On 23rd September 2022, the Director General of Immigration signed an official circular (see below) advising that the multiple entry business visa (MEBV) was now available again, however, it wasn’t until 23rd November 2022 the visa was available again on immigration systems to apply.
The Multiple Entry Business Visa (MEBV) is one of Indonesia’s most popular visa products; however, during the covid pandemic it was shelved to discourage foreigners travelling back and forth between Indonesia and other countries.
Prior to the visa being shelved, it was one of LetsMoveIndonesia’s most popular products and we have processed hundreds of these visas prior to the Covid 19 outbreak and subsequent ban.
In this article Gary Joy, the founder of LetsMoveIndonesia explains what is the Multiple Entry Visa, how does it work, why is it such a popular visa option with expatriates, who is the visa applicable for, as well as answer your most common questions.
What is Multiple Entry Business Visa?
The Multiple Entry Business Visa is intended for foreigners that enter and exit Indonesia frequently for business matters. It must be sponsored by an Indonesian business entity and it has a validity of 1-5 years.
Who is the Multiple Entry Business Visa applicable to?
The MEBV is applicable to almost all foreign nationalities.
How long can I spend in Indonesia each visit?
You can spend up to 60 days in Indonesia each trip, at which time, you need to leave the country.
If I plan to spend longer than 60 days in Indonesia, can I extend my stay?
The 60 days is not extendable.
How many times can I enter Indonesia during the year?
You may enter Indonesia as many times as you like during your visa validity, just remember you cannot stay longer within the country that 60 days per trip.
If I plan to stay longer than 60 days, is there a better solution?
Yes, there is. You can obtain a Single Entry Tourist/Business visa. This visa allows you to stay in Indonesia for an initial 60 days which can be extended by a further 60 days twice, allowing you to stay in Indonesia for a total of 180 days. Please note, that this visa is not multiple entry, so once you leave, you cannot enter using this visa again.
What is the benefit of the Multiple Entry Business Visa?
The great thing about this visa is its flexibility. Unlike the Single Entry Visa, this allows the foreigner to be flexible and enter and exit at will.
Foreigners really like this product because of the flexibility, no need to keep extending it every 60 days and its cost efficiency compared with other visas.
If I am in Indonesia, and my 60 days expire, can I leave the country and come back on the same day?
In theory yes you can, although, please remember, this visa is designed for foreign travellers that enter and enter Indonesia frequently, it isn’t for people residing in Indonesia permanently.
Why don’t I just get the visa on arrival every time I enter Indonesia?
There are a number of benefits to using the MEBV over the Visa on Arrival, such as:
Some nationalities cannot get a Visa on Arrival, therefore this visa type allows those nationalities entry to Indonesia.
It saves a lot of time when entering Indonesia as the visa queue is significantly quicker than the Visa on Arrival queue generally.
If you travel forwards and backwards regularly, it can end up being cheaper than obtaining multiple Single Entry Visas or paying Visa on Arrival fees every time.
What are the visa fees?
The current visa fee payable to Indonesian authorities is 3,000,000 IDR.
Why is the visa fee payable to the government so expensive?
Prior to the pandemic, it was only US$50; however, Indonesian authorities decided that after 2 years of no tourism, they would put the prices up for visa fees across all products starting around April 2022. All visa fees generally rose by more than 100%.
Can individuals sponsor the visa or does it have to be a business?
This visa must be sponsored by an Indonesian business entity set up in Indonesia?
I don’t have a sponsor, what can I do?
Contact us and we can assist.
How do I apply for one?
Contact the LetsMoveIndonesia team of course. Have more questions? Then contact the team to get your free consultation: WA: +62 811 1286 948 T: +62 21 300 297 27 (Jakarta) T: +62 361 934 8343 (Seminyak Bali) T: +62 361 939 9406 (Canggu Bali) T: +62 812 9260 0590 (Sanur Bali) E: [email protected] or check out their website: www.letsmoveindonesia.com
Found this article interesting? Then check out these useful guides about Visa & Company Registration processes in Indonesia!
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