Indonesia is preparing to introduce a new visa category specifically for foreign content creators as the government moves to distinguish commercial digital content production from professional journalism.
Happy Reza Dipayuda, head of the Visa Services Sub-directorate at the Directorate General of Immigration under the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, said the proposed C5A visa would cater to foreigners travelling to Indonesia to produce digital content, including promotional material and collaborations with companies and brands.
The existing C5 journalist visa, meanwhile, would remain available to foreign journalists entering Indonesia to carry out reporting assignments.
Happy explained that while journalists and content creators may both produce and publish content, their roles and responsibilities are fundamentally different. Journalists generally work for media organisations and are expected to follow established professional and ethical standards, while content creators may produce material for commercial or promotional purposes.
The proposed visa comes as Indonesia continues to see a growing number of international content creators visiting the country to produce videos, social media posts and other forms of digital media.
Happy said the rapid expansion of the global creator economy has created a need for a dedicated visa category that better reflects the nature of their work.
Although content creators are not necessarily journalists, their material can reach millions of people and potentially influence public opinion. The proposed C5A visa is therefore intended to establish a clearer legal framework for foreigners carrying out digital content-related activities in Indonesia.
The C5A proposal is currently being reviewed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with other relevant government agencies before any new regulations are implemented.
Until the proposed visa category takes effect, foreign visitors entering Indonesia specifically to produce content must apply for a visa that matches the nature of their activities. This may include the C14 visa for certain types of content production.
The planned changes reflect Indonesia’s efforts to keep its immigration framework in step with the rapidly changing digital economy, particularly as international creators increasingly travel to the country for commercial collaborations and online content production.
