RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Immigration and Prisons has implemented a zero-fee policy for foreign nationals who overstay due to military conflicts in the Middle East. The Director General of Immigration established the policy on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Thru the Director General of Immigration Letter Number IMI-GR.01.01-133 dated March 1, 2026, the Directorate General of Immigration instructed the immigration offices overseeing airports to anticipate a surge in foreign travelers affected by the closure of airspace in the region.

The Acting Director General of Immigration, Yuldi Yusman, urged international passengers, especially those transiting through the Middle East, to always check their flight status thru the airline's official application. He also requested that passengers immediately coordinate with the airline or airport staff if they need immigration assistance.

"We urge international passengers, especially those on routes affected by transit in the Middle East, to always check the flight status thru the airline's official application and to immediately coordinate with the airline or airport officials if they need immigration assistance," said Yuldi in his statement on Sunday, 1 March 2026.

Yuldi explained that travelers who experience an overstay can obtain a fee of Rp 0 by attaching a letter of explanation or declaration from the Aviation Civil Authority, the airline, or the airport authority. In addition to the Rp 0 fee policy, the Directorate General of Immigration also grants a Forced Stay Permit (ITKT) with a maximum validity of 30 days. Officers can extend the permit as needed according to regulations.

Based on monitoring reports until Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 9:00 PM WIB, eight international flights at three main airports such as Soekarno-Hatta, Ngurah Rai, and Kualanamu, experienced cancelations or delays. This situation affected 2,228 passengers, consisting of 1,644 foreign nationals and 584 Indonesian citizens.

Yuldi emphasized that his team acted quickly by canceling crossings or departures, both manually and thru the system, for affected passengers and airline crews. He ensured that immigration services at the airport continued to operate optimally and in a conducive manner.