Cruising Permits and International Clearances

Despite the common perception that cruising Indonesia is a complicated experience, appointing The Lighthouse Consultancy to pre-plan and coordinate the cruise time frame will ensure it runs relatively smoothly.

The Vessel Declaration

This process sounds more complicated than it is, however the vessel must be temporarily imported into Indonesia in order to be allowed to cruise the waters. With current documentation requirements, an application is made online to the Central Government’s Yacht-ERS portal, from which a customs Vessel Declaration (VD) document is generated. Then when a vessel physically enters Indonesia, an inspection is completed by Customs officials at the international port of arrival, to ensure that the declarations made on the VD application are accurate, after this the Vessel Declaration is issued. Upon international departure from Indonesia, the vessel is again inspected to ensure no items have been removed while in the country.

The VD document grants the crew and guests of the vessel, who are expressly listed on the application, approval to enter Indonesia at any time during the validity of the document.

The Vessel Declaration is valid for up to one year, but is extendable for a total of three years in the country. These are single visit permits, so if a yacht were to clear out of Indonesia internationally, another application is required for any subsequent visit.

Time wise, the process is much less arduous than it has been in the past. Generally, with a Lighthouse team member monitoring and assisting with collating the necessary documents to submit, an application takes a couple of weeks to complete. However in the world of yachting, with frequent quick decisions, an applications can be completed in an expedited time frame if documentation is complete. Contact the Lighthouse team to get an understanding of what would be required for any future visit to Indonesia.

Important Note: With the longer duration of stay in the country, it is important to make plans regarding the visa considerations for crew and guests.

Please contact The Lighthouse Consultancy team to discuss all elements of the new cruising permit requirements for Indonesia

International Clearances

There are 19 ports that have the status to allow an international clearance and process the Vessel Declaration. However, yachts will usually enter Indonesia in Padang, Bali, Kupang, Ambon, Sorong or Biak depending on their chosen cruising grounds and subsequent route through the country.

Generally a representative from The Lighthouse Consultancy’s Bali office will travel to the port to assist with the clearance process.

Crew and Guest Visa Requirements

Crew and guests have three visa options: a non-extendable Visa Exemption, a 30 day Visa On Arrival (extendable once for a total of 60 days) or a 60 day Visitor Visa (extendable on two occasions for a maximum of 180 days in the country). Visas can seem complicated, especially when arranging the longer stay Visitor Visas, as a number of documents are required to be submitted, but once the application has been approved the digital visa can be emailed to the applicant. Contact Lighthouse to discuss visa requirements.