COVID-19 Task Force Issues Latest Circular on International Travel

The COVID-19 Task Force has issued Circular Number 7 of 2022 on Health Protocols for International Travel amid COVID-19 Pandemic that shall be effective from February 16, 2022.

Following the issuance of the new circular, which was signed by Head of COVID-19 Task Force Suharyanto, Circular Number 4 of 2022 on Health Protocols for International Travel amid COVID-19 Pandemic is revoked and declared invalid.

One of legal bases for this circular is the result of the Limited Meeting on February 14, 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. Temporary restrictions are also applied to foreign nationals (WNA) entering Indonesian territory, either directly or in transit, except for those who meet the following criteria:

a. those who have met the provisions stated in Regulation of Minister of Law and Human Rights Number 34 of 2021 on the Granting of Immigration Visas and Stay Permits in the period of COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery;

b. those who are under an agreement scheme (bilateral), such as Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA); and/or

c. those who get special written consideration/permission from ministries/institutions.

3. All international travelers both WNI and WNA shall enter the Indonesian territory through the following entry points for international travel:

a. Seven airports, namely Soekarno Hatta Airport in Banten province; Juanda Airport in East Java province; Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali province; Hang Nadim Airport in Riau Islands province; Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport in Riau Islands province; Sam Ratulangi Airport, in North Sulawesi province; and Zainuddin Abdul Madjid Airport in West Nusa Tenggara province.

b. Five seaports, namely Tanjung Benoa Port in Bali province; Batam Port in Riau Islands province; Tanjung Pinang Port in Riau Islands province; Bintan Port in Riau Islands province; and Nunukan Port in North Kalimantan province.

c. Three Cross-Border Posts (PLBN), namely Aruk Cross-Border Posts in West Kalimantan province; Entikong Cross-Border Posts in West Kalimantan province; and Motaain Cross-Border Posts in East Nusa Tenggara province.

4. International travelers entering Indonesian territory through Zainuddin Abdul Madjid Airport, Tanjung Benoa Port, Batam Port, and Bintan Port can only enter Indonesian territory with a bubble system mechanism as regulated in Circular of COVID-19 Task Force on bubble system.

5. All international travelers (both WNA and WNI) entering Indonesia through the entry points as referred to in number 3 must follow the following requirements:

a. Travelers must comply with the provisions of health protocols stipulated by the Government;

b. Travelers must show a vaccination card/certificate (print out/digital) with full doses of COVID-19 vaccine at the minimum of 14 days before departure as the requirement to enter Indonesia with these following provisions:

i. WNI must show a vaccination card/certificate (print out/digital) with full doses of COVID-19 vaccine as a requirement to enter Indonesia. 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;

ii. WNA must show a vaccination card/certificate (print out/digital) with full doses of COVID-19 vaccine as a requirement to enter Indonesia;

iii. 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. 1. 1. age between 12 – 17 years old;
      2. holder of a diplomatic stay permit and an official stay permit; and/or
      3. holder of Limited Stay Permit (KITAS) and Permanent Stay Permit (KITAP).

iv. WNA who is already in Indonesia and will travel, both domestically and internationally, is required to get vaccinated through gotong royong program in accordance with the laws and regulations;

v. The obligation to show a COVID-19 vaccination card or a certificate (print out/digital) as a requirement to enter Indonesia is excluded to:

1. WNA who holds a diplomatic visa and service visa related to official/state working visit of foreign state officials at the ministerial level or above and a WNA who enters Indonesia under the TCA scheme, based on the reciprocity principle and observing strict health protocol;

2. WNA who has not been vaccinated yet and intends to travel domestically with the purpose of taking international flights out of the Indonesian territory is allowed not to show their COVID-19 vaccination card/certificate as long as the WNA does not leave the airport area during transit waiting for international flights, with the following conditions:

a) receiving a permit from the local Port Health Office (KKP) to carry out domestic travel with the purpose of taking flights out of Indonesia; and

b) showing the schedule of flight tickets to abroad with direct transit from the city of departure to the international airport in Indonesian territory and the final stop at the destination country.

3. International travelers under 18 years old; and

4. International travelers with special health conditions or comorbid diseases that cause travelers unable to receive vaccines, with the condition that they must attach a doctor’s certificate from the government hospital of the country of departure stating that the person concerned has not received and/or cannot receive COVID-19 vaccination.

c. Travelers must show RT-PCR test with a negative result through RT-PCR test in origin countries/regions with samples taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before the departure time and it must be attached during the health check or in e-HAC International Indonesia;

d. International travelers who undergo quarantine at their own expense are obligated to show payment confirmation receipt from accommodation provider while staying in Indonesia;

e. Upon arrival, international travelers must be re-tested with an RT-PCR and undergo centralized quarantine with the following conditions:

i. Quarantine for 7 x 24 hours for travelers who have received the first dose of vaccine;

ii. Quarantine for 5 x 24 hours for travelers who have received the second dose of vaccine;

iii. Quarantine for 3 x 24 hours for travelers who have received the third dose of vaccine; or

iv. For travelers under 18 years or those under 18 years and requiring special protection, the duration of quarantine follows the provisions imposed on their parents or caregivers/travel companions.

f. The quarantine obligations as referred to in letter e are carried out with the following provisions:

i. For WNI, namely Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), students who have completed their studies abroad, government officers returning from overseas official trips; or Indonesian representatives attending international competitions or festivals undergo centralized quarantine at the expense of the Government in accordance with the Decree of Head of the COVID-19 Task Force on Quarantine Places and RT-PCR Obligations for Indonesian Citizens Traveling Abroad.

ii. For WNI outside the criteria stated in i must undergo quarantine in centralized quarantine accommodation at their own expense; and

iii. For foreign diplomats, not included the heads of foreign missions and their family, must undergo quarantine in quarantine accommodation at their own expense.

g. Quarantine accommodation places as referred to in letters f.ii and f.iii must obtain a recommendation from the COVID-19 Task Force and meet the terms and conditions of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) for cleanliness, health, safety, and environmental sustainability (CHSE) and the ministry in charge of health affairs for the Jakarta and surrounding areas or the provincial office in charge of health affairs in the regions related to the COVID-19 health protocol certification;

h. In the event that the RT-PCR test upon arrival as referred to in Letter e returns positive, follow up will be carried out with the following provisions:

i. International travelers who are confirmed positive and asymptomatic or experiencing mild symptoms shall be isolated or treated in isolation hotels or centralized isolation facilities set by the Government with the entire cost being borne independently for WNA or borne by the Government for WNI; or

ii. International travelers who are confirmed positive and experiencing moderate or severe symptoms, and/or having uncontrolled comorbidities shall be isolated or treated at a COVID-19 referral hospital with the entire cost being borne independently for WNA or borne by the Government for WNI.

i. In the event that a WNA cannot afford the cost of self-quarantine and/or the treatment in the hospital, the sponsor, ministries/institutions/state-owned enterprises who provide consideration for the entry permit for the WNA may hold responsible for the said person;

j. For WNI and WNA, the second RT-PCR tests are carried out with the following conditions:

i. On the 6th day of quarantine for international travelers who carry out quarantine with a duration of 7 x 24 hours;

ii. On the 4th day of quarantine for international travelers who carry out quarantine with a duration of 5 x 24 hours; or

iii. On the 3rd day of quarantine for international travelers who carry out quarantine with a duration of 3 x 24 hours.

k. In the event that the RT-PCR retest as referred to in letter j shows a negative result, the WNI and WNA are allowed to continue their journey and are advised to self-quarantine for fourteen days while observing health protocols;

l. In the event of a positive result of the retest as referred to in letter j, follow-up will be carried out with the following provisions:

i. International travelers who are confirmed positive and asymptomatic or experiencing mild symptoms shall be isolated or treated in isolation hotels or centralized isolation facilities set by the Government with the entire cost being borne independently for WNA or borne by the Government for WNI; or

ii. International travelers who are confirmed positive and experiencing moderate or severe symptoms, and/or having uncontrolled comorbidities shall be isolated or treated at a COVID-19 referral hospital with the entire cost being borne independently for WNA or borne by the Government for WNI.

m. The RT-PCR test as referred to in letters e and j may be requested for comparison test by filling out forms provided by the KKP or Ministry that organizes health sector which cost will be borne independently;

n. The implementation of the RT-PCR comparison test as referred to in Letter m is carried out simultaneously by the KKP in two laboratories for the purpose of comparison of S-Gene Target Failure (SGTF) and comparative examination of RT-PCR results, namely 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 (Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Regional Health Laboratories, or other government reference laboratories);

o. The KKP in international airports and seaports facilitate WNI and WNA (international travelers) who need emergency medical services upon arrival in Indonesia in accordance with applicable regulations;

p. Ministries/institutions/regional governments that perform functions related to WNI and/or WNA must follow up this circular by issuing legal instruments that are aligned and not contrary to this circular and laws and regulations; and

q. The legal instrument as referred to in letter p is an integral part of this circular.

6. WNA with the status of head of foreign mission residing in Indonesia and the family may be given dispensation for centralized quarantine for the duration as referred to in number 5.e. in the form of individual self-quarantine.

7. Dispensation in the form of exemption from quarantine obligations may be granted to Indonesian citizens in urgent circumstances (such as: having a life-threatening health condition, a health condition requiring special attention, or grief due to the death of a nuclear family member) after showing a negative result of the RT-PCR re-test during arrival at the entry points.

8. Dispensation in the form of exemption from quarantine obligations on the condition that the bubble system and strict health protocols are implemented can be granted to WNA with the following criteria:

a. holder of a diplomatic visa and service visa;

b. foreign officials at the ministerial level and above and their entourage making official/state visits;

c. travelers who enter Indonesia through the TCA scheme;

d. delegations of G20 member countries; and

e. travelers who are honorable persons and distinguished persons.

9. Application for dispensation in the form of self-quarantine as referred to in number 6 and exemption from quarantine obligation as referred to in number 8 shall be submitted at least seven days prior to arrival in Indonesia to the National COVID-19 Task Force and may be granted selectively, individually, and with a limited quota based on the agreement between the COVID-19 Task Force, Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, and Ministry of Health.

10. Applications for dispensation in the form of exemption from quarantine obligations for WNI with urgent circumstances as referred to in number 7 shall be submitted at least three days prior to arrival in Indonesia to the National COVID-19 Task Force and may be granted selectively, individually, and with limited quotas based on the agreement between the COVID-19 Task Force, Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, and Ministry of Health.

11. Self-quarantine as referred to in Number 6 must meet the following requirements:

a. having a separate bedroom and bathroom for each international traveler;

b. minimizing contact during food distribution or eating activities;

c. not having physical contact with other travelers who are in quarantine or other individuals;

d. requiring quarantine supervisory officers to report quarantine monitoring on a daily basis to KKP officers in their region; and

e. performing a second RT-PCR test and must report the results of the RT-PCR test to KKP officers in their region with the following conditions:

i. On the 6th day of quarantine for travelers who are quarantined with a duration of 7 x 24 hours;

ii. On the 4th day of quarantine for travelers who are quarantined with a duration of 5 x 24 hours; or

iii. On the 3rd day of quarantine for travelers who are quarantined with a duration of 3 x 24 hours.

12. In the case of submitting a dispensation application for self-quarantine as referred to in Number 6, the international traveler concerned must attach proof of compliance with self-quarantine requirements in the form of 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.

13. The strict health protocol as referred to in number 5 must meet the following terms and conditions:

a. The use of masks must be done properly covering the nose and mouth;

b. The types of masks used by travelers are three-layer cloth masks or medical masks;

c. It is not permissible to speak one way or two ways by telephone or in-person throughout the trip using public transportation modes via land, railway, sea, river, lake, ferry, and air; and

d. It is not allowed to eat and drink during the flight journey for a journey that is less than two hours, except for individuals who are obliged to take medicine for treatment which if not done can endanger the safety and health of the person concerned.

14. Every international traveler is required to use the PeduliLindungi application as a condition to enter the Indonesian territory.

15. Every operator of transportation modes at the entry point for international travel is required to use the PeduliLindungi application.

16. Supervision of the health quarantine of cargo ships and crews is carried out in accordance with more specific and technical arrangements stipulated by Ministry of Health through the monitoring by the KKP at each entry point for international travel.

17. WNA and WNI traveling to Indonesia for tourism purposes can enter the Indonesian territory provided that they show the COVID-19 certificate/card and the negative result of the RT-PCR test as referred to in number 5.b. and 5.c., and must attach:

a. Short-visit visa or other entry permits in accordance with laws and regulation;

b. Proof of the ownership of health insurance with a coverage value of at least US$25,000 covering financing for COVID-19 handling; and

c. Proof of booking confirmation and payment of accommodation place from the accommodation provider during the stay in Indonesia. (COVID-19 TASK FORCE/UN) (FI/LW)