When a foreign worker leaves Indonesia before their stay permit expires, employers must carefully manage the exit permit only Indonesia process — commonly referred to as an EPO. Indonesia currently employs an Integrated Immigration and Manpower System. In general, the cancellation of a stay permit (ITAS) will occur on expiration. However, if a foreign national has resigned, has been terminated from employment, or has departed from Indonesia prior to the date of the ITAS’s expiration, then employers are required to submit an Exit Permit Only (EPO) Indonesia application in order to formally relinquish possession of the employee’s stay permit. Therefore, understanding when an EPO does apply (and when it does not) is important for Companies employing Expatriates, Foreign Directors and other Foreign Workers, as well as those managing their Work Permit Process in Indonesia.
What Is an Exit Permit Only Indonesia Procedure?
An exit permit only Indonesia procedure — commonly known as an Exit Permit Only (EPO) — is a formal immigration process that is administered by the Directorate General of Immigration in Indonesia. The function of this EPO is to be a one-way authorisation for a foreign national’s departure from Indonesia. This is when their ITAS will have been cancelled prior to its scheduled expiration date.
In practice, the EPO confirms that the foreign worker’s stay permit sponsorship has ended. The foreign national must therefore depart Indonesia within the validity period stated in the EPO approval. Unlike a standard exit permit, an exit permit only Indonesia process does not allow re-entry using the cancelled stay permit. Once the foreign national exits Indonesia, the ITAS becomes invalid permanently. Accordingly, any future employment in Indonesia generally requires:
- a new visa;
- a new work permit approval; and
- a new ITAS application.
When Does Exit Permit Only Indonesia Apply?
Under Indonesia’s current integrated immigration system, the exit permit only Indonesia process applies primarily in situations involving early departure before ITAS expiry.
The most common scenarios include:
- resignation of a foreign employee;
- early employment termination;
- mutual separation agreements;
- company restructuring; or
- early cessation of foreign director appointments.
When employment ends before the ITAS expiry date, employers generally must process:
- work permit cancellation through the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker); and
- ITAS cancellation through an EPO Indonesia process.
Without formal cancellation, the ITAS may remain active in Indonesia’s immigration system. This remains the case even though the foreign national has already departed the country.
These integrated procedures also interact closely with the RPTKA Approval Process in Indonesia for foreign worker sponsorship compliance.
When Is an Exit Permit Only Indonesia Process Not Required?
In many cases, employers mistakenly assume that an EPO is always mandatory. Under current operational practice, this is no longer always correct.
If the foreign worker remains in Indonesia until the ITAS reaches its natural expiry date, the stay permit generally cancels automatically. Indonesia’s integrated immigration and manpower system, coordinated through immigration and Kemnaker, handles this without a separate EPO application.
Exit Permit Only Indonesia Requirements for Employers
Managing an exit permit only Indonesia process requires coordinated action between immigration and manpower authorities. The sponsoring company generally bears primary responsibility for processing the EPO Indonesia application.
Additionally, the foreign worker usually must still be physically present in Indonesia during the process. Accordingly, this requirement is critical. An EPO generally cannot be processed once the foreign national has departed Indonesia.
Exit Permit Only Indonesia Process: Key Steps for Employers
Cancelling a work and stay permit involves the following steps:
Step 1 — Terminate Work Permit through Kemnaker
Notify the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) about terminating your employee’s position. Typically, termination involves canceling approval of the work permit. The employer should initiate this step as soon as possible since immigration cancellation typically depends on Kemnaker’s cancellation of the employment contract.
Step 2 — File an Exit Permit Only Indonesia Application
The sponsoring company will file the EPO application with the appropriate immigration office (Kantor Imigrasi). Commonly required documentation for filing the EPO includes:
- passport;
- ITAS Card;
- Sponsorship Letter;
- Documentation from Kemnaker showing that you canceled his/her work permit; and
- Supporting Documentation of Your Company.
Additionally, requirements for further documentation can be determined by the specific immigration office processing the application.
Step 3 — Approval of ITAS Cancellation and Issue of EPO
Upon approval, the immigration department will formalize the ITAS cancellation and issue the EPO. Upon receiving approval, he/she will receive:
- Confirmation of surrender of his/her ITAS Card;
- Passport Endorsement; or
- Electronic Confirmation of Cancellation of his/her ITAS Card (dependent on which method is used), etc.
This is particularly important for future work permit applications, RPTKA approvals, immigration audits, and foreign manpower compliance reviews. Companies that regularly hire foreign workers in Indonesia should maintain organised compliance files for all sponsored employees.
Common Exit Permit Only Indonesia Issues
Work Permit Cancellation Cannot Be Ignored
Some companies incorrectly assume that immigration cancellation alone is sufficient. However, Kemnaker cancellation remains a separate compliance obligation. Failure to cancel the work permit properly may complicate future applications to hire foreign workers in Indonesia, obtain new approvals under the RPTKA Approval Process in Indonesia, or process future expatriate sponsorships.
Foreign Directors Require Additional Coordination
Foreign directors and commissioners in PT PMA structures often require additional corporate coordination. In addition to the exit permit only Indonesia process, companies should also update shareholder resolutions, director appointments, company deeds, OSS records, and related corporate documentation. Our guide on Foreign Director Work Permit in Indonesia explains these obligations in greater detail.
How PNB Immigration Law Firm Can Help
Managing an exit permit only Indonesia process requires careful coordination between immigration authorities, manpower authorities, and company sponsors. Timing errors, incomplete cancellations, or incorrect departure sequencing may create unnecessary immigration complications for employers sponsoring foreign workers in Indonesia.
At PNB Immigration Law Firm, we assist companies with:
- EPO Indonesia applications;
- ITAS cancellation procedures;
- work permit cancellation;
- expatriate compliance management; and
- broader Business Immigration Indonesia matters.
Our team provides practical, legally grounded assistance for employers managing foreign employee departures, restructuring expatriate teams, or handling foreign director transitions.
Contact PNB Immigration Law Firm for assistance with your Work Permit Process in Indonesia, Business Immigration Indonesia, or Work Permit and Stay Permit Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
An exit permit only Indonesia process is an immigration cancellation procedure used when a foreign national leaves Indonesia before their ITAS expires. The EPO formally surrenders the stay permit and closes the immigration sponsorship before departure.
Generally, no. If the ITAS reaches its natural expiry date, Indonesia's integrated immigration system generally processes cancellation automatically — without a separate EPO application.
The sponsoring employer generally manages the exit permit only Indonesia process. The company acts as the official ITAS sponsor before immigration authorities and therefore bears primary processing responsibility.
Processing of an EPO application in Indonesia typically takes about 5 business days. The time it takes for processing depends upon whether all required documents are submitted, how quickly the employer cancels the previous foreign employee's employment contract, and what type of service and/or documentation the applicant requires from their local Immigration Office.
Yes. However, as with obtaining an initial Work Permit and subsequent ITAS, this will require that the foreign worker obtain a new visa and, where applicable, a new Work Permit and a new ITAS.
If the foreign worker departs before ITAS expiry without completing the exit permit only Indonesia process, the stay permit may remain active in the immigration system. This can create compliance complications affecting future immigration applications and sponsorship records.