divewench
I have used Bali Ide in the past for KITAS and DO NOT recommend them. I now use Pelangi Indonesia, (Ira) mobile +62 87851261200, who processed my last change of KITAS in just over 4 weeks.
Natcan
Ah, yes! I've heard that visa runs to Singapore (using that Ishmail(sp?) guy) and KL are common :)
So, can you please tell me if I've got this process right?
We'd come to Bali and pay the $25USD for 30 days and then extend it to 60 (if need be) which would give us some time to find a sponsor and then we'd have to do a visa run to Singapore and get the SosBud Visa that can be extended up to 180 days and if we want to stay another 180 days, we'd have to do another visa run to Singapore....is that correct? :)
Oh, another question! Lol. How many times are you allowed to get a Social Visa? :)
Natcan
Divewench - thank you for the (un-recommendation) of Bali IDE, lol. How come you don't recommend them? I was under the impression that they were ok?
davita
All correct. An extension costs another US$25
Singapore or KL are the main RI Immigration offices used but if you wish to make a little holiday then any other place...ie Bangkok, Hong Kong etc are available with cheap flights.
After you get here on your first visit, and get the chance to communicate with others, you'll find it isn't as arduous as it appears...
If it seems overwhelming right now, it will amaze you how smooth things can be done for a little money....If you get my drift.
Natcan
Lol I understand davita ;)
Thank you for your help!
Natcan
Hi, my name is Nat, how are you? :)
Me and my partner are looking at coming to Bali soon and we'd like to organize a Social Cultural Visa for both of us before we get there and i've read that you can get a Visa Agent to be a sponsor for you (cause we don't know personally know anyone in Bali with a KTP) and i was wondering if any of you guys know of any businesses that i can contact that may be able to help us? I've emailed Bali IDE (i'm currently waiting for a reply) but i'm not sure who else to contact.....
We're both Aussies and are currently in Canada and I want to organize it here before we head on over there (my partner has anxiety so i want to make this move as less stressful for him as possible so that's why i want to arrange it all before we get there instead of coming in on a tourist visa then having to go to singapore then back again).
This seems like a really great forum and i can't wait to get to know you all! :)
davita
Hi Nat and welcome to the forum as I see it's your first post.
If you guys have Australian passports and currently in Canada I think your attempt to get a social cultural visa (Sosbud), without a family or business sponsor might be looking at a step too far.
You might consider just arriving in Indonesia and getting a visa on arrival (VOA) which costs US$25 at whatever airport you arrive (Bali or Jakarta being common). It lasts 30 days and is extendible at any immigration office in the Republic of Indonesia (RI) for a further 30 days. This gives you time and opportunity to interview agents for whatever extended visa you may like to have, and pay for.
Doing visa runs to Singapore or Kuala lumpur is common practice in Asia as the price of airline tickets is so cheap.
I'm Canadian, have a retirement visa, use Bali-Mode and can recommend.
Fire any questions...there are experts on this forum that can assist.
matf
come into bali on a VOA then contact Bali eXpat services in jl.kunti in seminyak,
They will be your sponsor for the social bud visa and contact the singapore agent and organize the date and time to meet him, eg. orchid road hotel 9am
fly up to Singapore on the 6am airasia flight for around 600,000 idr arrive singapore and drop your passport off at 9am and have a day of shopping
then collect you passport and 60day visa up again at 4pm costs around $160 sgd
go back to the airport and back to bali the same day,
50ish days later a week before the visa expires drop it back to bali expat services and they can extend it 1 month at a time for another 4 months, at the cost of around 500.000 idr per month
and they can just hold on to your passport if you feel comfy with that just makes life easy
i prefer to use an agent because in my opinion paying an extra $25 a month to not have to go down to tuban 3 times a month is well worth it
davita
Just to add to matf's excellent advice I recommend the S'pore city bus tour to waste your day...it's a hop-on-hop-off and you can visit just about all the sights, have some food, and return to a short walk back Ishmail's office, if that is your agent in S'pore.
If I may also add...an extendible Sosbud is single entry...if you leave Indoneisia during its tenure the visa is nulled and a new visa will be required to re-enter Indonesia.
penyu
I have used Bali Mode in Ubud on numerous occasions and find they are very professional and the best part is you don't have to go and get more photos and fingerprints after 2nd extension. They charge 650.000 for Sosbud visa extension. Previously I was paying 600.000 in Seminyak and had to always get photos and fingerprints on 2nd extension.
I was there when someone was extending their 30 day VOA and it was costing them 700.000.
There is another place called Highway Robbery, or something like that, that charge 1mill for Sosbud visa extension.
Totally agree with Matf...well worth spending the extra to use an agent...makes life much easier.
ronb
divewench wroteI have used Bali Ide in the past for KITAS and DO NOT recommend them. I now use Pelangi Indonesia, (Ira) mobile +62 87851261200, who processed my last change of KITAS in just over 4 weeks.
I have used Bali IDE for years with no complaints. If you want to give them the thumbs down on a public forum, maybe you should give some details.
davita
Just had another thought...my, my I'm really sweating out this hangover!
You will need to get a sponsor agent with an office in the immigration area you want to reside....i.e. a Bali agent for Bali and one that has an office in Jakarta if resident there...the sosbud extensions need to be done where the sponsor resides. That is another reason for you to arrive on a VOA then get your feet wet interviewing Agents.
btw Bali-Mode has offices in a number of locations in Bali and one in Jakarta.
gilbert de jong
divewench wroteI have used Bali Ide in the past for KITAS and DO NOT recommend them. I now use Pelangi Indonesia, (Ira) mobile +62 87851261200, who processed my last change of KITAS in just over 4 weeks.
Like RonB also asks....details as to why?
Natcan
Ah, thank you davita! I didn't realise the extensions had to be done where we are residing! I'm so glad I came to this forum because within 24 hours I've found out SO MUCH important information that I was clueless about lol. I really appreciate it :)
davita
Natcan wroteAh, thank you davita! I didn't realise the extensions had to be done where we are residing!
Clarification.....the extension has to be near the Immigration area that the [B]sponsor[/B] resides.
As others have said...if you are using a sponsor agent...this is what you are paying them the big bucks to do.
Once you have a Sosbud you can stay where you want but, by law, the home/hotel etc where you stay is supposed to report you are there to the local police. This may be relevant in outlying places but not so common in a major city.
Markit
Agree with the others Yani at Bali IDE is the best going, helpful, speaks great English and, most important for me, patient with stupid Bule.
gilbert de jong
I respect your opinion so it's nothing personal divewench,
but I dare to say that 99% of the people who run into any "trouble", are them self in a huge way part of the problem.
as for ronB/Markit/me/+about 40-60 persons I personally know, being a minority who have been lucky to have been assisted/helped in a good way...I would say think again ;)
Natcan
Yay! Bali IDE (Yani) got back to me and she's so helpful! :)
divewench
ronb wroteI have used Bali IDE for years with no complaints. If you want to give them the thumbs down on a public forum, maybe you should give some details.
In my opinion Bali Ide are a rip-off. They certainly don't do the leg work for their customers. You pay for a service but do not get service from this company.
We had to constantly go into the office to chase up our KITAS process, as they would put the phone down if you called and didn't have perfect Indonesian. Calling into the office is a joke too, as they can leave you sitting in the reception for a very long time before someone will come out to fob you off with some story or another about how you must come back in one more week, one more week.
How many KITAS through Bali Ide have taken 6 months or more? I have heard many other complaints from other customers, that they have paid their money and their application takes forever, with them stating that ''your application is still waiting in immigration office''. I personally know of 5 or 6 customers who will never use them again after similar experiences.
I think you have been lucky, Ronb, if you have used them without any problems, as you are in a minority!
Markit
I'm gonna show Yani this thread and ask for a rebate next time...:O)
