How to extend your stay in Bali with the right
visa
UPDATE
February 1st 2004
There is more certainty about the new Indonesia
Tourist visa rules, the visa on arrival, also
from the official side. Original plans to revoke
the visa free travel at October 1 will in effect
February 1. Indonesia will revoke visa-free
travel for most foreign visitors, despite fears
that the move could further dent the country's
beleaguered tourism industry. Indonesia will
charge foreigners US$25 for a 30-day
nonrenewable visa or US$10 for a 3 day visit
upon arrival. Citizens of 11 countries who offer
visa-free travel to Indonesians will be exempt
from the new rule; Brunei,
Chile, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Macao, Morocco,
Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Turkey. Indonesia introduced visa-free travel in
1983 to attract more foreign tourists.
But officials say it has been abused by
foreigners who work illegally or engage in other
illegal activities in Indonesia.
There
are many kinds of visa for Indonesia
Each
with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Currently the Indonesian visa rules are subject
to discussion and change due to the tensions in
the world. There are exemptions for some
countries, please contact you local (Indonesian)
embassy to obtain the most recent information.
General
All
visitors must possess a passport valid for at
least six months after their arrival date in
Indonesia. For special visa listed below there
are other rules. Immigration officials reserve
the right to deny entry to any visitor who, in
their opinion, is not properly dressed or
groomed (long hair is okay), lacks the proper
funds, or "may endanger the country's
security, peace, and stability or the public
health and morals." These unfortunate
undesirables will receive a transit visa upon
arrival that allows them to hang out at the
airport until the first available flight out.
Tourist
Visa
60
days valid, non-extendable, one has to leave the
country and return to get another stamp in one's
passport. A round-trip flight from Jakarta to
Singapore costs around US$140, a round trip form
Denpasar to Singapore about US$230. Some expats
experienced that after a number of these stamps
are placed in one's passport, the officials at
the airport may hassle and accuse the frequent
tourist of working. Maintaining honestly that
one is a a tourist and remaining patient is
recommended.
Presidential
Decision No. 18 of 2003 dated 31 March 2003
states that for most countries the Tourist visa
(short stay permit) now is valid only for 30
days, and now requires the payment of a fee.
VISA
on ARRIVAL (VoA)
This
facility is available for nationals of the
following countries:
Argentina,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, New
Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South
Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab
Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States
of America.
Citizens
of these countries will be able to apply for a
VoA valid for either 3 or 30 days upon arrival
by air in Bali, Jakarta and a few other
international airports or by ship at a limited
number of Indonesian sea ports. A 3-day visa
costs US$10 and a 30-day visa costs US$25.
The
VoA cannot be extended or converted into any
other kind of visa. Also be aware that
Immigration officials calculate the 30-day
period as follows: your arrival day is counted
as your first day, and you must leave the
country on the 30th. day
How
to Obtain the "VISA on ARRIVAL" (VoA)
Travelers
from the above countries must be in posession of
a passport which is valid for at least 6 months
from the date of arrival and the completed
embarkation/disembarkation card they received
from their airline. They must also be able to
prove they have sufficient funds for their stay
in Indonesia.
Arriving
travelers with Visa-On-Arrival status have to go
first to one of the 'VoA Counters' to pay the
appropriate fee and have their passports stamped
with the VoA before proceeding to the
Immigration Clearance Desk. An official bank is
part of the VoA service counters. Payment of
visa fees can only be made in US dollar bank
notes, Indonesian Rupiah equivalent or by VISA
or MASTERCARD
Social
Visa
Valid
for visits that are social, cultural, religious,
or medical in nature. This includes visiting
family/relatives and social organisations, and
exchange visits between academic, art, or sports
institutions. 60 days valid, monthly extendable
to a total of 6 months. One requires an
Indonesian 'sponsor' and letter from this
sponsor. One can only obtain such a visa outside
of Indonesia. In Singapore there are agents who
can arrange the 'Sosial Budaya' within a day.
Usually it takes 3 days to get one.
Business
Visa
(multiple entry), 60 days valid, monthly
extendable to a total of 12 months. This visa is
valid for the purposes of doing business
activities in Indonesia, which do not involve
taking up employment or acquiring money for
payments of services. It is valid for conducting
a temporary business assignment, i.e. inspecting
company subsidiaries and carrying out
emergency/urgent works. It is also valid for
attending international conferences and seminars
and carrying out journalistic visits.
Residency
or work visa
Sponsorship required by an Indonesian company or
recognized foreign company. Expensive,
$1200/year tax pre-paid, due at sign-up. Lots of
redundant reporting to various offices required.
Residents are also need to pay 1.000.000 rp tax
every time they leave the country by air.
(500.000 rp by sea.)
Collective
Visit Visa
Each person should have with their own passport
and they have to enter and exit the territory of
Indonesia as a group at the same time. Same
rules as for the Social Visa.
Retirement
Visa
If you are 55 years or older you can apply for
this visa. There is lots of paperwork, and
requires statements of income, health,
insurance, a minimum amount of spending on
accommodation and the payment of taxes and other
fees. One cannot work in Indonesia with this
visa. After 5 extensions (each year) one can
apply for an unlimited stay visa (KITAP) and a
year after that for citizenship.
Overstaying
your visa period
means usually that you have to pay, around US$20
a day. If there legitimate reasons for your
overstay, like illness or transportation
problems there might be exemptions. If possible
report your overstay at the immigration office
Special
Procedure
Under certain circumstances, visa applications
can be arranged for in Indonesia by the sponsor
of the applicant concerned. In such cases, the
sponsor should appear in person at the Head
Office of the Directorate General of Immigration
to begin the processing of the visa application
as follows:
On behalf of the applicant, fill out and
complete all visa requirements according to the
type of visa, which includes a letter from the
sponsor stating the purpose of the visit /
invitation and a written statement guaranteeing
the sponsor's taking responsibility for the
applicant during his / her stay in Indonesia.
submit the visa application to the Visa Section
of the Directorate of Immigration Traffic. In
absence of any incriminating factors, the visa
authorization for the applicant concerned shall
be cabled, at the expense of the sponsor, to the
overseas Visa Officer at the Indonesian Embassy
or Consular Office at the applicant's place of
domicile. The visa shall then be administered by
Visa Officer in the presence of the applicant
concerned.
Not
recommended
Is to 'just stay and see' without any official
visa. It has been done, and there are
(expensive) escape routes from Indonesia to
nearby countries. Risks are payment of very high
fees and even imprisonment, and becoming
blacklisted, so you can never enter Indonesia
again. There have been people changing their
name to get into Indonesia again
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