Come to Indonesia with Expired MERP

[kresnanto]

Good morning all,


I am in a situation where I supposed to return to Indo earlier this year but due to Covid, I decided not to take the risk and now my MERP is expired and soon my KITAP also expired (December 2020).

Wondering is anyone here returned to Indonesia after their MERP expired overseas? Any issue obtaining VOA? someone mentioned about mailing my passport to Indonesia and hire an agent to obtain the new MERP and KITAP which sound "fishy" to me.


Any tip, advice and tricks will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!


 

[marcus]

(1) ... Wondering is anyone here returned to Indonesia after their MERP expired overseas? Any issue obtaining VOA?

(2) someone mentioned about mailing my passport to Indonesia and hire an agent to obtain the new MERP and KITAP which sound "fishy" to me ...

(1) In more than 10 years in this Forum I don't remember of anyone entering Indonesia with a valid KITAP but expired MERP . I would suggest you not to do that , but instead first get a new MERP at an Embassy before coming to Indonesia .
Note : Remember that if you stayed abroad more than 1 year (continuously) , your KITAP is automatically cancelled , so if in this situation I think you can come to Indonesia with any other visa (but bring the KITAP to return it to Immigration) .

(2) I am almost sure it is not legal , because one can get a KITAP only if in Indonesia (its issuance depends on taking photo and fingerprints at an Indonesian city's Immigration) .
For the MERP , I guess it may be legal , but I think you can also get a MERP without sending your passport to Indonesia .

[kresnanto]

Hi Marcus, thanks for your response,

I agree with your #1 because at this point my MERP is expired and KITAP will be expired in December but since my last entry was back in October 2019, then it will pass the 1 year threshold resulting the KITAP auto cancelation and I spoke with local offices including Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles and all said they cannot process MERP.

Between October 19 to December 20, what happen if I decided to go to Indonesia (MERP Expired but KITAP still Valid). Will I be allowed to obtain VOA? will immigration office will "detained" me? ----> this is the unknown


 

[marcus]

... what happen if I decided to go to Indonesia (MERP Expired but KITAP still Valid). Will I be allowed to obtain VOA?? will immigration office will "detained" me? ...

According to the Regulation you cannot have 2 Indonesian Stay Permits at the same time See below) , so if you have the KITAP (Permanent Stay Permit) , you could not get the other Stay Permit related to the VOA (VOA is a Visa but when the Immigration officer allows you to enter Indonesia , the officer stamps the related Visit Stay Permit in your passport) .

I don't know any other specific rule that would be applicable to this situation (you trying to enter with a valid KITAP but expired MERP) .
I guess the Immigration officer will not give you a VOA or if you get a VOA the other officer will not let you in . But I don't think you will be detained .


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


PP no.31, year 2013
Article 112
......
(3) Stay Permit shall consist of:
a. Diplomatic Stay Permit;
b. Service Stay Permit;
c. Visit Stay Permit (VOA , ..);
d. Limited Stay Permit; and
e. Permanent Stay Permit (KITAP).
......

Article 113
Every foreigner who stays in the Indonesian Territory shall not have more than 1 (one) Stay Permit as referred to in Article 112 clause (3).

[kresnanto]

Does anyone hear any news about the renewal process change due to Covid?

The last news I heard from last year for those who are outside Indonesia (below) stated that you are given extra time until the end of September (60 days after July 2020) to return with expired ITAP/ITAS or expired MERP.

My case: I am still outside and beyond this grace period so now I am in US with expired KITAP and MERP. I guess when I return, I will surrender both and apply a new one

Expired ITAS/ITAP abroad

If you are abroad with an expired ITAS/ITAP or with an expired re-entry permit (ERP), you should return to Indonesia within 60 days of July 13th, 2020. You then need to extend the expired permits at your local immigration office.

[marcus]

Hi Kresnanto , I am busy today , so it will take some time for me to check .

But in advance , I would guess that you cannot come with an expired ITAS/ITAP anymore as the situation has worsened lately with the concern about GB , South African , Brazilian , ... variants of the Covid-19 . But maybe you can still apply for a new Family Limited Stay Visa .

[marcus]

Well , it looks like , just now , you cannot come to Indonesia , according to Surat Edaran Direktur Jenderal Imigrasi Nomor IMI-GR.01.01-0331 Tanggal 11 Februari 2021 (see relevant part of it below) .


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


IMI-GR.01.01-0331 (11 Feb 2021)
........
b. Exceptions from the restrictions on foreigners who can enter Indonesian territory:
1) valid KITAS and KITAP holders;
2) Foreigners who already have eVisa;
3) Medical assistance and support, food and humanitarian reasons;
4) The crew of the conveyance; and
5) Foreigners who will work on vital strategic projects, national vital objects, national strategic projects


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


https://kemlu.go.id/download/L1NpdGV...UyMDIwMjAucGRm (IMI-GR.01.01-0331)

https://web.facebook.com/DitjenImigrasi/

https://twitter.com/ditjen_imigrasi/...70693498953729

[kresnanto]

Hi Marcus,
I agree...seems like I need to wait until the Covid situation is getting better before I return to Indonesia.

As for KITAP situation, I exhausted all avenues as my KITAP and MERP expired so my only option is to enter as visitor in the future and re-apply for wife sponsored KITAP again.

Stay safe !

[marcus]

...my only option is to enter as visitor in the future and re-apply for wife sponsored KITAP again.

If you want a KITAP as soon as possible , better come with a Limited Stay Visa index 317 , which will turn into an e-ITAS/KITAS within 30 days after you enter Indonesia (but must request) . Then you can stay around 1 year with the e-ITAS/KITAS or immediately request a KITAP .

[kresnanto]

Thanks Marcus,
I need to research this but looking at the https://visa-online.imigrasi.go.id/, it seems to be a pretty straightforward process. It just that I am not familiar with this Limited Stay Visa 317.

As a side topic, do you know if someone comes with that Limited Stay Visa then got a job offer from a company that willing to sponsor a work permit? Do you think that person needs to leave Indonesia in order to get their new visa then process the KITAS? or that person can stay inside Indonesia and continue with the process?

[marcus]

...do you know if someone comes with that Limited Stay Visa then got a job offer from a company that willing to sponsor a work permit? Do you think that person needs to leave Indonesia in order to get their new visa then process the KITAS? ...

So with this VITAS 317 you will get the e-ITAS/KITAS sponsored by your Indonesian wife , with it some people have only added a Work Permit (now named "Notifikasi"/Notification) to work (without the need of the specific Work e-ITAS/KITAS) .

You better check that further at https://tka-online.kemnaker.go.id (Work Permit , Plan for Hiring Foreigners , ..) , and at your city's Kantor Imigrasi or Ditjen Imigrasi | Facebook , DitJen Imigrasi (@ditjen_imigrasi) / Twitter .

[Yulianafltcr]

Halo I'm not sure should I make a new post or can I just ask here.
We've almost same problem.

My husband had KITAP (sponsor istri) 4th year, but MERP will finish in September.
Looking at situation right now, I don't think we'll going back to Indonesia very soon.
Spoke with Embassy in Sydney, they advised to ask letter from Ditjen Imigrasi in Jakarta, than the embassy here will stamp the passport.
Sent email to humas Ditjen imigrasi, the answer is no rules change, doesn't matter if covid number is pretty high . They advised us to apply for visa 317.

Well, we don't really want to loose KITAP.

So, back to our situation right now, any better option we can take? Is it common to just send his passport to Indonesia to extend MERP without me, his sponsor?

Thank you in advance.

[marcus]

(1) ...Sent email to humas Ditjen imigrasi, the answer is no rules change, doesn't matter if covid number is pretty high . They advised us to apply for visa 317...

(2) So,... any better option we can take?

(3) Is it common to just send his passport to Indonesia to extend MERP without me, his sponsor?

(1) Sorry I don't understand what exactly happened between you and DitJen Imigrasi Jakarta . No rule change about getting the MERP in your situation ? And what is the rule , because I didn't see it in the Regulations that I know ?

(2) Well , your husband will not lose the KITAP just because of the MERP, but he will lose it if he does not return to Indonesia within 1 year (and obviously he cannot enter Indonesia without a valid MERP) .
If you use to travel abroad frequently , keeping a KITAP is not always a good idea . So better options depend on what is your plan about where you will be in the future .

(3) I never saw any case . In this Forum I remember of only 1 case since 2008 , but the sponsor was in Indonesia .

[Yulianafltcr]

Marcus, thank you for reply.

I was read the article from www.expat.co.id, it wrote :
"Be aware that If the permit is going to expire while you are out of the country, you may lose your ITAS /ITAP if you don't take action. You would then have to go to an Indonesian embassy to apply for a new visa all over again (not another permit).  
We have in the past understood that you cannot apply for an extension to your exit permit from abroad. However, consular offices abroad (in both embassies and consulates) may be able to assist you if you can provide the following, and IF they receive the approval from the Directorate General of Immigration in Jakarta"

So this is what I'm trying to get, the approval from dirjen imigrasi.

‹Any advice who should I contact? 
?thank you.
 

[marcus]

(a) ...I was read the article from www.expat.co.id...

(b) Any advice who should I contact?

(a) The link you provided does not work .

(b) I thought you already got a contact there (you wrote above : "Sent email to humas Ditjen imigrasi, the answer is...") .
The best way to do what you want is to ask somebdy to go there (a relative , friend , or a visa agent) . Or try through social media :
Ditjen Imigrasi | Facebook
DitJen Imigrasi (@ditjen_imigrasi) / Twitter
Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi (@ditjen_imigrasi) • Instagram photos and videos

Note : Could you please answer my question in (1) above ?