PNG and Indonesia discuss visa on arrival for standard passport holders

Visa on arrival for ordinary passport holders is high on the bilateral agenda for the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia according to Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko.

Under the current bilateral agreement, only mutual visa waiver exemption is given for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders.

The country’s top diplomat was impressed with the level of interaction by both governments when they met to discuss outstanding bilateral agreements. Minister Tkatchenko held a one on one with his counterpart vice Foreign Minister Mansuri of Indonesia at the margins of the 2024 Melanesian Spearhead Group Foreign Ministers Meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, recently.

The outstanding issues includes “ratifying the Mutual Visa Waiver Exemption for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders by PNG; ratifying and reviewing the Basic Border Agreement; ratification and review of the PNG/Indonesia Defense Cooperation Agreement; signing of the MoU on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters; and signing of the MoU on Combating Transitional Crime,” Mr Tkatchenko said.  

Both countries which share a common land border are now in discussion for agreements in cross border land transportation, education; mutual power purchasing agreement, intelligence sharing; PNG-Indonesia preferential trade agreement; and women empowerment and child protection.

Mr Tkatchenko acknowledged Indonesia’s Grant Assistance of K60 million for development of an intensive care unit and redevelopment of the mortuary at the Port Moresby General Hospital at a total cost of K55 million; and the West Sepik Integrated Development Project with a total cost of K5 million.