Visa Free Countries

Visa Free Countries

Tourism minister Arif Yahya said the government would start waiving visas for citizens of several Asian and European countries and then ask for reciprocity.

Announcing the changes, Mr Yahya said he hoped the policy, which could bring in an extra $1 billion a year to Indonesia's economy, would come into effect next month.

"People who want to travel to Indonesia won't need to worry about a visa any more," he said.

"We hope that we can attract an additional one million foreign tourists."

Australia was not included on the list.

Ties between Indonesia and Australia have deteriorated in recent months as Jakarta prepares to execute two Australian drug traffickers on death row.

Mr Yahya denied the decision was tied to the planned execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, who are among a group of 10 convicts due to face the firing squad for drug offences.

"I can guarantee that if the Australian Government wants [to agree to visa-free travel], that the foreign minister and president will almost definitely want it too," he said.

Indonesia currently only allows tourists from 15 countries, mostly in South-East Asia, to visit without a visa.

People from a number of other countries can buy a tourist visa on arrival.

The 30 countries added to the list were mainly European, but also included China and several others in Asia, the United States, and some nations in the Middle East and Africa, the minister said.

Australian tourists accounted for 12 per cent of foreigners visiting Indonesia last year, according to the Indonesian statistics bureau, making them the third largest group after Singaporeans and Malaysians.