KITAS to KITAP

blightyboy

I am currently in the process of converting my KITAS to KITAP. I started the process in September and still waiting. Been in Bali now for 5 years with my wife as sponsor. All submitted documentation was OK, but when we passed all the approved docs over to the guys in the second immigration location for them to send to Jakarta, the process has stalled. They did mention it is better to use an agent, but my wife refused saying we want to do it ourselves and not pay inflated agents fees. When we call to get progress report, they are still awaiting on Jakarta.Has anybody else encountered any similar problems/delays recently?Any feedback appreciated.Thanks!

wepro

We made it a few month ago, KITAS to KITAP, without any agent. It took more than 5 month!! We applied in May and I got back my passport with KITAP middle of October. I dont know where it stucked but they told me already it will take a long time in Jakarta for proceeding. My KITAS was already expired and we went 2x to Immigration Tuban for its extension(without charging). No problems at all only disturbing cause waiting, waiting, waiting without any information.Werner

mat

dbkbali

see my post here immigrasi-checking-visas-t8547.html.The time problem stems for a lack of understanding of how the intergovernmental mail system works. It was explained to us by people at immigration and if you understand it or you are using the right agent, then you will find applications are processed significantly faster.From what I understand government offices such as immigration have a limited budget for using professional couriers, so simplistically if applications or documents need to go to Jakarta, it is placed in an intergovernmental mail bag. Because of limited budgets, and in order for the government office to save money, some offices will not send this bag out every day. In fact they will wait for it to fill up and then send it. On the receiving end you sometimes have similar inefficiencies, the bag arrives in a mail room somewhere, and is unpacked and I assume in some way sorted (probably a process given the way Indonesian bureaucracy works, that involves several people). I recently switched from a Kitas to an ITAP and by avoiding the use of intergovernmental mail system the process took 2 months from start to finish. Several friend's of my wife who had applied earlier and were facing significant delays, asked if my wife could help out. My wife asked her relatives in Jakarta to help and they went to the mail room in the relevant office there, and found out that the documents in question were just sitting in a large pile on a shelf and hadn't even been distributed to the right office. Anyway to cut along story short, after some sweet talking and some coffee/cigarettes my wifes relatives were able to facilitate the quick delivery and pickup of these documents, which resulted in 2 extremely happy friends, as there applications were quickly approved and we ensured that they were not sent back to Bali, by intergovernmental mail.

Fred2

Applied for my Kitas with an agent 1 month ago. Today the agent came to see me and said I will have to extend my social visa at least two times before my kitas is ready. So that means another 3 months before completion.[/QUOTE]you apply when you extend the second time it takes under a month to do, if you want to make it faster get a cheap flight to jakarta & hand in your own paper work as you will get it back in 3 days, it so easy to do . agent are rolling in the money, everytime I read about what agents are charging I think I am in the wrong job. When you stand back & look you can see why Indonesian want to work in Bali its money for nothing, every time I fly into Bali I know immigration will ask me !!!!! not have right stamp, not have the right colour ink, come into the office !!!!any way enough of my shiiit a first kitas will cost you about 1,100,000 & take under 1 month to do. to renew cost 755,000 & 7 working days. And 1,000,000 for you 11 mths exit permit.Anything else is money for nothing.

Markit

Fred could you please detail your explanation of how to do this most important function for all the rest of us?Joking aside I would be willing to pay for this knowledge and I'm sure there are many out here that share this - sort of a class for all of us in this boat? What do you think?Personally I just hate the fuck out of being ripped off by the agents - be they ever so friendly, and I'm willing to go to some trouble and cost to avoid it.

Fred2

I am only using my ipad, I will back to work next week & can use a computer. Will write the process out then.

Markit

Many thanks for that. I just love this forum!!!

balidavo

I just converted a 1 year kitas to a 5 year kitap , and applied at the nugurah rai (airport/tuban office ) it took [B]4 and a half weeks[/B] to complete in total ( the optional ; 2 year MERP - ie; multiple entry /re entry permit ..., takes an extra week to process )-[U] We chose to pick up the letters from kantor hukum dan ham in Denpasar , and take them directly to jakarta ourselves[/U] ...., and wait for the processing (8 -10 working day turnaround ) to be completed , Once completed we then retured back to bali with the 3 completed approval letters issued by the jakarta office ; one approval letter was for our records , and the othe two letters , we delivered ourselves to kantor hukum dan ham /Denpasar , and kantor immigrasi nugurah rai.From what I have constantly read via these forums over the years , is you will be waiting ages and ages if you let immigration post your letters to Jakarta and back , and no amout of phone calls will speed up the process ( from what other have been saying ) and ive even heard stories of paperwork being lost in the process .If you dont take the letters to jakarta yourselves , then at least pick them up from denpasar and hand deliver them to a reputable courier ..., now you have halved the problem / risk ..., and now will be hoping that when the approval letters from jakarta are completed , that someone in jakarta hasnt lost your self addressed return couriers envelope . It should be right ? but then again ....., you never know . Thats why its always better to go yourself , and why wouldnt you as its the last time you will ever need approval from jakarta ever again ( IMHO )Another thing I dont get ...., Is why someone needs to apply via an agent ??? as the process is so straightforward and simple to do it yourself ..., sure theres a few trips back and forth to denpasar , and even one to jakarta (optional ) just need to make sure all your paperwork that they ask for is there and your good as gold .Often the agents will overlook simple documentation you need to supply or have already obtained , like registeration for tax , and SKLD etc ..., and they'll pay huge amounts of corruption cash to immigration officials to overlook it , then they'll pass the bill onto you (or charge you for it up front ) ..., and remember - having these other documents is a requirement by law ,with severe penalties if your caught without them - so not getting them may bite you in the bum one day in the future if you choose to go down that path .I found the immigration staff very friendly , honest , helplfull , and professional to deal with ( without a hint of corruption ) which means they have come a very long way for the better from days done by ( have you noticed all the anti corruption posters and the prices all thoughout the immigration offices these days ? .I did give 1 guy some chocolate and another some cash for ciggarettes, but that was my tip and it wasnt asked for - a bit of fun banter and lots of respect goes a long way with those people ( as with anyone )[B]Total cost for the 5 year Kitap was RP 3,055,000 [/B] and never needs to be paid ever again ..., as in 5 years later "its free to re-new " , and all you need to do is fill out a form every 5 years (for free) . The only ongoing fee is MERP's and hopefully they'll get rid of those in the future (wishfull thinking lol ) (the total cost of Rp 3,055,000 ; just over 3 million rupiah (3 juta) ......, does not include the 2 year MERP , nor the optional cost involved in personally going to Jakarta .)

Natasha

you apply when you extend the second time it takes under a month to do.[/QUOTE]So you have to wait until the second extension of the social visa before you can apply for spouse KITAS? I'm a little confused.. I was planning to come back into Bali in January on SOSBUD visa sponsored by my Indonesian husband and apply right away for spouse KITAS. Why would I have to wait until a few extensions of my SOBUD visa to apply for spouse KITAS?

balidavo

So you have to wait until the second extension of the social visa before you can apply for spouse KITAS? I'm a little confused.. I was planning to come back into Bali in January on SOSBUD visa sponsored by my Indonesian husband and apply right away for spouse KITAS. Why would I have to wait until a few extensions of my SOBUD visa to apply for spouse KITAS?[/QUOTE]there is no minium period that you need to wait . you can apply for the conversion ( from sosbud to kitas ) on your 1st day back in the country if you wish ......, as long as you already have your police report (stm) and all other supporting documentation completed and in order as required . ( sounds to me like the agent just wants to milk a few more extensions out of your for that outrageous fee that they charge - do it yourself , its easy , and cheap too)Once you have your Kitas , then this must either be renewed (or converted to kitap - conditions apply ) no later than on month before the 1st/original kitas expires (again - there is no minimum timeframe , and earlier the better ) - If you need to [B]re-new[/B] a spouse sponsored kitas (ie; obtain a 2nd , or 3rd kitas etc ) - then the permit from Jakarta is not required for any renewals (ie; like it was for the original kitas ) , and the [B]only reason[/B] you would need to re-new a non working spouse sponsored kitas would be - if you had not already been married for a two year period ............, If you have been married for two years already , then you would apply for the 5 year kitap .Once you have your kitas ( and all supporting documentation like ; pajak,skld,sktt,stmin order ..., and all other supporting documents as required , and requested by immigrasi ..., you can then convert to Kitap - but only if you have already been married for 2 years (at the time of submitting the KitaP application .)

Fred2

Sorry Natasha for the late reply, Indonesian immigration is a world of there own, they don't know there own rules so some time you need to know when to play your cards or not. When you first walk in they think that you have bypass the agents so you can now pay them the money you saved. Be prepared when they get the calculator out & start adding up your visa cost. So when he hits you with 10mill be very nice & smile, let him know that you want the 700,000rp visa that is on the board, he will come back & say you must renew you sobud visa 2 time before you can apply for your Kitas . Let him know that you are happy to renew as your not in hurry, so no need to pay for the quick visa cost. Renew your visa smile be happy & a little small talk & they will soon understand you are not a ATM by the time you start your Kitas you will have new friends. On the other hand you could just tell them there job & see how things go sloooooooooooow. Hope you see the light.

Natasha

BKT

I went into immigration today to renew my Kitas another year, asked about applying for a KITAP straight away and they said I have to wait 6 months before I can apply for it. Does that sound right?

ronb

The change from KITAS to KITAP takes a while (maybe 3 months), so unless you turn up at immigration a few months before the due date, they may tell you to wait till next year.

gilbert de jong

yeah if it's your first or second renewal (using same sponsor etcetc) then you would have to wait till the third renewal, and at the time of applying for that third renewal you apply for the conversion to KITAP.

BKT

Yea thats what I'm doing, as of February 29 I will have been on a KITAS for 2 years, I'm extending it again next week to give me a year to convert it to a KITAP. Immigration is telling me I have to wait another 6 months before I can do that.

gilbert de jong

guess, the timespan is too short for the conversion of your kitas to kitap this time round..hence the 6 months waiting, and then they would have 6 months (the second 6 months of that year) apply and process you kitap.

Fred2

Immigration seem to think that you have to wait till your third Kitas renewal, not just three years.So wait till 2 months before it is due again then try.

BKT

Immigration seem to think that you have to wait till your third Kitas renewal, not just three years.So wait till 2 months before it is due again then try.[/QUOTE]Thats what I intend to do, I'm finding hard to believe that I can't just apply for the conversion as soon as I get my 3rd Kitas renewal.