Ministry of Immigration and Corrections
Directorate General of Immigration
When you hear the phrase "immigration check," the first thing that likely comes to mind is the immigration checkpoint at airports and international seaports. Not many people know that immigration checks are also frequently carried out on vessels. Behind the glamour of cruise ships sailing from one country to another, there is a line of Immigration officers working silently, ensuring that every passenger enters Indonesia legally in accordance with the prevailing regulations. This is Immigration on Shipping (IoS), an innovative breakthrough by the Directorate General of Immigration in carrying out immigration checks on cruise ships.
IoS is an immigration clearance service conducted on cruise ships during voyages (cruising) to or from Indonesia, instead of upon arrival at the port. This check includes the verification of travel documents such as passports and visas before the ship docks at its first destination port in Indonesia. The initiation of this service stems from the commitment of the Directorate General of Immigration to support the smooth enhancement of Indonesian tourism, especially marine tourism and local economic empowerment.
Not All Immigration Officers Can Participate
Becoming an officer for IoS activities is not a trivial task; not all immigration officers can conduct immigration checks on cruise ships.
"Existing regulations stipulate that officers who can participate in IoS must have the status of Immigration Officials, except in situations where there are no Immigration Officials available, in which case checks can be carried out by landing officers. For example, if a cruise ship departs from Singapore to Batam, the officers assigned for IoS are Immigration officers from the Batam Immigration Office," explained Putu Maha Parmananda Aditya, familiarly known as Puma, one of the Immigration officers who has served in IoS.
Article 1 of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration explains that Immigration Officials are employees who have undergone special Immigration education and possess technical Immigration expertise, as well as the authority to carry out duties and responsibilities based on the Law. Not all employees within the Directorate General of Immigration have the status of Immigration Officials; some employees hold specific positions and functions that do not meet the qualifications for conducting immigration checks.
Interesting Facts About IoS
The duration of an IoS assignment varies, depending on the ship's schedule and sailing route. On average, an officer can be assigned to a ship for 2-4 days, depending on the operational complexity in the field.
In a single voyage, the average number of passengers checked can reach 3,000 people, but according to Puma, this number can be more or less, depending on the ship's capacity.
The number of passengers who received IoS facilities in the period October 2022 - April 2025 was 215,453 people. Passengers came from various countries, predominantly Australia (11,523 people), the United States (8,460 people), and the United Kingdom (7,504 people). During that period, the Directorate General of Immigration implemented IoS on cruise ships from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, India, and Papua New Guinea.
Meanwhile, the number of passengers served during the 2025 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) holidays was 2,515 people, while during Eid al-Fitr 2025, the number was 18,329 people. This figure reflects the high public interest in choosing cruise ships as an alternative for holiday travel. According to the Directorate General of Immigration's records, besides the Nataru and Eid al-Fitr holidays, the peak season for cruise holidays also occurs during the October-April period, or during the autumn to spring seasons.
Several strategic ports in Indonesia that serve as destinations for cruise ships include Benoa (Bali), Labuan Bajo (NTT), Tanjung Priok (DK Jakarta), Sabang (DI Aceh), and Tanjung Emas (Central Java). Of all these ports, Benoa Port in Bali recorded the highest number of arrivals, with a total of 48 cruise ships docking between October 2022 and April 2025.
Experiences of IoS Officers
For Puma and other Immigration Officers, carrying out IoS is a unique experience because they get to experience working on luxurious cruise ships.
"I also met many Indonesians who were crew members on these ships. Sailing on a cruise ship is also very interesting for me. Sometimes when we enter sea areas with big waves while checking passports, the ship sways very strongly, requiring high concentration while working; it can be quite funny. But if it lasts too long, it can also get a bit boring, because every day our activities on the ship are monotonous, just like the previous day's activities," he said.
Cruise Passengers Don't Need to Queue at Immigration Checkpoints
Puma mentioned that IoS is very important because it simplifies the immigration process. Passengers and crew do not need to queue at immigration counters at the port, thus preventing passenger congestion. Verification of reporting (general declaration), crew lists, and passenger manifests is carried out before the cruise ship departs from a foreign port. Indonesian Immigration officers strictly check the clearance documents at the last port from the foreign Immigration officers.
One of the ship's crew members collects all the passports of passengers and crew, which the Immigration officers will then collectively check their travel documents and visas on board the cruise ship during the voyage.
Upon arrival at the first destination port in Indonesia, and after disembarking, they do not need to queue at the Immigration counters. They can directly proceed to natural tourist attractions, which serve as a healing treatment for them. The IoS service also supports the tourism sector by providing comfort to foreign tourists as the cruise schedule is not hampered by travel document checks.
Last updated 08 May 2025
