Great news for Malaysians who are accustomed to travelling to Jakarta or Bali for work or leisure-related purposes. The Immigration Department of Indonesia has announced that Malaysians can now use the Autogates upon arrival at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Jakarta) and Denpasar-Bali International Airport (Bali).
There's a small catch to utilize this new convenience, and that you'll need to register online before your departure flight. This concept is likely similar to the SG Arrival Card that you'll have to fill in before you arrive in Singapore.
At this point in time, I'm unsure if the online registration is required for each visit to Indonesia, but note that the process after submitting upon arrival is same. As Malaysians are exempt from Visa on Arrival, you'll receive permission for a 30-day visa waiver which will be printed on your passport upon arrival.
Final Thoughts
The new process is likely to make immigration into Jakarta and Bali a smoother process for us Malaysians. In fact, it's pretty hilarious (but not unexpected) that Indonesia has beaten us to such a system. I have plenty of Indonesian friends that constantly complain about having to endure long lines at KLIA Terminal 1 and KLIA Terminal 2. Some of them needed to wait up to two hours! Let's hope that Malaysia's own Immigration Authority reciprocates the convenience offered to us Malaysians in the near future.
