- Indonesia expanded its visa-free list on July ninth, twenty twenty-six, adding Kazakhstan, Peru, Macau, and Belarus.
- The new regulation prioritizes international reciprocity and mutual benefits over the previous blanket 2016 decree.
- Visa-free entries dropped by nearly 88 percent in early twenty twenty-six while immigration revenue grew slightly.
Indonesia expanded visa-free entry on July 9, 2026, giving citizens of Turkey, Brazil, and Kazakhstan access under Minister of Immigration and Corrections Regulation No. 10 of 2026. The same rule also added Peru, Macau, and Belarus. The old rule is gone. It revoked and replaced the 2025 regulation that had governed the earlier list.
Agus Andrianto, the minister, said the move was meant to work both ways. Not a free pass.
"The policy is based on mutual benefit rather than being granted unconditionally."
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He tied the opening to reciprocity.
That logic had already been visible in the earlier rule. Turkey and Brazil had already been covered since July 3, 2025, under MOIC Regulation No. 9/2025. Kazakhstan was the new arrival. A June 2026 update had already shown the government narrowing access to a small group of nationalities, including Turkey and Brazil, before this expansion landed.
Yuldi Yusman, then acting director general of immigration, had said the main reason was reciprocity.
"The primary consideration for granting visa-free entry to Brazil and Turkey is reciprocity, as both countries already offer visa-free entry to Indonesian citizens."
The broader policy has changed shape. Indonesia once offered visa-free access to 169 countries. That wider system grew out of a 2016 decree built to maximize tourist volume. The newer model is selective, and the filters are reciprocity, economic value, and security compliance. That shift sits under Presidential Regulation No. 95/2024. Immigration checkpoints are also leaning on digital transformation. The gate narrowed first.
The numbers show how sharply the system has tightened. Visa-free entries fell 87.91% in the first half of 2026, to 52,999 from 438,423 in the same period of 2025. The drop came after many countries were removed from the earlier list of 169. Non-tax state revenue from the visa sector still rose 6.42% to about Rp2.81 trillion ($174 million), as more travelers shifted to paid Visa on Arrival services. Volume fell. Cash rose.
The new list keeps the circle selective
| Country or place | July 2026 status |
|---|---|
| Turkey | kept on the visa-free list after the 2025 rule |
| Brazil | kept on the visa-free list after the 2025 rule |
| Kazakhstan | added by the July 2026 regulation |
| Peru | added by the July 2026 regulation |
| Macau | added by the July 2026 regulation |
| Belarus | added by the July 2026 regulation |
Even with the broader list, the permit stays tight. It allows 30 days for tourism, business meetings, or medical treatment. That keeps short commercial trips in play. Officers will not extend it, and they will not convert it into another stay permit. Travelers still need a passport valid for at least six months and a confirmed return or onward ticket. The change also removes the Rp500,000 (~$31) Visa on Arrival fee and the advance e-visa step.
Officials say reciprocity still sets the bar
Hendarsam Marantoko said the department is pairing digital screening with selective access. He said every arrival must justify itself economically. That is the logic now.
"We are prioritizing digital transformation and selective policies to ensure that every foreigner entering Indonesia adds value to the national economy without neglecting national security."
Security stays central.
Indonesia's embassy in Kazakhstan has cast the move as a diplomatic opening. Fadjroel Rachman called the decision a "milestone in the diplomatic relationship" and projected trade with Kazakhstan could reach $2 billion within the next three to five years. That target puts money at the center of the opening. The government is also steering high-net-worth individuals toward the Golden Visa.
That program recorded 143 issuances in the first semester of 2026. It gives wealthy applicants a way past the short stay. The bypass is optional.
