Since April 18, 2020, the Indonesian government has established rules that regulate IMEI. The policy was imposed to restrict black-market phones or smartphones bought from abroad.
As a foreigner who plans to come to Indonesia and bring your gadget along, you might ask, would the rule affect you as a visitor? It depends on how long you are going to stay in the country.
So, let’s read the whole article to find out whether you must register your IMEI in Indonesia.
Table of Contents
What is IMEI?
IMEI is the abbreviation of International Mobile Equipment Identity. If you’re wondering what this is about, IMEI is simply a series of unique numbers that identify a mobile network device.
The IMEI number is attached to every SIM card slot. So, if it happens that you have more than one SIM card, then you’ll also have more than one IMEI number.
To check the IMEI on your smartphone, you can follow the steps below:
- For Android owners: Call *#06#
- For iPhone owners: Visit Settings > General > About, then scroll down to find the IMEI
How Long Will You Stay in Indonesia?
To find out whether you have to register your IMEI or not, you have to know how long you will stay in Indonesia.
The good news is that you don’t have to worry about these IMEI things if you visit for less than 90 days. Your short escape won’t need to register your IMEI with the customs office. “Tourists visiting Indonesia for less than 90 days only need to report and register their IMEI with the telecommunications operator.”
Even if you stay less than 90 days in Indonesia, leave Indonesia, and then come back to this country, your 90-day visit period will be refreshed. But you need to report and register imei with the telecommunicaton operator again.
However, if you don’t register your IMEI in Indonesia for your more-than-90-day stay, your SIM card will stop working on the 91st day. So, do you decide to stay longer in Indonesia? Don’t forget to register your IMEI with the customs for your convenience!
How Much Do You Have to Pay For IMEI in Indonesia?
You just have to pay IDR 0,- to register your IMEI, which means it’s FREE!
However, you have to pay attention to the following policy regarding your phone. Indonesia has a particular rule about paying customs duty based on your phone’s worth.
For those with a phone that is worth less than USD 500, worry no more! You don’t have to pay for anything. The customs officials calculate the value at once using a confidential list.
For those with a phone that is worth more than USD 500, the amount that you have to pay is 40% of the value over 500. So, if your phone is worth USD 800, you have to pay 40% of (800-500)=300 or USD 120.
How to Register IMEI?
There are two ways of registering your IMEI in Indonesia, and you may pick one:
Get Your IMEI Registered at the Airport When You Arrive in Indonesia
This is the easiest way of registering your IMEI. Right after you arrive at the airport in Indonesia, you can go to the customs registration desk. You can find it at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Surabaya, or Yogyakarta. Brace yourself for the long queue!
To find the desk, you may follow this guide:
- Find the customs office at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Location customs office after the baggage claim belt and before exiting the arrivals hall.
- IMEI registration for smaller international airports like Surabaya and Yogyakarta can be found at the customs desk next to baggage claim, just before exiting arrivals.
The customs desk staff will examine your phone, estimate its value, and request your boarding pass and passport in order to register your IMEI for you. They will then give you a QR code as proof of registration, and you will be able to leave with your registered IMEI phone.
Don’t Panic if You Forget to Register Your IMEI at the Airport
There’s no need to worry. Post-airport IMEI registration is available, but it must be completed within five days to avoid a 40% tax on the phone’s value, even for phones under $500.
You can register your IMEI online and then visit a nearby Bea Cukai office to verify the registration. This is the official Bea Cukai website for online IMEI registration, but it may sometimes load slowly. Please be patient or try again later.
Once you have completed and submitted the online form, head to the nearest Bea Cukai office. These can be found on Google Maps, but most likely, the closest one is at the airport. The process there is relatively straightforward.
Is It Possible to Use an Indonesian SIM Card Without Registering the IMEI?
Visitors to Indonesia can not use Indonesian SIM cards without registering their IMEI in provider.
As a foreigner, you can purchase a special tourist SIM card and register it at a mobile store to use it during your stay in Indonesia. This registration process is different from the IMEI registration process required by customs. They just help you to report and register imei to the telecommunication operator.
Will the Phone Still Work if You Don’t Register the IMEI?
No. You need to fret if you’re staying in Indonesia for over 90 days and haven’t registered your IMEI.
You can still use all your phone’s features, including taking pictures with the camera, listening to music, and playing games. Just be sure to connect to WiFi for internet access and communication. IMEI will be significant for you if you want to use the SIM cards.
That’s all you need to know about registering your IMEI in Indonesia. The policy might seem tricky, but if you understand how to handle these IMEI-related things, you’ll have a seamless experience once you step into the Indonesian airport.
Ensure you are aware of this policy so you can have an enjoyable time in this country. Happy holiday!