Indonesia stopped visa-free entry for Indian passports in 2020. The government cited concerns about the number of Indian nationals overstaying their visas in Indonesia.
According to the Indonesian Immigration Office, there were over 100,000 Indian nationals who overstayed their visas in Indonesia in 2019. This was a significant increase from the previous year, when there were only around 50,000 Indian nationals who overstayed their visas.
The Indonesian government also cited concerns about the security of Indian nationals in Indonesia. In 2019, there were a number of high-profile cases of Indian nationals being arrested in Indonesia for drug trafficking.
The suspension of visa-free entry for Indian passports has been met with some criticism from Indian travel and tourism operators. They argue that the suspension will have a negative impact on the Indonesian tourism industry, as Indian nationals are a major source of tourists for Indonesia.
The Indonesian government has said that it is open to reviewing the suspension of visa-free entry for Indian passports if the number of Indian nationals overstaying their visas decreases.
Here are some other reasons why Indonesia might have stopped visa-free entry for Indian passports:
- To deter illegal immigration.
- To collect visa fees from Indian nationals.
- To control the flow of people into Indonesia.
- To protect the security of Indonesia.
It is important to note that the suspension of visa-free entry for Indian passports is only temporary. The Indonesian government has said that it will review the suspension if the number of Indian nationals overstaying their visas decreases.
