KITAS sponsored by the Indonesian spouse

[Addee]

Hi, sorry if this question has already been answered.
I am planning to get a Sosbud and then convert it to a KITAS. The bit I am worrying about is getting the approval letter back from the Ditjen. In the explanation of the process at the beginning of the thread it states that any relative holding a Surat Kuasa Khusus can pick it up for you. Unfortunately we don't have any relatives in Jakarta, would a friend be acceptable? Or would I be better off including a pre-paid envelope with the docs.

[atlantis]

Anyone would do, as long as he/she has a surat kuasa from your sponsor authorizing him/her to pick up any document. Better to also give him/her a photocopy of the sponsor's KTP. I have never heard that anyone requested it in the DitJenIm, but one never knows. Better to give more documents rather than wasting time sending missing documents.
I went myself twice through the procedure and picked up myself my documents in the DitJenIm. I've also picked up documents for friends a number of times with a surat kuasa (most of the times, the petugas barely took a look at it). It's no big deal, really. No need to be worried. Sometimes I didn't even stay 10 minutes in the building, sometimes it took me a couple of hours, but never I had a real problem.

[marcus]

Marcus... You are an asset for this forum. Dunno if I said it to you already but you are an incredible researcher of the archives of this forum! You save me a LOT of time. Thank you for that and all the effort you are doing.

I am just returning a little of the benefits I got from you and others . And it is not so much research as I copy some useful posts in a private folder for future use and later I just have to paste them for the new questions .

[Addee]

Thanks Atlantis, it will certainly make things a bit easier knowing that. I am planning to get the 60 day visa (no extensions) and convert it to a KITAS straight away, seeing that the 4 month manadatory waiting period is no longer in force. Is there a particular piece of law which I can take with me stating this, as I don't want an immigration officer with out of date information telling me I need to wait 4 months.

[cup1981]

Thanks Atlantis, it will certainly make things a bit easier knowing that. I am planning to get the 60 day visa (no extensions) and convert it to a KITAS straight away, seeing that the 4 month manadatory waiting period is no longer in force. Is there a particular piece of law which I can take with me stating this, as I don't want an immigration officer with out of date information telling me I need to wait 4 months.

I have the law in both English and Indonesian if you would like me to email it to you. As well as other clarifications of it.

[atlantis]

Is there a particular piece of law which I can take with me stating this, as I don't want an immigration officer with out of date information telling me I need to wait 4 months.

Here is what you need to download:

Peraturan Pemerintah nomor 32 Tahun 1994 tentang Visa, Izin Masuk dan Izin keimigrasian.
This is the governmental regulation concerning visas and general immigration rules. If you read it it, the article 48 requires a mandatory 4 months period before converting an izin kunjungan in an izin tinggal terbatas. However it has been modified in October 2005 with the following amendment:

Peraturan Pemerintah nomor 38 tahun 2005 tentang perubahan kedua atas Peraturan Pemerintah nomor 32 Tahun 1994 tentang Visa, Izin Masuk dan Izin keimigrasian.
The 4 months mandatory period has been cancelled and one can start the procedure at his/her will, as long as he/she is in Indonesia.

[Dr. Michael Beer]

Hello, cup, this is Michael. Would you please be so kind and mail the laws in English and Indonesian (mentiones in your last Post)? Very much apreciated.

[Addee]

Thanks for that Atlantis, you're a star (as usual). Thanks for the offer Cup, I wouldn't mind a copy of the english language version please, I'll PM you my e-mail.

[atlantis]

Thanks for that Atlantis, you're a star (as usual). Thanks for the offer Cup, I wouldn't mind a copy of the english language version please, I'll PM you my e-mail.

Thanks.
Be very careful, with english language version of any law. I've seen a few of them with dramatic errors or imprecise translations which were armful for the general sense of the law. It is important for you to read the whole law, article per article, in Bahasa Indonesia in order to have an idea about its meaning and philosophy. If you don't speak Bahasa Indonesia well enough, ask to your wife to read it with you and translate it together one by one, taking your time. A text of law has a logic, a philosophy and it's important for you to get it.

[ANDRE]

Wrong. You are thinking like a foreigner. Elsewhere a central government makes the law and notice of it gets forwarded to the government departments in the states and provinces where it is implimented equally. Not so here. Though Bali might be the navel of the world for the Balinese when it comes to the implimentation of legislation things are more by the book the closer you get to Jakarta (the originator and watchdog of the legislation). Bali is still frontier land where things are run by social connections ("who you know") or by bribes. Here in Bali I was offered the spousal visa by a lady in the immigration office for 850 USD. Of course she knows that the foreigner must fly out of the country to get it. But to add the flight cost to a neighbouring country, a possible overnight hotel stay and the actual visa cost together still does not add up to a fair profit. If only set fees were posted at each office and the process was streamlined things would be much better. I am still waiting for the law to be passed that requires all government officials to swear/affirm that as a requirement of their employment that they will not take any bribe. Ah but then who would enforce it?

[atlantis]

Wrong. You are thinking like a foreigner. Elsewhere a central government makes the law and notice of it gets forwarded to the government departments in the states and provinces where it is implimented equally. Not so here. Though Bali might be the navel of the world for the Balinese when it comes to the implimentation of legislation things are more by the book the closer you get to Jakarta (the originator and watchdog of the legislation).

Well, I live 3 hours by flight from Jakarta., a bit further away than Bali is. As everywhere, Pejabat's expectations are very different from what the law say. However, it doesn't mean that I (or anyone else) have to abide by their wishes. The law is the same for (almost) everyone.
"Elsewhere"? Well, I suppose that you haven't travelled much outside of the "western" world. I've been living and travelling in a few countries in Africa, South America and Asia and haven't seen much difference in the implementation of laws with Indonesia. Ranting is always relieving, but doing a few efforts to inform oneself is not a bad idea either.

Bali is still frontier land where things are run by social connections ("who you know") or by bribes. Here in Bali I was offered the spousal visa by a lady in the immigration office for 850 USD.

Quite a few people I know in Bali got it done for more or less the real fee, which is IDR 700.000 (less than USD 80). There are also Bali users of this forum, using the advises given in this thread who did the same.

Of course she knows that the foreigner must fly out of the country to get it. But to add the flight cost to a neighbouring country, a possible overnight hotel stay and the actual visa cost together still does not add up to a fair profit.

You may want to read this thread. It is all about not having to exit the country to have it done. Next time I suggest that you read first, then write.

If only set fees were posted at each office and the process was streamlined things would be much better.

Come on, they are not difficult to find when they are not posted in the KanIm. They are posted in this forum and its sister site for example. A simple "google" would lead you to a link to any of the two site. I've just done a test with "Indonesia imigrasi fee" and the very first link proposed was a link to this forum with posts quoting the relevant regulation.

Altenatively follow this link: Peraturan Pemerintah nomor 38 tahun 2009 tentang jenis dan tarif atas jenis penerimaan negara bukan pajak yang berlaku pada departemen Hukum dan Hak Asasi manusia and from there download both the Peraturan and the Lampiran.

Last, you can find them on the Imigrasi website (look the above reference in the Produk Hukum part of the website)

[ANDRE]

Thank you. I appreciate your help, sarcasm, (dry) humor... AND LINKS! If only you were the government I'd vote for you! HAHA! I believe it is not just wealth (GDP) that distinguishes what others have labeled as "developing countries" from those which are already "developed." It also has to do with the manner in which both the law is implimented and country is managed. I have also traveled and noticed that where WISIWYG (what is stated is what you get) produces something that more efficient and honest than where various degrees of grey are promoted. That is why I am typing in black on white.

[ANDRE]

p.s ...if things were "straight" the this site would be A LOT smaller.

[cup1981]

Thanks.
Be very careful, with english language version of any law. I've seen a few of them with dramatic errors or imprecise translations which were armful for the general sense of the law. It is important for you to read the whole law, article per article, in Bahasa Indonesia in order to have an idea about its meaning and philosophy. If you don't speak Bahasa Indonesia well enough, ask to your wife to read it with you and translate it together one by one, taking your time. A text of law has a logic, a philosophy and it's important for you to get it.

Very true, Atlantis, I made certain that I only use the English versions for my tracking of where the imigrasi bozo was looking. My wife actually explained the law to me from Bahasa Indo to English. I should have prefaced my offer with that, thanks for taking up where I left them short .

[cup1981]

p.s ...if things were "straight" the this site would be A LOT smaller.

And... Imigrasi worker's. Police officer's and other low level Govenment official's pockets would be lighter...