wanting to stay in Bali for one year, which visa??

sir mick

Hi there,we are a couple living in Australia. I am german and my partner is Australian. We are living in OZ for the past 15 years and we have decided for a change. Bali sounds just right for us. After several visits we are now ready to live in Bali for one year. We don't have to work. I wonder if somebody could confirm if I understand correctly that we could get a 60 day visa, then get an agent to manage that visa for a 180 day stay. My question is if this 180 day visa can be obtained twice making our stay 360 days? Also do we only have to leave the country only once when the first 180 days have been expired?I understand never to overstay the visa, but I am not too sure if my thinking is right? I would appreciate if one of your fine people here could share some light.Cheers, Sir Mick

Markit

Hey Mick - get the 180 day social visa where you are before you come and save yourself the trouble of flying out twice during your 360 day stay. To find out how just look back using the search facility for Social Visa.

spicyayam

If you get the social visa you can stay for 6 months before having to exit the country. Plenty of info in the archives on getting the social visa and is a pretty straight forward process.

davita

To confirm Markit and Spicy's posts you should contact an agent here in Bali before you leave OZ. For a fee they will provide the letter of sponsorship and you get the Social Budhaya Visa (Sosbud) in an RI Embassy/Consul nearest where you stay in OZ, and arrive with that.This provides for a 60 day stay then, during that time, approach your agent for monthly extensions up to 6 months. You will then need to exit Indonesia (S'pore and KL are preferred destinations) and get another Sosbud in the Embassy...and repeat the same as before.I use Bali-Mode Agency (balimode@hotmail.com) for my visa and can recommend. The owner is Didik Supriadi. He has 2 offices in Bali and many staff.There are many that other agents that forum members, I'm sure, can recommend if asked.

newlife35

davita

Hi Davita i realsie this is an old post but can you tell me roughly how much this costs please? and do you know if you can arrive on a one way airline ticket? Many thanks[/QUOTE]Sorry but I've never had to use an agent for a Sosbud...only for my current Retirement visa.All agents charge different prices...I suggest you search for agents that have an office in the Province you wish to reside or do your extensions...i.e. if Bali, then contact Bali agents for prices.In my experience I've always had to show the RI Embassy/Consul, where the Sosbud was issued, an 'out of Indonesia' ticket. It didn't matter the date, so long as within 6 months, as a Sosbud is expected to be extended up to that maximum.

Dick Rector

If you are interested in a good agent, (I use him for 5 years and everything went smooth and spotless, he even found twice a house for me) send me a pm if you can and I will give full details.RegardsDickSanur

Markit

davita

Markit

Huh? What? Where? Who?OP wrote: [I]Hi Davita i realsie this is an old post but can you tell me roughly how much this costs please? and do you know if you can arrive on a one way airline ticket? Many thanks [/I]Davita wrote:[I] Sorry but I've never had to use an agent for a Sosbud[/I]As usual Davita not knowing something doesn't stand in the way of his long and rambling answer usually containing some generic reference to UK skiffle bands in the 50s. I answered with prices. And the article you so casually call my diatribe has now been viewed 12,000 + times so must be something in it other than BS...?Haven't answered the question about flights because they seem to be always different depending upon who you fly with. Davita the new meds aren't working either. Maybe get a girl/boy/cow/dog/etc - or all of the preceding?

davita

In Singapore use Mr. Malik and it will cost you Sing $175 plus what you pay here on Bali for the extensions which amount to usually 1.8 million Rupiah but that depends on which agent you use here. Read: [URL]https://balipod.com/forum/threads/an-idiot%E2%80%99s-guide-to-the-one-day-visa-run-to-singapore.4037/[/URL][/QUOTE]Ok markit...does Mr Malik provide the required documentation for a Sosbud i.e. the letter of invitation and sponsorship? 'Coz that would be illegal!I never used an agent for a Sosbud as a sponsor in Indonesia because I had family sponsorship. If you read the OP to the thread properly...we are talking about an agent being a sponsor, in Indonesia, and the costs thereof. Your post hasn't mentioned that!A Singapore agent cannot do that...he only facilitates getting the documentation to/fro the RI Embassy there. I just called someone I know in the Singapore RI Embassy and he confirmed they know a Mr Malik and that he cannot, and does not, provide sponsorship. He provides a service which 'filters' applications so they can 'speedily' process. Basically, for his fee, he waits in a line-up to submit applications which frees the applicant to go have a beer, or a hop-on/off bus tour of Singapore!If newlife35 is applying for a Sosbud from his home country...what is the point of your advice about seeing a Mr Malik in Singapore and giving him S$175?My personal knowledge of skiffle and almost anything else except rotting cheese, seems far superior to yours. Maybe you should try my medications ...might make you smarter!

newlife35

davita

Apologies i seem to have upset the apple cart...thanks to all above for your advice and knowledge i have now found the method in which i will get the Social Visa. I spoke with a really helpful lady at the Perth Consulate who provided me with costs and the step by step process. So I will apply here in Perth when i get my letter of sponsorship from my friend and it takes 5 days....So thanks again guys Ohand i am actually a girl!!! :icon_wink:[/QUOTE]newlife35......That's good news ..congratulations.If you have someone (not an agent) sponsor you for the Sosbud it will save a lot of money. Agents have the opportunity, by law, to charge like wounded bulls. It is only because there are so many competing that the fees are not higher. Time for reform but not going to happen soon, especially in an election year...no-one votes for foreigner's problems.When you get the Sosbud printed in your passport you will need to arrive in Indonesia within 90 days of that date, otherwise the visa will expire. Ater arrival, take note of the date you should exit and work back from that date to when to apply for an extension...if you are not needing your passport...apply early.I'd also remind you that when you go for an extension it needs to be in the jurisdiction of your sponsor's ID card. i.e. Bali will be in Denpaser or near the airport. Jakotabek will be in whatever area of the city is nearest to an Immigration office. i.e. if the ID is Tangerang, do not go to Jakarta central, it will be a wasted journeySorry about the gender mix-up...how would anyone know?

Markit

newlife35......That's good news ..congratulations.If you have someone (not an agent) sponsor you for the Sosbud it will save a lot of money.[COLOR=#ff0000] I've never been charged a penny by any agent for the sponsor letter or any other paperwork for the Sosbud - they hope to make their cash on the renewals/extensions - hope is wonderful thing but not always answered - you can in fact, once you have the Sosbud go anywhere you want for the renewals/extensions. You can also download a sample "invitation" from this very forum - search it out. [/COLOR] Agents have the opportunity, by law, to charge like wounded bulls. It is only because there are so many competing that the fees are not higher. Time for reform but not going to happen soon, especially in an election year...no-one votes for foreigner's problems.When you get the Sosbud printed in your passport you will need to arrive in Indonesia within 90 days of that date, otherwise the visa will expire. Ater arrival, take note of the date you should exit and work back from that date to when to apply for an extension...if you are not needing your passport...apply early.I'd also remind you that when you go for an extension it needs to be in the jurisdiction of your sponsor's ID card. i.e. Bali will be in Denpaser or near the airport. Jakotabek will be in whatever area of the city is nearest to an Immigration office. i.e. if the ID is Tangerang, do not go to Jakarta central, it will be a wasted journeySorry about the gender mix-up...how would anyone know?[/QUOTE]

davita

^ #14At Markits suggestion I did search for a sample of invitation letter and found this....Qoute by Tintin....This is the sponsorship letter I have been using for my Sosial Budaya, very successfully I must add, over the last ten or so years. Dear Mr. Big Boss at Imigrasi, How's business in the Ibu Kota? Here, in bum-fu ck Kintamani, everything is hunky-dory. I hope that my monthly contribution for your "ceremonies," which I gave to Officer Wayan last week when he kindly visited us in the village, was large enough to satisfy your Gods. I write this letter to ask you to review positively the application for a sosial budaya by my VERY dear cousin (insert name of the applicant), who wishes to come and visit me and my family in this God-forsaken place, next (insert proper date). My dear cousin (insert name) is a man (or woman) of outstanding character, both moral and financial. Each time he (she) comes, he (she) brings me some good shi t from his home country which is hard to match in quality with the junk presently available on the Island. (Insert name again) is also very much appreciated by the people of my village, as he (she) is very generous with his (her) nose candy, which he (she) distributes freely during our weekly wild parties at the Bale Banjar, and which I know you personally enjoy very much. Without his (her) generosity, we couldn't possibly afford these weekly gatherings, believe me. Also, my dear cousin is an asset to the village for the sex education he (she) provides (at no cost to the village, I must add) to everyone under the age of 10. Since we don't yet have any TVs or other form of entertainment in this dog-gone f*****g place of ours, these activities keep the kids off the street, thus contributing greatly to the peace in our village. Obviously, my dear cousin (insert name once more) is a person of means, with money coming out of his (her) a as: a real walking ATM machine. (FYI, he (she) was a personal friend and associate of financial genius Bernard Madoff, now retired). So, no problem there as far as the financial support is concerned. As for his (her) whereabouts during his (her) stay in Bali, between the drunken and pot parties and busy "teaching" schedule, he (she) hardly leaves the banjar, so your colleagues wont have any problem finding him (her) for their periodic shake-downs. I therefore hope you will view my dear cousin's request for a visit positively. Looking forward to seeing at our next party, Sincerely,unqoute.

davita

Qoute from markit...[I]Once you have the Sosbud go anywhere for the renewals/extensions.[/I]Quote from Living in Indonesia website...documents and visas....Sosbud.[I]If, after 60 days, the guests want to stay longer, you will have to apply for a visa extension for them. Be careful, as you must apply for the extension in the same wilayah (district) as the address stated by your sponsor's KTP (Identity card). This means that if the KTP of your sponsor has been issued in Makassar, you must apply for all extensions in Makassar and are not allowed to apply for an extension in Bali.[/I]Seems to be conflicting statements....anyone else like to comment?

Smoke

go any where in indo you want at anytime during a social visa . mine was extended while I was in lombok for a week . so again go anywhere in indo that you want !

davita

go any where in indo you want at anytime during a social visa . mine was [COLOR="#FF0000"]renewed[/COLOR] while I was in lombok for a week . so again go anywhere in indo that you want ![/QUOTE]Then that's practical advice...btw Smoke...from where was the KTP for your sponsor issued, and was your Sosbud 'renewed' or extended? They are different. In my experience a new Sosbud can only be issued from an RI Embassy/Consul in a foreign country...they are not issued within Indonesia...only extensions are done within Indonesia.

Smoke

my typo of wording yes correct exteneded will adjust post extensions can be done while you are in another part of indo

davita

According to Smoke it appears that my advice that the extension can only be done at the Imigrasi where the sponsor's KTP address is listed is either out of date or incorrect. So please ignore.I'm only saying what the regulations say and what my own experience is.My wife and I have received numerous Sosbuds in the past from Embassy/Consuls in Vancouver, Hong Kong and KL. All our extensions were done in Tangerang which was the address area of our sponsor. We tried to make extensions in the main Jakarta Immigration in Kuningan, Jakarta, as that is closer to where we live, but they re-directed us to Tangerang. On one occasion they even wanted our sponsor to attend, but relented, and a phone call was accepted.