Coronavirus has shifted the world completely, including how we work, study, or travel. Here we list down everything you should be aware of when traveling in Indonesia during this moment.
Travel Notice
According to CDC, at the moment, Indonesia's risk on COVID-19 is still high on level 3, meaning that CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Indonesia, unless for humanitarian aid work, medical reasons, or family emergencies. However, this level might be updated sooner or later, and we will keep you updated when you subscribe to our newsletter.
Some international flights into and from Indonesia are still limited. For the COVID-19 travel regulations, you should refer to each destination country's policy on the respective official government website, or IATA Travel Center by clicking on the country map.
Entry Requirements
For the time being, Indonesia is still closing its door for foreign visitors for transiting and traveling to Indonesia, with some exemption for:
- KITAS (temporary stay) or KITAP (permanent stay) permit holders
- Foreigners with diplomatic or service visa
- Foreigners with diplomatic or service stay permit
- Passengers with a visa issued after 31 March 2020
- Medical, food, and humanitarian aid support workers
- Transportation (air, sea, or land) crew
- Foreign nationals who are associated with essential work for national strategic projects such as infrastructure or constructions
- Patients in need of emergency help
- Passengers attending to urgent matters like death or illness in the immediate family
- Repatriated migrant workers
- Overseas Indonesian students
Before the departure and arrival to Indonesia and your home country, check on the details about entry requirements for arriving travelers, particularly about the mandatory testing for COVID-19 and mandatory quarantine information. Now, all foreign visitors in Indonesia are required (but not limited) to provide a medical certificate, either the Rapid Test or PCR Test, with a negative COVID-19 result issued at most 14 days before arrival. If you cannot obtain this certification prior to traveling to Indonesia, you are subject to medical screening upon arrival at the airport, and you must agree to be quarantined if your test is positive. In the case (if your test result is positive), you must be treated in the health facility in Indonesia, and you must bear all the costs for the tests, quarantine, and health facility.
Airlines Operational Policy and Health protocol
International commercial flights are still operating with limited routes and schedules. Adapting to the situation and demand during the pandemic, most airlines have a new policy regarding the cancellation and change fees, which offer more flexibility – check them at the airline's official website.
In terms of health protocol, the Indonesian government requires all airlines in Indonesia to take necessary steps to apply the related measures and cleaning efforts to provide hygiene and safety of all passengers, including but not limited to the frequent cleaning and sanitation process inside the aircraft, passenger and crew health screening, the use of face-covering for all staffs and crew, and physical distancing policy applied in the cabin by allocating empty seat between passengers. All passengers are also encouraged to frequently wash their hands, wear a face mask, and avoid touching public surfaces when possible.
Hotel or Vacation Rental Waivers and Hygiene Protocols
In response to the latest developments of COVID-19 cases, most hotels and vacation rentals now offer the booking option for a more flexible cancellation or alteration for new reservations made after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, each accommodation has a different policy related to the details of the eligible alteration date, the maximum time permitted to modify or cancel your reservation, and the additional rate for "cancel anytime" booking.
Regarding the hygiene protocol, all accommodations should implement strict health protocols across all their facilities, including, but not limited to, checking the body temperature for all guests and staffs, providing handwashing facilities, maintaining hygiene in public facilities and restaurants, implementing the physical distancing including to reduce the guest capacity, disinfecting all rooms and facilities every 4 hours, etc.
Information subject to change without notice. Additional measures during the pandemic may be imposed at such short notice and specific details may change rapidly. Please contact your travel provider or your airline for further information and follow the advice of the local authorities. Updated November 1, 2020.