Jakarta
Capital and economic hub of Indonesia; political capital transitioning to Nusantara by 2028.
Prosecutors received eight suspects' case files from Indonesia's anti-graft commission on 30 September, advancing the alleged extortion of 145.5bn rupiah from foreigners who sought residence permits through a Jakarta immigration office.
Last refreshed: 3 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
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Jakarta is Indonesia's capital and economic centre. About 10.5 million people live in the city, and the wider Jabodetabek metropolitan area holds close to 30 million. The government is moving the political capital to Nusantara in East Kalimantan, a transfer still under way.
The city hosts The National ministries, including the immigration directorate whose Jakarta offices handle much of Indonesia's visa and permit work. In 2025 that directorate's immigration fees reached 10.4tn rupiah, more than one and a half times what it was asked to raise.
The concentration of permit paperwork and fee revenue in the capital explains why the 2026 permit-extortion case centred on a West Jakarta office, and why its fallout reached foreign residents across the country.
Its permit office anchored an extortion racket
Investigators allege that one West Jakarta office was the conduit for a racket that took 145.5bn rupiah from foreign nationals. Deputy immigration minister Silmy Karim was detained with 16 others on 2-3 June 2026, and the alleged price for fast-tracking long-stay and permanent residence permits was 100m rupiah each week.
The arrests left the capital's permit system without settled leadership. The acting director general of immigration was among those held, and by 22 June only one of the residence-permit directorate's three senior posts was filled and free of investigation. the Commission passed eight suspects' files to prosecutors on 30 September.
Its permit office anchored an extortion racket
How does Jakarta's immigration office affect foreign residents in Indonesia?
Which Jakarta immigration office was at the centre of the 2026 bribery scandal?
When will Indonesia's government move to Nusantara?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 3 October 2026. Editorial standards.