Suriname travellers: Indonesia limits visa-free entry to 19 nationalities, Singapore PRs

Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration has published an official list of foreign nationals who can enter the country without a visa. The list covers citizens of 19 countries and territories, along with foreign citizens who hold permanent residency in Singapore.

Key facts

• Facility: the A1 visa-free entry scheme
• Who qualifies: nationals of 19 listed countries and territories, plus foreign citizens with permanent residency in Singapore
• Length of stay: up to 30 days from the date of arrival
• Entries: single entry per visit
• Extensions: not permitted, and the permit cannot be converted into another type of stay permit
• Not covered: travellers from countries outside the list, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, must apply for a visa

Who is affected?

The immigration authority names the following countries and territories whose citizens qualify: Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, Myanmar, Laos, East Timor, Suriname, Colombia, Hong Kong, Türkiye, Brazil, Peru, Kazakhstan, Macau and Belarus.

Beyond those nationalities, Indonesia extends the same privilege to foreign citizens who hold permanent residency in Singapore. Those travellers must enter through certain designated immigration checkpoints, although the source does not name which checkpoints.

What does the visa-free entry allow?

Under the A1 facility, eligible travellers may come to Indonesia for tourism, to visit family members, to attend business meetings, to take part in incentive trips, conventions, exhibitions and similar events, or to transit through the country on the way to another destination.

What are the limits?

The permitted stay is capped at 30 days, counted from the date of arrival. The visa-free permit cannot be extended once it is granted, and it cannot be converted into any other type of stay permit.

The facility allows only a single entry per visit. Travellers who leave Indonesia and wish to return must qualify afresh rather than reusing the same permit.

What if my country is not on the list?

Travellers from countries outside the list are not covered by the A1 facility. The source gives Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa as examples; nationals of those countries would need to apply for the appropriate visa before travelling to Indonesia.

What this means for travellers

Travellers who hold one of the listed nationalities, or permanent residency in Singapore, can plan a stay of up to 30 days in Indonesia without arranging a visa in advance, provided their trip fits one of the permitted purposes. Because the permit is single-entry and cannot be extended, anyone planning a longer stay, a return trip or a different purpose should check the rules before booking.

The source does not state a fee for the facility or a separate start date for the published list. Indonesia's immigration authority also points applicants to its official immigration portal to review which visa type fits their profile before submitting an application online.