Singapore PRs get visa-free entry to Indonesia’s Batam, Bintan

INDONESIA will give visa-free entry to foreigners holding Singapore permanent residency (PR) to visit Batam, Bintan and the Karimun Islands, aiming to boost tourism and investment in the regional economic zones.

Under the new policy, visitors can stay up to four days, Director-General of Immigration Silmy Karim said on Tuesday (Oct 8). The rules will cover several port points in the Riau region, which contain the Karimun Islands.

Unlike the existing visa-free entry for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member states, which applies broadly to tourism and short stays, the new policy specifically targets Singapore permanent residency holders, offering a more streamlined visa-free option with a focus on specific regions.

According to the city’s statistics department, there are roughly 545,000 permanent residents in Singapore, which is one of the founding members of Asean.

Indonesia, the largest economy in South-east Asia, has introduced various initiatives in recent months – such as “second home” and golden visas for wealthy global citizens and foreign investors.

Through the new visa-free policy for PRs, the country seeks to attract short-term visitors for leisure and business, especially to the Nongsa Digital Park and Bintan Resort, which are hubs for tourism and development of the digital economy.