Indonesia
The laws most likely to catch a visitor off guard. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
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Possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs in Indonesia is severely punished, even for small amounts.
Heavy fines, long jail sentences, or the death penalty.
§ US State DeptVerified Jul 13, 2026
Cannabis
Cannabis — including hashish, resin, edibles and THC in any form — is a Golongan I narcotic in Indonesia, the most tightly banned class, and it may not be used even in medical care. Since Indonesia's new Criminal Code took effect on 2 January 2026, possession carries a minimum of 4 years and up to 12 years in prison plus a fine of Rp 200 million to Rp 2 billion, rising to life imprisonment above 5 grams. There is no small-amount allowance and no medical exception.
Possession: 4 to 12 years' imprisonment and a fine of Rp 200 million to Rp 2 billion; above 5 grams, life imprisonment or 5 to 20 years (Criminal Code art. 609). Bringing cannabis in or out, or supplying it, is charged under art. 610, where the death penalty remains available for larger quantities. A foreign prescription does not make cannabis lawful in Indonesia.
§ JDIH BPK — Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana (UU 1/2023), Pasal 609–610, in force 2 January 2026Verified Aug 20, 2026
Medications
Some prescription medications legal in the US, including those for ADHD, are illegal in Indonesia, and any drug may be treated as an illegal narcotic.
Detention or arrest; only hand-carry medication in original packaging with a copy of the prescription.
§ US State DeptVerified Jul 13, 2026
Alcohol
Serious illnesses and deaths have been reported from drink-spiking and methanol-contaminated alcohol, especially in clubs and nightspots in Bali, Lombok, the Gili Islands, and Sumatra.
Health hazard — methanol poisoning can be fatal; watch drinks being poured and never leave them unattended.
§ US State Dept — IndonesiaVerified Jul 13, 2026
Connectivity
Register your phone's IMEI with Indonesian customs or an Indonesian SIM card will not work in it. A passenger or crew member may bring in a maximum of 2 (dua) units. Register at the customs desk on arrival, or at a customs office within 60 days of arrival at the latest. Devices registered inside the customs area (within 5 days of completing health quarantine) carry a duty and tax exemption on up to USD 500 of customs value; above that, import duty of 10%, VAT of 11%, and income tax of 10% with an NPWP tax number or 20% without one. A registered device is activated on an Indonesian SIM within a maximum of 2 x 24 hours after clearance. The customs page states the deadline and the exemption but no separate network-blocking rule, so do not count on an unregistered handset working with a local SIM.
No fine is stated for registering late. The cost is loss of the USD 500 exemption plus import duty of 10%, VAT of 11% and income tax of 10% (with NPWP) or 20% (without NPWP) on the device's import value.
§ Direktorat Jenderal Bea dan Cukai - Bea Cukai Ngurah Rai, Registrasi IMEIVerified Sep 17, 2026
LGBTQ+ Safety
LGB conduct is not illegal nationally, but some local governments criminalize it, and a revised criminal code effective January 2026 penalizes cohabitation and sex outside marriage, with unclear implementation.
No national penalty, but local laws and the 2026 code create legal risk
§ US State Dept — IndonesiaVerified Jul 13, 2026
Public Conduct
Sharia law is enforced in Aceh province and may exist via local legislation elsewhere; dress modestly in public. The 2026 revised criminal code also penalizes defamation and blasphemy.
Sharia penalties in Aceh; criminal penalties for blasphemy/defamation under the revised code
§ US State Dept — IndonesiaVerified Jul 13, 2026