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Crackdown on Social Budaya?
Anyone have trouble lately with immigration when showing the Social Budaya/211 Visa?
My girlfriend and I came through and both of us, separately of each other, had an immigration officer ask why there were so many Indo social visas in our passport.
And this was not a bribe/fine style question where they smile and tell you that you can simply take care of the question there etc, we've had enough of those to recognize.
Technically speaking, when you go Social Budaya, you're breaking the law, as the tenants for the visa (religious ceremony, relative etc) are always false.
Thinking maybe Indo is cracking down on Social B's, as they realize there is money to be made forcing KITAS on expat Bali residents.
Makes you anxious when you're in line and realize, they can deny you entry right there, and all you've invested in here (for us, rental house, car, really nice mountain bikes etc) will never be seen again.
The only time I have been really questioned is at the embassy in KL. They asked a lot of questions and finally only gave me the visa but only for 30 days. Fred2 mentioned some kind of interview, so you could be right that there is a crackdown going on. Having said that, I can imagine how much some people are making from foreigners using agents for all of their extensions.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat drinking beer all day.
if you have a SOSBUD in your passport, there's no way they can denie you acces...your sosbud has been approved by Jakarta.
they can't force a KITAS on people, unless someone is going to work/married to Indonesian/55 years or over one is elegible for a KITAS.
don't read between the lines..i think the words are clear enough...:)
There are reason that immigration can refuse entry, even if you have a valid visa. The problem with a sobud visa is, you can only stay for the number of days printed on your visa, then you have to apply to extend it . With the change in immigration laws, things will change slowly. Immigration are checking visa holders, interviews with visa holders & sponsors & asking lots of questions, so in the future sobud visa will be harder to keep renewing as this is not the purpose for this visa.
They were probably just wondering how you have been supporting yourself in Bali for so long without a visa that allows you to work. If you have a reasonable explanation it should be no problem.
It clearly states on the application form that issuing the visa does not grant right of entery and it can be refused at immigration.Originally Posted by gilbert de jong
Regards Jimbo
The only thing a visa guarantees is that they took your money. - AB
"as this is not the purpose for this visa"...100% agree. Big thanks for the smart perspective. - AB
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don't read between the lines..i think the words are clear enough...:)
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