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Indonesia to simplify visa procedures to attract more international students
Country aims to strengthen its competitiveness as a global education destination
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Indonesia and the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections of Indonesia are set to reform the country’s visa system in a bid to increase the number of international students studying in Indonesia. The initiative is designed to simplify administrative procedures and improve the accessibility of higher education for foreign applicants, according to ANTARA.
“We want more foreign students in Indonesia, so administrative processes must improve. Universities should focus on academics, while services must be simpler, faster, and more predictable,” said Hermawan K. Dipojono, a representative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.
He noted that the visa application process often forms a foreign student’s first impression of the country, making reform at this stage particularly important for strengthening Indonesia’s attractiveness as a study destination.
Experts currently highlight several challenges in the system, including lengthy processing times, relatively high fees, limited transparency and weak integration between government agencies. To address these issues, officials propose allowing international students to submit visa applications independently and pay the required fees using an official admission letter issued by their university.
The updated system is expected to reduce the administrative burden on universities, enabling institutions to concentrate more fully on teaching quality and monitoring students’ academic progress.
Meanwhile, Muhamad Najib, Director for Institutional Affairs at the Higher Education Directorate of Indonesia, added that the reforms may include lower student visa fees, the cancellation of visa charges for scholarship recipients at public universities, the removal of mandatory exit requirements when transferring between institutions, and permission for students to take part-time work in teaching, research or internship programmes.
As part of strengthening cooperation among the BRICS countries, the group is taking important steps to simplify visa procedures and facilitate the movement of individuals. These measures aim to promote cultural, commercial, and scientific exchanges among member countries, thereby contributing to the strengthening of bilateral relations.
For example, India has introduced a visa-free entry system for Kazakh citizens in a strategic move aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties and expanding bilateral cooperation, according to Kazinform, a TV BRICS partner.
Brasil 247, a partner of TV BRICS, also reported that Brazil and India have signed a formal exchange agreement to extend the validity of visit visas from five to ten years, representing a significant step towards enhancing mobility and bilateral engagement between the two emerging economies.
Under this agreement, Brazilian and Indian citizens applying for tourist or business visas will be able to stay for up to 90 days per visit, while business visas will allow stays of up to 180 days per entry, in accordance with the immigration legislation of each country.
South Africa is preparing to launch a major global promotional campaign aimed at revitalising its tourism sector, with a strategic focus on attracting visitors from China and India by expanding its digital visa system.
South Africa's Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Leyle, was quoted by China Daily, a TV BRICS partner, as saying that the country had successfully tested the digital visa system with citizens of China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico during the G20 summit hosted by Johannesburg last November.
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30.05.2614:00 
24 minutes 26 sec.