Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s immigration authority is issuing emergency stay permits and waiving overstay fees for foreign nationals stranded by widespread flight cancellations following the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau on Sunday (September 6).
Director General of Immigration at the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections Hendarsam Marantoko announced the policy on Monday (September 7), describing it as a necessary humanitarian response to a force majeure event.
“We understand the difficult situation and inconvenience experienced by passengers due to these flight disruptions. Therefore, the government is committed to providing legal certainty for affected foreign nationals,” Hendarsam said in a statement.
He noted that between September 5 and September 7, volcanic ash forced the cancellation of 520 flights — comprising 254 arrivals and 266 departures — disrupting travel for 86,760 passengers.
To accommodate stranded travelers, immigration checkpoints at affected departure airports are issuing emergency stay permits valid for up to 30 days. The permits are free of charge and can be extended if the airspace closures persist.
Hendarsam noted that immigration offices across the country have already begun processing the emergency stay permits.
Two dedicated service counters have been opened at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, which serves as the main air hub for the Greater Jakarta area. As of Monday, the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office had processed 26 emergency stay permit applications.
Meanwhile, five applications had been processed at the Central Jakarta Immigration Office, four at the North Jakarta Immigration Office, two each at the Depok and South Jakarta Immigration Offices, and one each at the Ngurah Rai, Juanda, Bekasi, and Tangerang Immigration Offices.
The director general emphasized that while the process has been expedited to assist passengers, all applications are still thoroughly reviewed to maintain immigration security and order.
Related news: Anak Krakatau ash disrupts 2,961 flights, strands 341,000 passengers
Translator: Azmi Ma’arif, Uyu Liman
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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