Whether you are planning a short trip to Bali or a major import or export operation, it is essential to understand the regulations governing what you can and cannot bring into and out of Indonesia. The country enforces stringent import and export regulations, and failure to comply can result in significant consequences.
Legal Consequences: Violations of import/export regulations
can result in severe penalties, including detention, imprisonment, or even the
death penalty for drug-related offenses.
Bringing personal belongings into Indonesia is regulated by
specific rules and limitations. Familiarizing yourself with these regulations
beforehand is crucial to avoid any legal entanglements.
Personal Responsibility: Passengers are fully
responsible for the items they bring with them to Indonesia. Do not accept
items from strangers, and personally pack your baggage to ensure you know its
contents. Thoroughly check items received from acquaintances, including the
packaging.
Importing to Indonesia
Prohibited Items
1. Drugs
Drugs are strictly prohibited! This
includes hard drugs, marijuana, psychotropics, opiates, and any
cannabis-containing products such as hemp oils, seeds, various drops, hash
cookies, and chocolates—regardless of their legal status in other countries.
Important Notice: Passengers arriving from locations
such as Goa, Thailand, and Amsterdam should be aware of thorough security
checks upon arrival in Indonesia. It's crucial to note that even the smallest
amount of drugs can lead to immediate arrest. Drug importation carries severe
penalties in Indonesia, including the death penalty if it's proven that the
drugs were intended for sale, or long-term imprisonment if they were for personal
use.
Additionally, Indonesia is a major
destination for international drug trafficking. To avoid becoming a
victim of narcotraffickers, follow these precautions:
- Do not accept items from strangers.
- Pack your own luggage: Personally pack your bags to ensure you know the contents.
- Check items from acquaintances: If you are asked to bring a package to Bali, thoroughly inspect all items, including the packaging.
Remember: passengers are fully accountable for all items they carry.
2. Pornographic Materials
Films, images, or items
containing elements of pornography.
3. Chinese Literature
Books, periodicals, press,
manuscripts.
4. Chinese Media
Films, CDs, audio tapes, video
recordings.
5. Chinese Medicines
Including traditional
medicines.
6. Communist Literature and Symbols
Items associated
with Chinese or Soviet communism.
Warning: Wearing a T-shirt with a sickle and hammer
or displaying a Soviet or Chinese flag can result in detention or imprisonment.
7. Goods for Sale
- Wholesale items and new items in packages may attract
customs' attention. Customs duty and fines for such items range from 100% to
500%, and failure to pay can result in confiscation.
- Items packaged in cardboard boxes will be regarded as
goods intended for sale.
8. Cordless Home Phones
Non-cellular cordless phones
used at home are not allowed for import to prevent production of custom-made walkie-talkies.
9. Ozone-Depleting Materials
10. Miscellaneous
Large quantities of plastic bags,
antiques, handicrafts, etc. For more information, please refer to the customs
website: www.beacukai.go.id
Restricted items
Restricted
items require specific permissions, such as health certificates
or import licenses, to be imported legally.
1. Cosmetics
Only cosmetics for personal use are
allowed. Batches of cosmetics or trade samples require an SKI (import
certificate from the Ministry of Trade) and permission from BPOM (National
Agency for Drug and Food Control).
2. Medicines and Supplements
- Traditional medicines, dietary supplements, and vitamins
must be accompanied by a medical certificate in English, verifying they are for
personal use.
- Allopathic medicines necessitate prescriptions and a
letter from a doctor in English.
For medicines beyond personal use, approval from the
National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) is necessary.
5. Firearms and Their Replicas
This includes replica
toy firearms. Special permits from the Indonesian police are required for
security company personnel entering the country with firearms. All other types
of weapons (pneumatic, hunting, sports) also require licenses and special
permits.
6. Ammunition
Except for law enforcement agencies
with special permits.
8. Food Items
- Fresh fruits
- Poultry meat
- Certain types of
sugar: crystal raw sugar, refined sugar, white crystal sugar
- Certain types of
rice
To bring in animal, plant, and fishery products, authorization
from the Agricultural Quarantine Agency (Badan Karantina Pertanian) is
necessary. For food items, beverages, medicines, and other products, approval
from the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) is required.
Note:
Generally, there are no issues with bringing small amounts of food for personal
use with you in your luggage.
Limited Imports
Limited
Imports typically involve a numerical limit or value cap
(e.g., a maximum number of electronic devices or a total value limit for
personal items).
For example, in your hand luggage, you can carry:
- Up to 50 ml of perfume or 250 ml of eau de toilette
- Up to 500 g of coffee or 100 g of tea
Exceeding these limits will result in import duties (see
below).
Keep in mind that items such as video cameras, binoculars,
radios, and sports equipment can be brought into Indonesia as long as they are
taken out upon departure. Upon entry, a customs officer may request a deposit,
refundable upon exit, based on the value of the item.
1. Tobacco and Alcohol
In your personal luggage, you are allowed to bring:
- Up to 200 cigarettes
- Up to 25 cigars
- Up to 100 grams of tobacco or other tobacco products
- Up to 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
Exceeding these limits will result in confiscation during
inspection.
2. Electronics
Passengers arriving to Indonesia are limited by both the number of devices and their total value. If either the number of devices or the combined value exceeds these limits, you must declare the excess items and may be subject to additional customs duties.
Per Device Type Limit: Each passenger is allowed to bring a
maximum of two devices of each type (e.g., two cell phones, two laptops, two
tablets, or two drones).
Overall Device Limit: Despite the per-type limit, the total
number of electronic devices a passenger can bring must not exceed five. For
example, you could bring two cell phones, one laptop, one tablet, and one
drone.
Value Limit: The combined value of all these electronic
devices must not exceed USD 1,500. This means that while you can bring up to
five devices, their total value should remain within this financial limit to
avoid additional customs duties or declarations.
Any additional devices beyond these
limits must be declared using the electronic customs declaration (E-CD), which
all arriving passengers must complete.
Typically, personal items are generally not heavily
scrutinized unless they appear to be intended for sale.
4. Clothing
International passengers can bring up to 10 pairs of NEW
shoes, bags, or textile items. If returning from a shopping trip, it is
advisable to remove tags from new items to avoid issues.
While customs regulations limit the import of new clothing
and generally prohibit used clothing, customs officers typically do not
confiscate personal belongings. These rules primarily target shuttle traders
and online stores. As Indonesia is a major textile producer, the government
supports local production and encourages citizens to purchase locally made
products.
5. Large Sums of Cash
The limit for importing and exporting cash is 100,000,000 IDR (or the equivalent in foreign currency). Amounts exceeding this limit must be declared, and you must use the red corridor at customs. For amounts over 100 million IDR, prior permission from Bank Indonesia is required, and all bills will be checked for authenticity.
6. Luxury Items
Luxury items such as bags and jewellery may be classified as goods for sale by customs officers. Therefore, it is advisable to limit the number of luxury items in your luggage to a reasonable quantity that suggests they are for personal use rather than for resale. This helps avoid suspicion by customs officers that the items might be intended for commercial purposes.
Import Duty Limits on Personal Items
If the value of your personal items exceeds USD 500, import
duties and taxes will apply. The import duty rate is 10%, plus VAT of 11%, and
income tax according to the applicable law for the item. To prove the value,
keep receipts for new items.
Bringing Pets into Indonesia
A common concern among expatriates and those planning
long-term stays in Indonesia is how to bring their beloved pets with them.
Although many believe it's a complex and costly process, specialized logistics
companies and agencies can assist with pet import and export. While pet
importation is done at the owner's risk, there are numerous successful cases.
For cats or dogs, the following conditions apply:
Age: Minimum of 4 months.
Rabies Vaccination: Administered no later than 30
days before departure and no earlier than 12 months prior to the trip.
Health Certificates:
- A health certificate issued by a state veterinarian (with a fully filled-out passport including all vaccinations).
- An additional health certificate from a veterinarian.
Additional Rabies Antibody Blood Test.
Import Permit: Issued by the Directorate General of
Livestock Services of Indonesia shortly before departure.
Two days before the pet's arrival in the country, contact
the Animal Quarantine Department at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International
Airport. Upon arrival, all animals undergo a 14-day quarantine in Jakarta,
though some carriers offer shorter quarantine periods. After quarantine, owners
can either collect their pets or arrange for delivery. Carriers handle
deliveries with care, providing regular photo updates.
However, there are inherent risks, primarily due to stress
during long flights and separation from owners. To mitigate this, consider
checking with the provider if you can visit your pet in Jakarta.
For more information, reach out to the Directorate General
of Livestock Services and the Animal Health Protection Management.
Sending Packages to Indonesia
Sending packages to Indonesia involves navigating some
complexities. Here's what you need to know:
- Each box you ship to Indonesia must not exceed 30 kg in
weight.
- All shipments undergo scrutiny at Jakarta's customs, where
most are inspected and opened.
- Used personal items, particularly clothing, receive
particular attention. Second-hand items may face import prohibitions or
additional taxes, potentially leading to detainment at customs.
- Recipients may need to pay taxes, often surpassing the
items' value. The final calculation, inclusive of customs storage, duty, VAT,
and income tax, depends on the declared value and a separate assessment by
customs authorities.
- Shipments valued below three US dollars are exempt from
import duties.
Here are some tips to minimize costs and streamline the
process for your items:
- If the recipient is Indonesian, taxes will be
considerably lower.
- Pack clothes and other items separately, seal them
securely, and include tags and receipts. Customs may verify the actual price of
branded items online.
- When completing the inventory, remember to specify the
value for each item you ship. It's recommended to keep the values minimal. In
cases where customs suspect violations, they may assign a value of 25,000 IDR
to each item.
Additionally, direct purchases from foreign stores
containing over 10 pieces of clothing are likely to be detained at customs. In
such cases, you'll be required to visit the local customs office to calculate
the import duty.
Exporting from Indonesia
Prohibited Items
1. Animals
and Plants
Includes
their by-products. Specific rules apply for exporting domestic pets.
2. Animal
Products
Products
made from animals or their by-products.
3. Plant
Products
Products
made from plants.
4. Python
Skins
Export is prohibited.
5. Durian
Fruit
Not allowed for export.
Items Requiring Special Documentation
1. Marine
Biota
Requires veterinary certificates
from the seller and confirmation of a quarantine base registered with local
agricultural quarantine authorities in the destination country.
2. Wood
Carvings and Cultural Items
Certain
items may be prohibited for export, so check each item separately and obtain
necessary export documents.
The list is extensive; an official document in Indonesian is
available through the link.
Useful Resources
Indonesian Customs Website: www.beacukai.go.id
The customs regulations in Indonesia are governed by:
- Minister of Finance Regulation 188/PMK.04/2010 "On
the Import of Goods Carried by Passengers, Vehicle Crews, Persons Crossing
Borders, and Cargo".
- Government Regulation No. 29 of 2021 (GR 29/2021).
- The list of prohibited import goods is available in Trade
Ministry Regulation No. 18/2021.
- Official website of the Indonesian Tax Service.
For more detailed information on imported items and goods in
Indonesia, you can contact the Indonesian Embassy or Consulate. Alternatively, reach
out to customs, the national agency for drug and food control, the National
Narcotics Agency (BNN), and other relevant authorities.
Indonesia's Premier Cargo Service
For shipping goods from Indonesia, cargo companies offer
valuable assistance. We suggest considering Cargo Indonesia Group. They
specialise in delivering goods to and from Indonesia via sea and air freight,
handling consolidated containers, and managing customs clearance.
Contact: Telegram @Cargoindonesiagroup
You can add one right now!