Moving to Bali

samsiam

davita wrotePrior to using any agent in Indonesia for a Retirement Visa it is best to ensure the agent is registered with the RI Gov't for that purpose. There are a number that can do the visa but they are not actually qualified and are just middle men, out for a commission. Ask for and verify the registration number.

Thanks. I believe the retirement visa is 55yo correct ? So, not for me just yet as still a pup at 50. Although, in the pool with a group of friends recently and someone said to me...Sam...as the oldest one here, what do you think ? I thought, bloody hell, how did that ever happen so quick.

samsiam

^ thanks. Just sent him off an email...4 of us, hopefully discounts abound...still not cheap each month x 4 months.

samsiam

Got an email back....obviously I do not know what a good price is, other than what Smokey mentiones above......but sounds expensive and gunna cost a lot per year. 500k each for the sponsor letter...then circa 600k for the extensions each.

davita

I checked with my agent in Bali and the price is similar. Sponsor letter Rp500,000. Then there is the price of the visa from Embassy/Consul in the country of the applicant. Each extension is Rp 650,000 which [B]includes[/B] the RI Immigration price plus the agents fee. Then, after the 6 months total, it needs to be done all over again by leaving RI and returning. It should be remembered that this also means[B] not [/B]leaving RI within the 6 months....otherwise, the visa becomes invalid and a new one required before returning.

Smoke

you can actually do the extensions yourself in Renon. process is about 10 days b4 experation then a few days b4 then day or day after for the new extension. No idea how long each visit takes but thats 3 partial days of my time .I believe you can do your families extensions also . Doing it yourself will save money and time .

Smoke

no idea Davita I was just giving a possible alternative to using n agent to go 3 times a month to extend their visa's. I personally would be here and ask a friend to sponsor ( my family) then do a SG run after my initial VOA with an extension was about to run out . In SG you can do your own sosbud in one day with paying for expidiated service .

samsiam

davita wroteI checked with my agent in Bali and the price is similar. Sponsor letter Rp500,000. Then there is the price of the visa from Embassy/Consul in the country of the applicant. Each extension is Rp 650,000 which [B]includes[/B] the RI Immigration price plus the agents fee. Then, after the 6 months total, it needs to be done all over again by leaving RI and returning. It should be remembered that this also means[B] not [/B]leaving RI within the 6 months....otherwise, the visa becomes invalid and a new one required before returning.

Do you need the sponsor letters again ? So the extra 2mil for letters each 6 months ? Whats a KTP ? Cheers for all the info, very helpful

Smoke

you will need new sponsor letters everytime you get a new sosbud visa along with a mandatory leaving Indo.So in theory yes every 6 months a sponsor letter ( yes it can be the same sponsor )

Smoke

samsiam wroteI shall make contact with the guy...but in the meantime as a third independent party...can you let me know what he charges.. Thanks

I been using him since my 1st VOA extension and then my sosbud extensions. I have a local sponsor who I have known online for almost 5 years. Only reason I not come in on a Sosbud is the embassy in my area wanted his bank statement to show proof of money( they would not accept any of my accounts with 6 figures in it . I believed he charges about 600,000 to 700,000 per extension ( keep in mind that it takes 3 trips for each extension).I have never had to be present and do fingerprinting or has my friend ever been contacted to verify the sponsorship. I do not know what the charge is for the sponsor letter

samsiam

Smoke wroteyou will need new sponsor letters everytime you get a new sosbud visa along with a mandatory leaving Indo.So in theory yes every 6 months a sponsor letter ( yes it can be the same sponsor )

Seriously expensive. Thats circa 22million per year...++ the outside country costs twice. Any other options out there ?

Smoke

if your having sosbud visa for your family it adds up fast ! better to do the 3 trips month for the extensions yourself. I would get a local friend to sponsor you and family . maybe ask them over a nice dinner ? once ur 55 then kitas ( retirement) and that gets expensive as special agents can only sponsor you.. but child you still have to leave indo every 6 months ! open up a PT PMA company and above price is cheap lol best option is to do it yourself including getting a sponsor SG sosbud run if booked in advance run about 120 to 200 a seat and then the cost of the sosbuds and agent fees or fee for expiditing it. still a long day either way

Smoke

most VOA's are for 30 days only but cn be extended one time

samsiam

Sorry might have voa mixed up with a tourist visa obtained from an embassy outside Indo

davita

Smoke wroteyou can actually do the extensions yourself in Renon. process is about 10 days b4 experation then a few days b4 then day or day after for the new extension. No idea how long each visit takes but thats 3 partial days of my time .I believe you can do your families extensions also . Doing it yourself will save money and time .

I'm not sure, but I doubt if the sponsor is the agent they will allow DIY extensions...better check! Once, in Jakarta, when I did a DIY extension, they required my sponsor to be in attendance. This was parlayed down to a phone-call being accepted. The best would be to get an Indonesian, with a KTP in Bali to be the sponsor, then everything can be DIY which would dramatically reduce cost. If the KTP is somewhere else then the extensions can only be done in the Immigration area of the KTP holder.

Smoke

if you can get a 60 day VOA (tourist visa) get it.I was only able to get a 30 day in NY( and for a sosbud they wanted to see my sponsors bank statement0. so i got a voa when i landed here was 30 day only with a renewal. once the 60 days were up i flew to SG and got a sosbud with no bank statement needed and no exit ticket either !

matsaleh

I'm sure you can negotiate on the price. Good luck with it all.

davita

samsiam wrote1. Do you need the sponsor letters again ? So the extra 2mil for letters each 6 months ? 2. Whats a KTP ?

1. 'fraid so... as smoke says....near the end of the last extension you should have a new updated sponsor letter and depart Indonesia. Depending on where you go you will need to submit that letter and application and pay for a new Sosbud visa to the RI Embassy/Consul and return. I don't know whether a negotiated discount could be availed with the agent...worth a try. 2. KTP is like an Indonesian Identity Card. It refers to where the person is residing. Of course, not everyone stays in the same place but, regarding sponsorship, the Immigration nearest where the sponsor resides, according to KTP, is where the extensions are done. ie...if the sponsor is in Jakarta but you are staying in Bali, the extensions would need to be done in Jakarta. A tourist visa can be applied at any outside RI Embassy/Consul and [B]does not require a sponsor[/B]. It lasts for 60 days and is not extendable. However, I know some who have DIY extended Tourist Visas in Bali.....much like the Sosbud. This is what I would do. Get a Tourist Visa (as above) and arrive for 60 days. Use that time to make some friends with someone who can sponsor for a Sosbud, even if a little money is involved, and get a decent written sponsor letter that will satisfy Immigration, and just hold onto that. Meanwhile, near the end of the 60 days try a DIY extension to the Tourist Visa...play dumb that you thought it was a Sosbud...it looks the same as they have both the same number. If that works you only pay the cost of the extension. If that doesn't work you will need to exit and, wherever you go, submit the sponsor invitation letter and all other documents to the RI Embassy/Consul and apply for the Sosbud. This way you avoid the extra agency fees as you can DIY all extensions.

samsiam

davita wrote1. 'fraid so... as smoke says....near the end of the last extension you should have a new updated sponsor letter and depart Indonesia. Depending on where you go you will need to submit that letter and application and pay for a new Sosbud visa to the RI Embassy/Consul and return. I don't know whether a negotiated discount could be availed with the agent...worth a try. 2. KTP is like an Indonesian Identity Card. It refers to where the person is residing. Of course, not everyone stays in the same place but, regarding sponsorship, the Immigration nearest where the sponsor resides, according to KTP, is where the extensions are done. ie...if the sponsor is in Jakarta but you are staying in Bali, the extensions would need to be done in Jakarta. A tourist visa can be applied at any outside RI Embassy/Consul and [B]does not require a sponsor[/B]. It lasts for 60 days and is not extendable. However, I know some who have DIY extended Tourist Visas in Bali.....much like the Sosbud. This is what I would do. Get a Tourist Visa (as above) and arrive for 60 days. Use that time to make some friends with someone who can sponsor for a Sosbud, even if a little money is involved, and get a decent written sponsor letter that will satisfy Immigration, and just hold onto that. Meanwhile, near the end of the 60 days try a DIY extension to the Tourist Visa...play dumb that you thought it was a Sosbud...it looks the same as they have both the same number. If that works you only pay the cost of the extension. If that doesn't work you will need to exit and, wherever you go, submit the sponsor invitation letter and all other documents to the RI Embassy/Consul and apply for the Sosbud. This way you avoid the extra agency fees as you can DIY all extensions.

Not a bad idea re the 60 day voa again. We arrived on this visa last year for 7 weeks, got it in Bangkok, just required 2 days, drop in one day and pickup next. However, I remember in my research prior to that trip that a Thai cannot extend it from within the country....however it did say that some could and on that list was Australia....I shall try to find that site again. So, if the missus cannot extend, then there is an issue with that tactic. But still worth the effort for the first 60 days and go from there.

samsiam

Smoke wroteif your having sosbud visa for your family it adds up fast ! better to do the 3 trips month for the extensions yourself. I would get a local friend to sponsor you and family . maybe ask them over a nice dinner ? once ur 55 then kitas ( retirement) and that gets expensive as special agents can only sponsor you.. but child you still have to leave indo every 6 months ! [B] open up a PT PMA company and above price is cheap lol [/B] [B] best option is to do it yourself including getting a sponsor [/B] SG sosbud run if booked in advance run about 120 to 200 a seat and then the cost of the sosbuds and agent fees or fee for expiditing it. still a long day either way

I was recommended the company route by someone else, but never got the actual costs of opening and running it per year in full...some bits and pieces, but nothing complete for an exact cost...I gather this gains the Work Permit and then that can sponsor the family visas. As for voa, you can get 60 days, we got it last year, not a problem at least from Bangkok.

matsaleh

I shall make contact with the guy...but in the meantime as a third independent party...can you let me know what he charges.. Thanks

Aris charges Rp200.000 for a sponsorship letter with a copy of his KTP (Indonesian ID card). I'm not sure how much he will charge for a family, but everything’s negotiable in Indonesia. Information to apply for the visa in Thailand is here KBRI Bangkok Thailand - Visa Information You must present the sponsor letter and copy KTP with the application. After the visa is issued and your passport returned, you must enter Indonesia within 90 days of the approval date. The date of approval is marked clearly on the visa. After you arrive and two weeks prior to the expiry date of the 60 day visa, contact Aris to arrange the first extension. For each extension he charges Rp600.000 (again not sure for a family... negotiate). After 4 extensions you trip off to Singapore for a day (or wherever) and you start the process all over again.

« Previous Page Next Page »