Heru Andriyanto, Brussels – The European Union has granted multi-entry visa privileges to Indonesian nationals visiting the region for a second time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Brussels on Sunday.
The announcement comes as Indonesia and the EU finalize the long-negotiated Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which will eliminate tariffs on most Indonesian imports into the bloc. She said a decade of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has been finally concluded for imminent ratification.
"I'm pleased to announce that the European Commission has adopted a decision on a visa cascade. It means that from now on, Indonesian nationals visiting the European Union for a second time will be eligible for a multi-entry Schengen visa," she told Prabowo during a joint press conference, which was streamed live by the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel.
The multi-entry Schengen visa allows holders to travel freely across 29 European countries that are part of the Schengen Area, without undergoing border checks between those countries. The visa is typically issued for tourism, business, family visits, or study purposes.
Depending on the applicant's travel history and eligibility, a multi-entry visa can be valid from one to five years, permitting stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This facility is particularly valuable for frequent travelers, as it reduces the need for repeated visa applications and enhances mobility for business, education, and cultural exchange.
For Indonesian nationals, this development is expected to facilitate not only tourism but also greater economic and academic engagement with Europe.
Von der Leyen said the visa facility would make it easier for Indonesians to visit, invest, study, and build connections with Europe.
During the joint press conference, she also highlighted shared values between Indonesia and the EU.
"We're both vibrant and diverse democracies. As a matter of fact, we found out that Indonesia's national motto is unity in diversity and one of our core sentences in the EU is united in diversity. So, we share common values and ambitions," she said.
"For example, we are both committed to a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind. And I'm so glad that our just energy transition partnership is a success."