Foreign Office updates travel advice with passport warning for popular tourist destination

Travellers heading to Indonesia have been warned to check their passports before heading out.

Some 335,209 Brits visited Indonesia last year, which includes sought-after locations such as Bali, Lombok and its capital, Jakarta. The Foreign Office updated its advice to holidaymakers on Wednesday April 23.

The update warns: “To enter Indonesia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages. Check with your travel provider or the nearest Indonesian Embassy or Consulate to make sure your passport and other travel documents meet the requirements.”

READ MORE: Foreign Office updates travel warnings for several popular tourist destinations

Brits aren’t new to checking their passport expiry dates. Since the UK left the European Union, travellers’ passports must be valid for three months after their planned return date. They must also have a passport which was issued less than 10 years before their departure date.

However holidaymakers may not be so familiar with the two-page rule. If you have less than two empty stamp pages on your passport, then you’ll need to renew it. Countries including Italy, South Africa and India also implement the two-page rule.

Those heading to Indonesia should also be aware of the locations the Foreign Office advises against travelling to. These include within 6km of the crater of Mount Ruang in Northern Sulawesi after erupted on 16 April 2024 as well as within 3km of the crater of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra.

All travel within 5 km of the Mount Sinabung crater in Karo Regency, North Sumatra is advised against, as is all travel within 5 km of the crater of Mount Semeru in Lumajang Regency, East Java. Travel to the southeast area of Mount Semeru along the Besuk Kobokan river (approximately 13 km from the crater) is also advised against, while tourists should stay at least 500 m from the Besuk Kobokan riverbank.