13. If the re-test of the RT-PCR as referred to in Letter k shows a positive result, the WNI will be sent to hospital for treatment covered by the Government and the treatment cost of WNA will be covered \independently;
   14. The RT-PCR test as referred to in Letter k may be requested for comparison test by filling out form provided by the KKP or Ministry that organizes health sector which the cost will be covered independently;
   15. The implementation of RT-PCR comparison test as referred to in Letter n is carried out by the laboratory of Cipto Mangunkusumo Central General Hospital (RSCM) or Gatot Soebroto Army Central Hospital (RSPAD) or Bhayangkara Raden Said Sukanto Hospital (Polri Hospital) and is carried out simultaneously by the KKP at two laboratories in order to check out the comparison of S-Gene Target Failure(SGTF) and the treatment of RT-PCR comparison test is carried out at Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes), Cipto Mangunkusumo Central General Hospital (RSCM), Gatot Soebroto Army Central Hospital (RSPAD), Bhayangkara Raden Said Sukanto Hospital (Polri Hospital), or other Government’s laboratories;
   16. The KKP in international airport and port facilitate WNI or WNA (international travelers) who need emergency medical services upon arrival in Indonesia;
   17. Ministries / agencies / reegional governments that perform functions related to WNI and / or WNA must follows up this circular by issuing legal instruments that are aligned and not contrary to this circular and laws and regulations;
   18. The legal instrument as referred to in Letter q is an integral part of this circular.
5. WNA who is head of foreign representative residing in Indonesia and the family of the head of foreign representative is allowed to get quarantine dispensation for 7×24 hours as referred to in Number 4.e. to undergo self-quarantine.
6. Quarantine dispensation may be carried out by WNI with an urgent condition namely WNI with life-threatening health condition, WNI with health condition that requires special concern, or WNI with grieving condition due to one of family members dies.
7. Exceptions to the temporary closure for WNA entering Indonesian territory and quarantine obligation for WNA, while still implementing bubble systems and health protocols strictly are applied to international travelers with these following criteria:
   1. WNA who holds diplomatic visas and service visas;
   2. WNA who is foreign official at the ministerial level or above and the entourages who carry out official state visit;
   3. WNA who enters Indonesia through the TCA scheme; or
   4. delegation of G20 member countries;
   5. international traveler who is honorable person and distinguished person. Honorable person refers to former Head of State or former Head of Government of a country, while distinguished person refers to person who achieves award that has high social, economic value at international level including: Nobel laureate, global religious figure, global community leader, and global economic figure.
8. Quarantine dispensation as referred to in Number 5 and 7 must be proposed to the COVID-19 Task Force minimum 7 days before arrival in Indonesia and it will be selective, individual with limited quota based on the coordination result of COVID-19 Task Force, Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs, and Ministry of Health.
9. Quarantine dispensation proposal for WNI as referred to in Number 6 must be proposed to the COVID-19 Task Force minimum 3 days before arrival in Indonesia and it will be selective, individual with limited quota based on the coordination result of COVID-19 Task Force, Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs, and Ministry of Health.
10. Self-quarantine as referred to in Number 5 must meet these following requirements:
    1. The quarantine place has separate bed room and bathroom for international traveler who undergoes self-quarantine;
    2. Minimizing contact when distributing food or eating;
    3. Avoiding physical contact with other travelers or individuals who also undergo quarantine;
    4. There must be quarantine supervisory officer who is obliged to report regulary to the KKP in the region; and
    5. Conducting a second RT-PCR test on the 6th day of quarantine and must report the result to the KKP in the region.
11. In the event that the quarantine dispensation proposal as referred to in Number 5, the international travelers are obligated to show proof of compliance with self-quarantine requirements on separate bedroom and bathroom for each individual of international travelers as well as to show documents that include the identity of quarantine supervisory officer validated by Ministry of Health c.q. the KKP.
12. Strict health protocols as referred to in Number 5 must meet these following terms and conditions:
    1. The use of masks must be done properly covering the nose and mouth;
    2. The type of mask used by the travelers is a three-layer cloth mask or medical mask;
    3. It is not permissible to speak in one direction or two directions by telephone or directly during the trip using public transportations including land transports, railways, sea, rivers, lakes, crossings, and air; and
    4. It is not permissible to eat and drink by the flight for journeys that take less than two hours, except for individuals who are obliged to take medicine in terms of treatment that if it has not been done, it may endanger the safety and health of them.
13. Every international traveler must use the PeduliLindungi application as a requirement to enter Indonesian territory.
14. Every operator of the mode of transportations at the entry point of international travel is required to use the PeduliLindungi application;
15. Supervision of the health quarantine of cargo ships and crews is carried out in accordance with more specific and technical regulations regulated by Ministry of Health through the monitoring by the KKP in each entry point of international travel.
16. WNA travelling to Indonesia for tourism purpose and not having travel history within 14 days from countries/regions as referred to in Number 2 are allowed to enter Indonesian territory with these following conditions:
    1. The entry points are airports in Bali and Riau Islands; and
    2. In addition to COVID-19 vaccination card or certificate and the negative result of the RT-PCR test as referred to in Numbers 4.b. and 4.c., international travel for tourism purpose must attach:
       1. Short-visit visa or other entry permit in accordance with laws and regulation;
       2. Proof of the ownership of health insurance with a coverage value of at least USD100 thousand covering financing for COVID-19 handling; and
       3. Proof of booking confirmation of accommodation place from the accommodation provider during the stay in Indonesia.

In this circular, the provisions of monitoring, control, and evaluation are also regulated. The provisions are as follows:

1. The Regional COVID-19 Task Force assisted by public transportation organizing authorities carry out control to travel and safe public transportation from COVID-19 by establishing an Integrated Security Post;
2. The authority, management, and providers of public transportation assign supervision during the operation of public transportation;
3. Ministries / agencies, the Indonesian National Defense Force (TNI) / the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and regional governments have the rights to stop and / or ban the travel of persons based on this circular and not contrary to the laws and regulations;
4. Ministries / Agencies, TNI / Polri assisted by Airport and Port COVID-19 Task Force c.q. the KKP in international airport and port carry out regular monitoring to ensure people’s compliance with the implementation of health protocols and self-quarantine through telephone facilities, video calls, and inspections in the ground amid COVID-19 pandemic; and
5. The authorities (Ministries/Agencies, TNI/Polri, and regional governments) enforce the discipline of the COVID-19 health protocol and law in accordance with the provisions of prevailing laws and regulations. (The COVID-19 Task Force /UN) (AP/EP)