KITAP Holder Living Abroad For More Than 1 YEAR

[kresnanto]

Greeting all,

Wondering if anyone with KITAP ever live abroad (outside Indonesia) for more than a year.

Reading from the rules below, it stated that the KITAP owner can't live outside Indonesia or must return at least every year otherwise immigration office we revoke the KITAP.

I am in tight situation at this moment due to work situation and at the same time I need to renew my MERP by December 22 and approaching my 1 year MUST return by April 4. My wife will return to Indonesia early December so I will ask her to renew my MERP and I return to Indonesian around April before my 1 year anniversary due but due to heavy work, I'm afraid it will be difficult.

All advise will be greatly appreciated !!!!




"UU no.6 , year 2011
Pasal 62
(1) Izin Tinggal Tetap dapat berakhir karena pemegang Izin Tinggal Tetap / The KITAP will be cancelled if the KITAP holder :
a. meninggalkan Wilayah Indonesia lebih dari 1 (satu) tahun atau tidak bermaksud masuk lagi ke Wilayah Indonesia / Leave Indonesia and doesn't return within one year ;

[scouser59]

As far as im aware , if you dont renew within a year you will lose the kitap and have to start the process again , .

[Davita]

The KITAP lasts 5 years and the MERP lasts 2 years...If both are current the only way Immigration would know you've been 'out of country' for more than one year would be the exit/entry dates in your passport.

I'm not sure that Immigration would pay too much attention if only a few days/weeks out of limit....but it's a risk. I would have some document with some lame excuse why you couldn't return...flight delay, doctors certificate, jury duty...anything you can photoshop?

[marcus]

... I am in tight situation at this moment due to work situation and at the same time I need to renew my MERP by December 22 and approaching my 1 year MUST return by April 4 ...
All advise will be greatly appreciated !!!! ...

I think that you should not be so concerned in keeping the KITAP if you are so busy and so far away . Remember that the 5 years KITAP cost only around USD275 , the 2 years MERP , around USD130 . If I was you , I would just forget about the KITAP & MERP . Later when you decide to stay in Indonesia for many years , you can get KITAS/KITAP easily . Now , if just for a work vacation , a Free Visa is all you may need , right ?

[kresnanto]

Hello all....hope all is well,

It's been a while since my last post and comment on this, but now I am at the final phase of making a decision to surrender my KITAP due to several reasons, and perhaps there are others who also on the same situation and may be able to shed some lights (or maybe persuade me):

1. My first 5 years KITAP will be expired in MID 2020 however my MERP expired EARLY 2020, and since I still reside in the US and won't be back until June, my MERP definitely will be expired by then, and if they truly revoke my KITAP because I let my MERP expired, then it is what it is.
Question: since my trip to Indo is after my MERP expired and if I will surrender my KITAP while I'm there, shall I get VOA upon arrival? or get in the country with my still valid KITAP (assuming they didn't check my expired MERP) and obtain EPO?

2. Renewing KITAP is more than Rp.10Mill (yikes!).....and I don't have the plan to work or stay in Indo for a long time at the moment so surrendering probably my best bet rather than keep returning to Indo for the sake of keeping my KITAP alive and yet wasting money and time for that ....beside they have clear procedure now if I decided to re-apply.
Question: anyone thinks it worth to renew KITAP and yet no plan to live there permanently? or travel annually to keep it alive?


Cheers from Chicago!

[marcus]

... (1) since my trip to Indo is after my MERP expired and if I will surrender my KITAP while I'm there, shall I get VOA upon arrival? or get in the country with my still valid KITAP (assuming they didn't check my expired MERP) and obtain EPO?

(2) anyone thinks it worth to renew KITAP and yet no plan to live there permanently? or travel annually to keep it alive?

(1) In your situation I would think about 3 options . If you intend to come to Indonesia before the KITAP expires , you could ask your local Indonesian Embassy to :
(a) issue you a 6 month MERP ,
(b) cancel your KITAP (otherwise I think you may have a problem to get a VOA because your KITAP is not expired) ,

(c) wait to come to Indonesia after the KITAP expires (bring the KITAP with you as the officers in the airport may ask you to surrender the KITAP to them) .


(2) In my opinion it is not worth to keep a KITAP in your situation .


-----------------------------------------------------------------


http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.or...side-indonesia (how to get a MERP when outside Indonesia)

http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.or...-out-indonesia (documents for a MERP)

[kresnanto]

Thanks, Marcus,
I will try to contact Chicago Konjen today and see if they can provide me with MERP renewal/extension until my return to Indo next year and surrender my KITAP.

I agree with you on #2. I think its better for me to surrender it rather than dealing with my annual trip.

[kresnanto]

Good morning all and hope all is well. Here is my update as of 02/20/2020:

History:

1. KITAP still valid until this December 2020
2. MERP was expired in January 2020
3. Current location USA and did not renew my MERP on my last trip to Indonesia
4. I never been outside Indonesia more than a year
5. KJRI LA willing to take my KITAP and furnished a letter stating that I surrender my KITAP (they assumed this letter should be sufficient in case Imigrasi Jakarta asked about MERP status) or if I need to renew my MERP while abroad I will need approval from Dirjen Imigrasi Jakarta

Objective:

1. How to renew MERP while abroad
2. How to go back to Indonesia with valid KITAP and expired MERP

Updates:
After months of slow searching (yet intensified lately due to my upcoming trip to Indo), I managed to get in touch with someone from Dirjen Imigrasi Jakarta and she said that she can provide approval from Dirjen Imigrasi to obtain IMK (Ijin Masuk Kembali) which I think the same with Re-Entry Permit where she will send the approval by TELEX to KJRI LA and I need to go there or send my passport to obtain the stamp that will valid for 30 days, then upon arrival in Indonesia, I can apply for the MERP again.

This is quiet a hazzle to be honest because my goal is just go to Indonesia for short trip/vacation and at the same time surrendering my KITAP and at the same time I try not to get into trouble when entering Indonesia with expired MERP.

Does anyone here have experience returning to Indonesia with expired MERP?

I will be more than happy to surrender my KITAP upon arrival and obtain VOA rather than going to Dirjen and KJRI LA


Thanks again all

Bonaldi

[marcus]

5. KJRI LA willing to take my KITAP and furnished a letter stating that I surrender my KITAP (they assumed this letter should be sufficient in case Imigrasi Jakarta asked about MERP status) ...

Decision : ... I managed to get in touch with someone from Dirjen Imigrasi Jakarta and she said that she can provide approval from Dirjen Imigrasi to obtain IMK (Ijin Masuk Kembali) ...

(c) I will be more than happy to surrender my KITAP upon arrival and obtain VOA rather than going to Dirjen and KJRI LA

5. & (c) I think you could surrender your KITAP (either at the Embassy or when arriving in the Indonesian airport) only if your KITAP already expired or it was cancelled because you stayed more than 1 continuous year outside Indonesia .

Decision : I think this will work if you are going to Indonesia when the KITAP is still valid .