Indonesia and Nepal have entered into a visa-free agreement for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
This agreement was signed yesterday, September 22, during a meeting between the foreign affairs ministers of both countries, Retno Marsudi of Indonesia and Arzu Rana Deuba of Nepal, in New York, VisaGuide.World reports.
Under the new rules, diplomatic passport holders of Indonesia and Nepal will be able to enter each other’s territory without having to undergo the visa process.
In addition to the visa agreement, the two ministers also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a bilateral consultation mechanism between the two nations. They explored important areas for collaboration between Indonesia and Nepal, including renewable energy, strategic industries, and democracy initiatives.
Deuba also invited Indonesia to invest in Nepal’s tourism sector and hydropower development.
The two agreements will intensify interactions between government officials of both countries while also enhancing bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Nepal, specifically in trade, investment, and tourism.
Indonesia Introduces Visa-Free Travel for 13 Countries to Boost Tourism
This month, the Indonesian government officially launched a visa-free travel policy for citizens of 13 countries.
Under this regulation, the following countries—Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor Leste, Suriname, Colombia, and Hong Kong—are exempt from visa requirements for visiting Indonesia.
This policy also applies to certain entities and holders of specific residence permits. As a result, visa-free visitors can stay for up to 30 days, although the minister may suspend this in particular situations related to state security or public health.
According to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, implementing this visa-free travel is based on reciprocal agreements and aims to enhance Indonesia’s security. This new policy is expected to increase state revenue and support economic growth, benefiting the tourism sector.
Steven Japari, Golf Division Head and Project Coordinator at Nuvasa Bay Sinar Mas Land in Batam, emphasized the advantages of visa-free travel for Singapore’s permanent residents. He pointed out that if just ten percent of the 1.7 million PR holders from Singapore decided to visit the Riau Islands, it could significantly increase foreign tourist numbers.
Imagine, if ten percent of them visited Riau Islands regularly once a month, Riau Islands could attract 170,000 foreign tourists per month.
Japari further said that Presidential Regulation 95 specifically allows short-term visa-free travel for those holding permanent residency in Singapore.