Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

I am trying to get to Bali by the end of august, and am having some visa troubles, mostly of the monetary kind.

My friend in indonesia is sending me a sponsor letter for what I'm assuming is a social visa. I am still waiting on the letter to arrive and also for my passport. so it's gonna be a tight squeeze fitting getting the visa in there which i heard should take about 2 weeks from US to indonesia.

I have thought about getting my 30 day visa on arrivial, and then making a run to singapore to renew it before it expires, but all of my sources have said I would need a round trip ticket to get that.

Any ideas on how to get a quick visa or around the round trip rule?

I dont know about USA but any time I got a social Visa in UK the turn around time was 3 days.

Same here, a social visa only ever took 3 working days here in Australia providing all the paperwork was correct (letter of invitation, correct number of photos etc).

Where did you 'hear' two weeks? My advice is to phone the consulate or embassy who will be issuing the visa and check the time it takes. Check if you have a local Indonesian consulate close to you - it is quicker to deal with a consulate than to mail your application to an embassy.

Hey Mimpi - I like the brunette look

Thanks Freo - getting used to it now

does it have to be an indonesian consulate? i don't know if i have one around me

I think for an Indonesian visa you might have to go to an Indonesian consulate

Haha my first time getting a visa or even a passport for that matter. first time i'll have been out of the US for more than 5 days too

also, can my friend in bali on a social visa, be my sponsor? or does it have to be an indonesian citizen?

and if so how tight is that law enforced when it comes to getting a visa?

calitobali wrote:also, can my friend in bali on a social visa, be my sponsor? or does it have to be an indonesian citizen?

and if so how tight is that law enforced when it comes to getting a visa?

Hi Calitobali
Only an Indonesian citizen can be your sponsor on a social visa. So your friend who is already there on a social visa cannot sponsor you. That is an absolute - your sponsor has to write a letter and also supply proof of identify such as a copy of their KTP (Indonesian ID). Maybe you can get your friend's sponsor to sponsor you as well?

The rules around the 211 visa have changed a bit in the last couple of years.

You can apply for a 211 visa from the US at an Indonesian consulate or embassy there. Only the country you are applying to visit can issue you with a visa to do so - so as Jimbo said, you have to go to an Indonesian consulate. Have a look in your phone book, or google it to find out the nearest one.

You can apply for a 60 day 211 visa without a sponsor letter. Then when you are in Indonesian already, you can apply to extend the visa 4 times for 30 days each time - effectively the same as a 'social visa'. But to apply for the extensions you MUST have an Indonesian citizen as a sponsor. They have to write a letter and prove their identify, so best to bring them with you to immigration when you want to extend.

Alternatively you can get an agent such as Bali IDE to do the extention for you with immigration - they will tell you what you need from your sponsor.

Finding a sponsor is not all that hard, when you are there for a couple of months you will make friends with lots of locals and there should be someone you can approach to be your sponsor. Just be aware that you really should have the same sponsor for all of your extensions.

And if you need another comprehensive understanding on visa applications for Indonesia, here's what I found:

General

A visa of the Republic of Indonesia is issued in the form of a sheet of paper attached to a passport. The type of visa issued shall be based on the visa application. Visa application may be done by proxy, except for Diplomatic or Service Visa applications.

A visa application should be submitted to an Embassy or Consulate Office of the Republic of Indonesia or other social designated by Government of the Republic of Indonesia.

Visas shall be used within 90 (ninety) days, calculated from the date of issuance. Any foreign national who fails to use a visa within this designated period of time must submit a re-application for a new visa.

Competent Authorities and Officials

The Immigration Attache at an Embassy or Consular Office of the Republic of Indonesia or other designated official (hereinafter, Visa Officer) is authorized to issue or reject Diplomatic or Service Visa applications in accordance with the decision of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Visa Officer is authorized to issue or refuse requests for Transit Visas, Visit Visas, and Limited Stay Visas in accordance with the decision of the Director General of Immigration on behalf of the Minister of Justice.

The Director General of Immigration may fully authorize the Visa Officer to issue or reject applications for Transit Visas or Visit Visas. The Visa Officers shall have the full authority to grant a visa to a foreign national who is in possession of a national passport or other valid travel document.

The visa officer, upon the approval of the Directorate General of Immigration, shall grant a visa to an individual not in possession of a national passport or other travel document (a stateless person).

Admission to Indonesia remains under the authority of the Immigration Officer at the port of entry.

For urgent cases, a Transit Visa or a Visit Visa may be issued at an Immigration Check Point.

General Visa Requirements

Visa applications should be submitted to the Visa Officer after filling out the required form.

A visa application should be submitted along with the following:
1. a valid passport;
2. a round trip or through-ticket to country of destination;
3. 2 (two) photographs, size 4 x 6 cm;
4. proof of written guarantee of possession of sufficient funds for living expenses during entire stay in Indonesia;
5. payment of the visa fee.
The Approval of Visa Applications

A visa application shall be approved if the applicant:
1. has fully complied with the requirements;
2. has paid the visa fee;
3. is not included on the blacklist.
The Rejection of Visa Applications

A visa application shall be rejected if the applicant:
1. has not fully complied with the requirements;
2. is included on the blacklist;
3. can be included in any of the following categories, specified in Article 17 of Immigration Act No. 9 Year 1992 which include any foreign nationals who a) is known to be or suspected of being involved in international crime syndicate activities; b) has shown a hostile attitude toward the Government of Indonesia, or has taken actions which demean the name of the people and the country of Indonesia, in his/her own country or in any other country; c) is suspected of having committed actions in conflict with national security, public order, the morality, religious values, or the traditions or customs of the people of Indonesia; d) is under a request for extradition from another country, said person having tried to escape indictment or the execution of a punishment, having committed a criminal act which is also punishable according to Indonesian law; e) has previously been expelled from the territory of Indonesia; or f) has been found to be suffering from a mental illness or a contagious disease hazardous to public health; g) originates from a country which has no diplomatic relations with the Republic of Indonesia, unless otherwise established by Decision of the Minister of Justice.
The Finalization Process

The visa will be stamped or attached in a national passport, or a non-national passport, or a legal travel document.

All completed, original copies of visa application forms certified by the Visa Officer will be sent collectively on the same day to the Director General of Immigration.

The number and date of visa issuance will be entered on the visa application form. The visa shall be signed by the Visa Officer. The passport with the newly issued visa will be returned to applicant.

Special Procedures

Under certain circumstances, visa appilcation can be arranged for in Indonesia by the sponsor of the applicant concerned. In such cases, the sponsor or proxy should appear in person at the Head Office of the Directorate General of Immigration to begin the processing of the visa application as follows:
1. on behalf of the applicant, filling 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;
2. 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 ath the Indonesian Embassy or Consular Office at the applicant's place of domicile.

The visa shall be administered by Visa Officer in the presence of the applicant concerned.

about the whole round trip or "through ticket" thing...is this really nessecary for a sosbud? i plan on renewing after 2 months, not leaving the country, i will wait for 6 months to do that.

if it is mandatory, which is the cheapest destination to get a ticket for that I will never use?

Get a flexible ticket that you can get a refund on. It will cost a bit more but at least you can get your money back.

that's not really an option as i dont have an extra $1500 or more for a refundable ticket, before I would be getting my visa. i just want the cheapest ticket to somewhere out of the country around $200, and just not use it, i will not be leaving the country of bali for those 2 months.

i will not be leaving the country of bali

Well just to point out before someone else does.....

Bali is an island, in the country of Indonesia

Have a look for a Tiger Airways ticket from Bali to Singapore, or one of the other budget carriers that go Bali / Singapore.

As to the whole round ticket thingy - On a social budaya I never had an onward ticket when entering, but the visa rules have changed in regard to the 211. The best place to get a definitive answer to your question is your local Indonesian consulate or embassy - I know people from some countries have had to have one, and other like haven't. It depends on the place issuing the visa it seems.

The thing to understand about Indonesia is it is really hard to find out the black & white facts on some subjects. Visas is very much like that.

haha thanks for the answer and correction of my typo