The Analysis of Indonesia's Foreign Policy in Maintaining The Implementation of Visa on Arrival (VOA)

Abstract

The Visa on Arrival (VoA) policy is part of Indonesia’s foreign policy strategy that plays a vital role in supporting the recovery of the tourism sector and national economy in the post-COVID-19 period. Although it takes the form of an immigration policy, VoA reflects Indonesia's openness to global mobility. Nevertheless, this policy has also attracted criticism, including from international institutions, particularly regarding security concerns and technical challenges in its implementation. This study aims to explain the reasons behind Indonesia’s decision to maintain the VoA policy and to analyze the underlying contributing factors. Employing a qualitative explanatory approach, the research uses the Foreign Policy Decision Making (FPDM) theory by Alex Mintz, which emphasizes two main determinants: domestic and international factors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with academics and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as analysis of official documents and government policies. The findings reveal that domestic factors supporting the continuation of VoA include the urgent need to restore foreign exchange, the increase in international tourist arrivals, and the support for MSMEs and local tourism. Meanwhile, international factors position VoA as a tool of soft diplomacy to strengthen bilateral relations, uphold Indonesia’s image as an open country, and enhance its bargaining position in global cooperation. These findings demonstrate that the decision to maintain VoA was made through a strategic calculation based on bounded rationality, allowing the state to adaptively respond to global pressures and opportunities under limited information and complex conditions.