Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

After obtaining confusing confusing information from the local embassy, I hope you can clarify the following:
1. In order to obtain the social visa, does the sponsor letter have to be stamped by an immigration office in any case, or, in the absence of a local immigration office at the place where my sponsor is located is it enough to get the authorisation from the local police?
2. Can I extend the visa at any immigration office, or it has to be extended at the office which approved the sponsor letter? (Say, I would like to travel to a remote point of the country, and stay there until the end of the first 60 days' period. Do I have to return to extend the visa? Leaving my passport back at an agent does not work, as I need it for the surat jalan on the way.)

Thanx for the help!

Vandor, it sounds like you need the professional help of PT Bali Ide. Check the link on the upper right corner.

As an aside, if you decide to travel in the Molukus, be sure to call yourself Vandor the Viking, but pronounce Viking, "veeking." You'll get a lot of laughs and an immediate warm reception. And nope, I won't explain. It would take all the fun away.

Hi Vandor

You're right to be confused, because the "rules" vary depending on where you are in Indonesia and where your sponsor is domiciled. For example, when I was living in Jogjakarta, the Immigration office there reckoned I had to go to Bandung to top it up (because my sponsor came from that area). In Bandung, they reckoned it didn't matter where the sponsor came from. (Same in Bali).

If you go to the Immigration office in Singapore, all they require is the sponsor letter and a copy of the sponsor's KTP (identity card). Doesn't have to be stamped by anybody. Can even be just a photocopy.

If you want to travel to remote areas, it's next to impossible to get accurate information. When all is said and done, Indonesia is still a basket-case country. I hope this helps.

Sanurian i take it you have had your fair share of 'red tape' when trying to do things in Indonesia.

I had a little laugh when reading your other posting where you quoted that somebody had once said 'Bali would be better without the Balinese' or something to that effect.


Anyway at the least the debates are nice n lively of late.


Regs Spark