CANBERRA: Indonesians will enjoy an easier application process to obtain an Australian visa. Through new visa measures that are expected to enhance tourism and business links between Australia and Indonesia, the Australian government will introduce an option of a three-year, multiple-entry visa for Indonesians to visit Australia next year—an extension of the current one-year visa.
Announced through a joint media release Tempo received, the Australian government is also expanding online visa lodgement to all Indonesian citizens by 2017, making the process of applying for an Australian visa simpler for Indonesian tourists and business people.
“These initiatives will benefit Indonesia and Australia as we look to promote stronger business and tourism links between our two countries,” said Peter Dutton, the Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.
Mr. Dutton made the announcement when attending the Indonesia-Australia Business Week in Jakarta last week with Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb, and Minister for Tourism and International Education Richard Colbeck.
Online application offers benefits such as 24/7 accessibility, electronic payment of the visa application charge and the ability to check the status of applications lodged online. The application for visas online is currently under trial through approved agents in Indonesia.
The Australian government hopes that the new measures will increase opportunities for Indonesians to visit Australia and contribute to the country’s economic and people-to-people growth. As many as 150,200 Indonesians visited Australia in 2014, a six percent increase compared to the year before. These visits generated AU$600 million for Australia’s economy.
