It’s Turkish delight for Indonesians as the Mediterranean nation has pledged to give visa exemption to travelers from the Southeast Asian archipelago.
Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi met with her Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara on Oct. 12, during which they discussed strengthening the two countries’ economic relations, COVID-19 cooperation, and preparations for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Indonesia visit in 2022.
But the biggest news for Indonesian travelers is undoubtedly Çavuşoğlu’s announcement that his government will soon grant Indonesians visa exemption for their visit to Turkey, as reported by TRT Haber.
“I informed Retno that we will allow Indonesian citizens to travel to our country without a visa for up to 30 days. Indonesia has been providing this convenience to our citizens since 2016. I am happy that we responded, albeit with a delay of five years,” the minister said in Turkish.
Çavuşoğlu did not divulge further details about the visa waiver, including when it would come into effect. However, he did say that Turkey will mutually recognize vaccine certificates with Indonesia, easing the way for a travel arrangement between the two countries.
Turkey is a popular destination for Indonesian holidaymakers, with one factor being that it is one of the relatively few countries that allow Indonesians to apply for a visa upon arrival. Indonesians can also take advantage of Turkey’s convenient e-visa application system, which would set them back US$25 for a 30-day single entry visa.
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