Moving to Bali for a year

Indiedog

Billt4SF wroteThis being the case, then what do YOU guys do? Get a renewal every month at immigration? UGH. Is there no visa that you can use for six months or a year and allows you to come and go from Indo? - Bill

We've been here nearly 10 months now - we used 12 month business visas - we can come and go as we please, but obliged to leave every 60 days. Bali agent will provide the invitation letters and obtain permissions from Jakarta, go to Singapore to complete the process. We used a Singapore agent at the other end to simplify things. I guess these can be renewed or reapplied for after 12 months but we will be heading home next week so have not explored the process.

Billt4SF

Indiedog wroteWe've been here nearly 10 months now - we used 12 month business visas - we can come and go as we please, but obliged to leave every 60 days. Bali agent will provide the invitation letters and obtain permissions from Jakarta, go to Singapore to complete the process. We used a Singapore agent at the other end to simplify things. I guess these can be renewed or reapplied for after 12 months but we will be heading home next week so have not explored the process.

This sounds perfect although we are not doing business here. Maybe OK anyway....

Billt4SF

begonia wroteSorry Bill, I am curious, how do you feel in Ubud? how did you found Ubud? July and August last year it was crazy busy, with so much tourists and traffic around, what about this summer?

We love it. It's already noticeably slower and quieter in town. We are on a hill north of town, it's wonderfully quiet and there are cool breezes every day, yet just a 10-minute walk to town. We have been out of Ubud diving in Padang Bai and Amed for three+ weeks, and it was wonderful to get back to "civilization" in Ubud last week! I would not want to live in town though. - Bill

Indiedog

Billt4SF wroteThis sounds perfect although we are not doing business here. Maybe OK anyway....

Hi Bill, I wasn't strictly doing business here, just using it as a base for getting to other countries in the region. My other half wasn't doing business either - just a convenient way of staying and having the flexibility of being able to travel at the same time. No one ever queried our status coming in or going out - I didn't even get to know the name of the company who "sponsored" us locally, maybe it was the visa agent. Hope you sort something out soon and enjoy Bali :-)

Billt4SF

He Indiedog: Hope you are still there. I am going round and round with visa issues and paying all the time. Can you by chance give me a referral to whom you used to get this business visa? Thanks, Bill

BestofBali

Billt4SF wroteHe Indiedog: Hope you are still there. I am going round and round with visa issues and paying all the time. Can you by chance give me a referral to whom you used to get this business visa? Thanks, Bill

Hi Bill, After many failed attempts to find a good agent, we finally seem to have found one. Lovely lady named - Komang 082144870477 I recommend shooting her a message :)

Markit

Agents here are all about connections, theirs. You can have the most helpful agent, who is always available on the phone or in person, but if they don't have that vital vitamin "C" they aren't much use. I've found and been using for years and years a great fellow who went to school with the head of Bali Immigration's son and he can do things others only talk about. He's also a lawyer and aint the cheapest. PM me if you need that kind of assistance.

justgary

Hello Bill. Glad to see that you are still pursuing Bali. We have finally negotiated some land at Bali an Beach. Hak Pakai. Now we are trying to find some good trades. I'm over there again in Feb to go over some more plans. We spoke about a year ago but I haven't been back on this site since. I actually Scuba dive also. Regards Gary

Billt4SF

Billt4SF wroteThis sounds perfect although we are not doing business here. Maybe OK anyway....

Even better since we found some things we are thinking of exporting to the US! - Bill

davita

Re: post #79 Bill...I suggest you need an agent to get what you want. The rules are clear but, like everything in Indonesia, rules are not always strictly applied...I have my own experience of that. Registered agents are still being used so I'd suggest you ask a couple to advise, and request cost, to achieve your desire.

Billt4SF

davita wroteRe: post #79 Bill...I suggest you need an agent to get what you want. The rules are clear but, like everything in Indonesia, rules are not always strictly applied...I have my own experience of that. Registered agents are still being used so I'd suggest you ask a couple to advise, and request cost, to achieve your desire.

We have talked to several agents. I have yet to find one that I really like. also, I find that they know a lot, but are not so good at looking at the entire picture and advising us. - Bill

davita

Billt4SF wroteThe agent is now saying that we can get a retirement visa (with less paperwork than is mentioned on the website) for IDR 11M. He is asking the lawyer contact if that can be done while we are in Raja Ampat, and then we get the passport stamped later in Singapore. - Bill

Well done Bill...when you get the stamp in Singapore it will be a Vitas...on returning to Indonesia you are given a short time limit to convert that to a Kitas...your agent should do this for you.

Billt4SF

davita wroteWell done Bill...when you get the stamp in Singapore it will be a Vitas...on returning to Indonesia you are given a short time limit to convert that to a Kitas...your agent should do this for you.

And this will cost...? Dare I ask what is the difference between a Kitas and a Vitas? - Bill

Billt4SF

We are trying to decide what to do about the Visa situation. I've asked about it on this board so many times, you guys may be as frustrated as I am. I apologize and ask your indulgence -- AGAIN. We've been in Bali for 7 months, and we are planning to stay another year or so -- maybe more. We currently have to renew every 30 days, and besides the expense and hassle, we are often on travel when the renewal comes up. So we are looking now at the retirement visa or (as someone suggested) the business -I export something to the US- visa. It needs to be multiple entry. In two weeks we're going again to Raja for three weeks, then to Singapore for a week. Was hoping to come back with a multiple entry long term visa. Any chance of that? :icon_rolleyes: Are these things applied for while you're OUTSIDE the country, or here in Bali? If outside, can we get it started in the next two weeks before we leave for Raja Ampat? - Bill

davita

We have talked to several agents. I have yet to find one that I really like. also, I find that they know a lot, but are not so good at looking at the entire picture and advising us. - Bill

Well Bill the visas you might find useful can be located here....Visas and Documentation - Information on working documents for expatriates in Indonesia 1. Are you qualified for a retirement visa? It still requires a Registered Agent to apply and I haven't heard anymore about the Gov't banning agents. 2. The business visa isn't designed for those doing the kind of business you have explained..it is for those businessmen from abroad, who conduct business within Indonesia, to travel to/fro easily to attend to that business. 3. The multi-entry Sosbud might be useful but still requires leaving RI every 60 days and returning...but it lasts a year.

Billt4SF

Well Bill the visas you might find useful can be located here....Visas and Documentation - Information on working documents for expatriates in Indonesia 1. Are you qualified for a retirement visa? It still requires a Registered Agent to apply and I haven't heard anymore about the Gov't banning agents. 2. The business visa isn't designed for those doing the kind of business you have explained..it is for those businessmen from abroad, who conduct business within Indonesia, to travel to/fro easily to attend to that business. 3. The multi-entry Sosbud might be useful but still requires leaving RI every 60 days and returning...but it lasts a year.

The agent is now saying that we can get a retirement visa (with less paperwork than is mentioned on the website) for IDR 11M. He is asking the lawyer contact if that can be done while we are in Raja Ampat, and then we get the passport stamped later in Singapore. - Bill

davita

Billt4SF wroteAnd this will cost...? Dare I ask what is the difference between a Kitas and a Vitas? - Bill

It should be part of the package from your agent..it was for me. Your agent should advise the procedure seeing you are paying big for his service but below is how it is normally done. A Vitas is what the Singapore Embassy stamps and on arrival in Indonesia you should, within 7 days, get your agent to convert that Vitas to an ITAS stamp and also issue the Kitas card. VITAS... is the temporary visa which you get from the Singapore Embassy to allow a return to RI . ITAS..... is the temporary [B]stay[/B] visa and a stamp in your passport, which is what you must get within 7 days of arrival in RI. It should include the MERP which is your exit/re-entry permit. KITAS... is the yellow card they issue which you are supposed to carry at all times.

davita

It's on the high side but my wife and I paid around IDR 6-7 each, per year, when we had Kitas' a couple of years ago. The Singapore charge is once only as you only go once...all extensions/renewals are done in Indonesia. Like I've said many times...Indonesia doesn't really welcome foreigners...they just like our money.

Billt4SF

davita wroteIt should be part of the package from your agent..it was for me. Your agent should advise the procedure seeing you are paying big for his service but below is how it is normally done. A Vitas is what the Singapore Embassy stamps and on arrival in Indonesia you should, within 7 days, get your agent to convert that Vitas to an ITAS stamp and also issue the Kitas card. VITAS... is the temporary visa which you get from the Singapore Embassy to allow a return to RI . ITAS..... is the temporary [B]stay[/B] visa and a stamp in your passport, which is what you must get within 7 days of arrival in RI. It should include the MERP which is your exit/re-entry permit. KITAS... is the yellow card they issue which you are supposed to carry at all times.

Ok, we are hearing more about this as I sit here talking to the agent. Apparently the 11M IDR is EACH YEAR (we had thought it was for five years). PLUS, we have to pay $180 to the Embassy RI when we are in Singapore. So, total $1,000 USD per year. Is this anyone else's understanding of typical costs? Thanks, Bill

Markit

Absolutely correct and exactly what the rest of us pay. Only cheaper if you go without the multi exit/entrance visa but that's a bitch to get if you need it suddenly.

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