JAKARTA: Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, said that citizens can now apply for e-passports (electronic passports) at all 126 immigration offices in Indonesia.
“With gratitude, in this holy month, we have succeeded in completing it. E-passports can now be submitted at all immigration offices in Indonesia,” said Silmy as reported by Kumparan, Sunday (7 April).
Silmy said that the expansion of e-passport services was a response to the public’s high demand for electronic passports.
In 2023, there will be a spike in e-passport applications by 138 percent compared to 2022, namely 818,339 passports.
The main difference between a regular passport and an electronic passport lies in the chip that stores the holder’s biometric data, allowing scanning and use through an automatic crossing gate (autogate) which is widely available in countries around the world.
Apart from that, Indonesian citizens who apply for visas to European countries can get a longer visa validity period using an e-passport compared to a regular passport.
The more advanced electronic passport features have an impact on the visa application process to countries that prefer easier visa approval for electronic passport users.
The latest ranking from the Henley Passport Index shows that Indonesia’s passport is currently ranked 68th most powerful in the world with visa-free destinations in 78 countries.
