Indonesia Business Visa - Everything You Need To Know - (Indian Passport Holders)

There are different kinds of errands that are carried out when one has business in a foreign country. In order to be able to enter Indonesia for any kind of business activities, you will have to acquire a business visa to Indonesia. There are several benefits to this permit. With this visa, you can visit the country to attend business meetings, exhibitions and conferences, business meetings for a branch of your own company or a sister company, or attend client meetings and other business errands. 

The validity offered by the visa varies depending on the process that was incorporated to pursue the visa. For an Indonesia business visa on arrival, the validity will be 30 days and the visa is single-entry type. If you apply before the travel, you can get the multiple-entry business visa. The validity for a multiple-entry visa is for one year and the stay permitted can be up to 60 days per visit.

Before applying for a business visa to Indonesia, you need to first meet the eligibility criteria. There are two ways to get the visa. Mainly, the visa prior to travel is obtained following a procedure through embassy. The processes are given as follows:

• Visa on arrival

1. Book flight tickets for onward and return journey.
2. Collect the required documents before travelling.
3. Upon arrival, consult the airport authorities.
4. Present your passport and other documents if asked.
5. Get the Visa Stamp on your passport.

• Visa prior to arrival

1. You can start by downloading the application form.
2. Choose the visa type that you require.
3. Fill out the Indonesia business visa application form and other documents.
4. You can then collect the required documents.
5. Submit the documents to the Indonesian Embassy/Consulate.
6. Wait until you get your documents approved from the Directorate General of Immigration.
7. After approval, you will be informed about other requirements if needed.
8. You can then pay the fee and the processing will begin.

The visa on arrival is applicable for over 160 countries and fortunately India is one of them. This type will allow you to stay in the country for about 30 calendar days from the date of arrival. It is applicable only for the ones who are visiting the country for leisure and tourism and not for employment or any other such purpose. It is a single entry type. To get a multiple-entry, you will have to apply prior to travel. It can also be extended up to 30 days as well.

It is also essential to note that the information provided during the application must be complete and should be verifiable. If there is any kind of information that is false or untraceable, there are chances that you may get your visa application rejected. Such a visa rejection can affect your future applications to get a business visa to Indonesia or to any other type to any country other than Indonesia as well. To avoid such mistakes, it is recommended that you hire a trustworthy agency for the issuance of the visa.

When applying for the visa, there are eligibility criteria that you need to match. The criteria vary depending on the type of visa. The requirements for the business visa to Indonesia are given as follows:

• You must have proof of business ownership and purpose of visit

• • • You must have proper proof of your business enterprise to show it to the authorities.
    • If you have been invited to a business conference or to attend a business or client meeting, an invitation letter from the company must be provided to the embassy.
• You must meet the health requirements
  • • You must be healthy enough to travel to Indonesia.
    • You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide a relevant documentary proof.
  • You must meet the character requirements
    • You must be of good character and have genuine intentions behind doing business in Indonesia.
    • You need to provide a relevant documentary proof for the same as well (if asked) in the form of a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).
• You must have sufficient funds
  • • You must possess or have access to sufficient funds to be able to cover your stay and other expenses in Indonesia.
    • Bank statement or any equivalent document is to be submitted as well as proof of the same.

There are different kinds of requirements as per the type of the visa and the process that is followed to get the visa. The general requirements to get a business visa to Indonesia are given as follows:

• Visa on arrival

• An original passport valid for at least 6 months ahead of the date of travel.
• Confirmed flight tickets
• Proof of sufficient funds - foreign exchange, credit card, travellers cheque or any other equivalent document. (scanned copies)
• Visa prior to arrival

• An original passport valid for at least 6 months ahead of the date of travel.
• Coloured photographs as per the photo specifications
• A cover letter with all the required details
• Confirmed flight tickets
• Proof of accommodation - invitation letter, hotel reservation, etc. (scanned copies)
• Proof of purpose of visit - invitation letter, exhibition or conference pass, etc. (scanned copies)
• Proof of sufficient funds - bank statement or any other equivalent document. (scanned copies)

• Two copies must be provided
• Photo size: 35mm x 45 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 70-80% of the frame.
• Head should well-centred.
• A gap of 2mm to 6mm must be kept between the top of the head and the frame.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The processing time required for the issuance of a business visa to Indonesia is about 3 to 5 days. The time will still vary depending on certain factors like the workload at the embassy office, the staff availability, whether the documents are complete or the rest of the documents are yet to be submitted and others. The time increases and decreases affected by these parameters.

The processing time for a visa on arrival is generally one to a few hours. There are other factors as well that affect this processing time. The processing may take time if your passport and other documents take longer to get verified or if there is a queue.

The cost of issuing an Indonesia business visa normally varies depending on the process that you choose to follow, be it on arrival or prior to arrival. The fees to get a business visa to Indonesia are to be paid to the embassy or the agency through which you are getting it issued. There are several factors that affect the cost of the visa. These include the number of entries required, the purpose of the visit, the service charges and others.

After the payment of the required business visa fee, the processing of the documents and the visa will begin for visa prior to arrival. Also, 

• If there are any other requirements to be fulfilled or if there are any mistakes in the application, the embassy or the agency must be informed.
• If there are any changes related to the application, for instance, change in marital status or birth of a child, you must inform the embassy/agency.
• You can even check the status of the application and the processing in the meantime. 
• If there is a change of plans, you can withdraw the application.
• The visa fee is generally not refundable.

You can check the status of your visa offline by contacting the embassy. If you have applied through a professional agency, you can check the status online by visiting their website for Indonesia business visa tracking.

After the submission of the documents and the form, the processing for the visa will begin. You will then receive your business permit. Some of the pointers after you have your permit are as follows:

• Before you travel

• Make a note of the visa expiry date, as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.
• You should travel to Indonesia within the validity of your visa.
• Make sure to carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
• Issue health insurance and travel insurance from a certified company.
• At the Border
• Get your documents checked and your passport verified.
• Obtain the entry stamp on your passport.
• Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
• Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.
• When you enter Indonesia

• Ensure not to get involved in any kind of employment. You can, however, do volunteer work.
• The business visa does not permit you to employ the residents or reside in the country.
• It is a permit that allows you to only perform business and business-related operations in the country. You are still permitted tourism.
• The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
• Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for the visa extension in time.