Indonesia’s immigration directorate said on Monday 7 September that foreign nationals stranded by the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau will not be charged overstay fines, and can apply for a free Emergency Stay Permit that keeps them legally in the country until their flight leaves. The volcano erupted on Sunday 6 September, and ash forced widespread cancellations at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and elsewhere. Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko said that between 5 and 7 September the disruption hit 254 arriving flights and 266 departing flights, affecting 86,760 passengers. For anyone whose Indonesian permission was about to run out while they sat in a terminal, this removes the usual penalty for staying past the expiry date.
Why this matters more in Indonesia than elsewhere
Overstaying in Indonesia is not a paperwork nuisance. It carries a daily fine, and longer overstays can lead to deportation and a re-entry ban, which is a serious problem for anyone who lives there part of the year or plans to return. Visa-on-arrival and short-stay permits are also tightly dated, so a traveller whose permit expired on the day their flight was cancelled had no lawful way to comply. "We understand the difficult situation and inconvenience experienced by passengers due to the flight disruptions. Therefore, the state is here to provide legal certainty," Hendarsam said in a written statement.
What the Emergency Stay Permit does
The Emergency Stay Permit, known by its Indonesian initials ITKT, is issued by the immigration office that oversees the airport immigration checkpoint at the foreigner’s intended departure airport, not simply the nearest office. It runs for up to 30 days and can be extended in line with applicable regulations if airspace closures continue. It is free, and no overstay fee is charged. To apply, the foreign national or an airline representative submits an official letter or declaration from the civil aviation authority, the airline or the airport authority, together with the travel document and the existing visa or residence permit. By 7 September the Soekarno-Hatta immigration office had handled 26 applications and opened a second dedicated counter, with 14 more processed across the Central Jakarta, North Jakarta, South Jakarta, Depok, Bekasi, Tangerang, Ngurah Rai and Juanda offices. Hendarsam said the arrangement is not tied to this eruption alone and can be used in other force majeure situations that disrupt international travel.
If you are stuck in Indonesia right now
- Get written proof of the cancellation from your airline, the airport authority or the civil aviation authority
- Go to the immigration office that covers the airport you are due to fly out of, not the office nearest to where you are staying
- Bring your passport and your current visa or stay permit alongside the cancellation evidence; the permit itself carries no fee
- The permit runs up to 30 days and can be extended if flights have still not resumed
- Keep every document: the cancellation notice, the permit and your rebooked ticket
Who is covered and who should check
The relief is aimed at people whose departure was cancelled, delayed or rerouted because of the eruption, which mainly means short-stay visitors on a visa on arrival or a visitor permit who ran out of days while waiting. A digital nomad on a longer permit is less likely to be affected, but anyone whose permit expiry falls inside the disruption window should raise it at the immigration office rather than assume the waiver applies automatically. Neither the state news agency ANTARA nor Tempo describes an exemption that applies without an application, so the safe reading is that the permit has to be requested and granted, and that families travelling together should expect to apply for each traveller. Our /country-guides/indonesia page covers the permit types most foreigners hold and how they are normally extended.
When it applies
Announced 7 September 2026 by the Director General of Immigration, covering disruption from the 6 September eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. The permit runs up to 30 days from issue and can be extended while airspace closures persist. No end date for the arrangement has been published.
What is not yet confirmed
The directorate has not said how long the arrangement stays open, whether it reaches foreigners affected by the eruption in ways other than a cancelled flight, or whether the underlying visa is extended rather than only the overstay penalty removed. The policy has been reported from a written statement by the Director General carried by ANTARA and Tempo; the directorate’s own posting on imigrasi.go.id could not be opened for this article. Confirm your position with the immigration office handling your departure airport before you rely on the waiver.
Key Takeaway
If the eruption cancelled your flight out of Indonesia and your permit has expired or is about to, apply for the free Emergency Stay Permit at the immigration office covering your departure airport, and bring written proof of the cancellation.