Jakarta. The Indonesian government recently announced that foreigners can now apply for a visitor visa for tourism and pre-investment at molina.imigrasi.go.id. The visa application accepts digital payment, making it easier for foreigners to apply.

"In addition, foreigners can extend their electronic visa on arrival (e-VOA) via the Foreigners Exit-Entry Module (Molina) website. Payment can be made using a Visa, Mastercard, or JCB credit or debit card. That way, foreigners can complete their visa application in one [single] process," Silmy Karim, the director-general of immigration, said in a recent press statement.

To apply, foreign nationals must sign up for an account at molina.imigrasi.go.id. After logging in, applicants can fill out the form and upload the required documents. Suppose all data is valid, the applicant can complete the payment by following the guidelines on the website. The visa will then be sent to the applicant's e-mail address. 

Previously, foreigners had to go to an immigration office to extend their e-VOA. This online system would enable tourists to apply for an extension anytime and anywhere, without interrupting their vacation.

Molina is expected to not only boost the tourism sector but will also draw investment into the country, according to Silmy.

"Immigration makes it easy for global business people and investors to explore and review potential investments before investing in Indonesia," Silmy said.