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Diaspora welcomes new visa, but not the cost
The diaspora visa, introduced by the Immigration Directorate General on Thursday, grants an immediate permit to stay in the country for five or 10 years for former Indonesian citizens.
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Stock illustration of an Indonesian passport (Shutterstock/Rizvisual)
T
he government has recently issued a new visa to make it easier for former Indonesian citizens to visit the country and to stay longer, as part of its moves to bring emigrants home and to utilize their skills to help build the nation.
Members of the Indonesian diaspora, especially those who have lost their citizenship, welcomed the new visa allowing them to more easily return to their homeland, while pointing out that the requirements were rather stringent.
The diaspora visa, introduced by the Immigration Directorate General on Thursday, grants an immediate permit to stay in the country for five or 10 years for former Indonesian citizens.
The new visa will streamline the permit process, which usually requires applicants to secure a guarantor.
Immigration Director General Silmy Karim said the visa was part of the government’s effort to “support the country’s economy.”
“Members of the Indonesian diaspora who want to contribute to the country have been hindered by the absence of policies needed to facilitate [their return to the homeland],” Silmy said in a statement on Thursday.
He added that the visa could help Indonesian migrants who now hold foreign citizenship to feel that Indonesia is also their home, thus eliciting a sense of belonging to the country.
