After the Ministry of Law and Human Rights published a ministerial decree reopening applications for tourist and limited stay visas for fully-vaccinated tourists, Indonesia has opened a handful of its borders to foreigners.

“Previously, only diplomats and service members were permitted to enter the nation. With the issuing of Ministerial Regulation No. 34/2021 today, persons with valid tourist and restricted stay visas can now enter Indonesia as well “Arya Pradhana Anggakara, spokeswoman for the Directorate General of Immigration, said in a statement on Thursday.

Furthermore, the government has managed to establish international borders at six transportation hubs, including the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten province, the Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, North Sulawesi province, seaports in Batam, Riau Islands province, and Nunukan, North Kalimantan province, as well as land cross-border posts in the area.

According to a recent press release from the Transportation Ministry’s spokesperson Adita Irawati, the aforementioned seaports and land crossings reopened for international travelers on Thursday, and the two airports on Friday.

Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, also stated on Friday that the government plans to reopen Bali to international tourists in October due to a recent decrease in the number of daily COVID-19 cases in Indonesia.

“If the number of cases continues to fall, we are sure that Bali will reopen in October,” Panjaitan said during a virtual press conference, adding that Indonesia will prioritize foreign tourists from countries with managed COVID-19 instances.

Travelers, both Indonesians, and foreigners, who want to enter the archipelago must be fully vaccinated, as well as show vaccine certificates and negative PCR test results taken no more than 72 hours before the departure time, according to a press release issued by the Transportation Ministry on Thursday.

Upon arrival, the tourists must undergo additional PCR testing and must stay in quarantine for eight days if the results are negative. On the eighth day, another negative PCR test result will be necessary. Foreigners and Indonesians alike must complete the Electronic Health Alert Card (E-HAC) within the PeduliLindungi contact tracing program.

A foreigner must also produce proof of health insurance coverage, which is anticipated to cover the individual’s health expenses, including COVID-19, while in Indonesia. Between September 15 and 17, the Immigration Office at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport registered 974 foreigners entering Indonesia and 874 foreigners departing the country. Meanwhile, the airport recorded 2,961 Indonesians returning home and 3,418 Indonesians departing the nation.

“In total, 15,343 foreigners entered Indonesia between August 1 and September 17, with 22,122 foreigners leaving the country over the same period,” Sam Fernando, chief of the immigration office’s public relations and information technology section, told the media on Friday.

During the same time period, 51,658 Indonesians returned to the country and 50,925 Indonesians left the archipelago.

In comparison to the previous month, the number of daily new COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has decreased significantly this week. The Health Ministry reported 3,835 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, with 219 deaths, compared to over 20,000 new infections just one month earlier.