spicyayam

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Jan 12, 2009
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[MENTION=16840]Zep66[/MENTION] Why not head down to Singapore and use an agent? Even Penang are more friendly than KL in my experience.
 

Zep66

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Feb 27, 2014
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I should have gone with my gut feelings on this one.
Singapore was a cake walk and I did the application my self.

The KL process is fine, but got a 'our director' speech about only getting a 30 day visa and contacting Jakarta.

If worst comes to worse, fly to Singapore and do a one day application, but still run the risk of rejection in Bali.

Think best to head back and go VOA first, talk to an agent about other options and use my next exit to deal with it.

Right now...bloody worried, got my family in tow and friends sitting in my villa and daughter due back at school Thursday.

Just thinking if there is any reason to reject me as VOA.
 

Fred2

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2010
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Surabaya/Australia
In KL did they stamp your passport? If all your paper work was ok I find it hard that you were rejected.
You will not have any trouble getting VOA.
Your daughter should be sponsored by the school?
 

Zep66

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Feb 27, 2014
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Thanks for your reply Fred2,

No stamp in the passport. (Thank goodness)

The only issue I can think of was I put 60days for my length of stay hoping to get it instead of 30 days on my application papers.
The officer said they would only issue 30 days,(Orders from the director) I said that I understand, that would be fine.
I think maybe the director may have rejected it on the bases that I wrote 60days on the paperwork.

If all goes well tomorrow, switching things around, putting my daughter onto a student KITAS and wife and self onto business visa. I'm conservative by nature and don't like to take things by chance.

Just hope the KL embassy has not put me on any list of sorts for imagination to stop me. VOA....fingers crossed.
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
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Sitting in my hotel in KL wondering what went wrong.

Applied for a social visa with all the documents for my wife, daughter an self.
Went to pick up and was told it was rejected.

This is my third Sosbud application, first in August (Melbourne consulate) stayed till December. Singapore in January and decided to go to KL on a whim in March for 5 day(within 60 days). What does that mean?

The officer told me that as I had traveled too much I would need a letter from Jakarta that my sponsor will need to apply for.
Never heard of this letter.

Now looking at the prospect of VOA and pray that I don't get rejected at the airport.

KL seems to be tightening up.
I fly back tomorrow, if I get rejected at the airport for VOA, in in a bit of strife! Fingers crossed.

Zep (Long term lurker)

Thanks for your reply Fred2,

No stamp in the passport. (Thank goodness)

The only issue I can think of was I put 60days for my length of stay hoping to get it instead of 30 days on my application papers. For your social visa you should automatically get 6 months why did you only ask for 60 days?
The officer said they would only issue 30 days Isn't this a normal Oz tourist visa?,(Orders from the director) I said that I understand, that would be fine.
I think maybe the director may have rejected it on the bases that I wrote 60days on the paperwork.

If all goes well tomorrow, switching things around, putting my daughter onto a student KITAS and wife and self onto business visa. I'm conservative by nature and don't like to take things by chance.

Just hope the KL embassy has not put me on any list of sorts for imagination to stop me. VOA....fingers crossed.

I'm really confused about this one - maybe I haven't had enough Bintang today but it sounds like you or they are confusing 2 or 3 different visa types?
Social Visa is good for 6 months,
VOA is good for 30 days but renewable to 60,
Oz tourist visa from the embassy in Oz 30 days - officially non-renewable (please don't quote me on this last one).

You do know that with a Social Visa you can't leave the country without voiding the visa?

If you had all your paperwork (invite letter, KTP from sponsor, dosh) for a social visa then where was the problem?
 

davita

Well-Known Member
Mar 13, 2012
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Just checked my passports....fwiw....

I've had one Tourist Visas (no sponsor required), issued from the RI Consulate in Vancouver which lasted 60 days, but was not extendable...I think it may have been possible in Bali but didn't try as I was visiting Jakarta.

I've had numerous single-entry Social Budaya Visas (Sosbuds) issued in Vancouver, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. They were all issued for 60 days, and extended 30 days at a time, for up to 4 times. At any time during this process if I left RI the visa became invalid and a new visa was required to re-enter. The Sosbud required a sponsor letter and the extensions had to be applied in the nearest Immigration office to the sponsor's KTP.

I've had one multi-entry Sosbud, issued in KL but telexed authority from Jakarta, which lasted a year but I had to leave RI within every 60 days and return.This was recommended to me by the Immigration officer as, according to him, I'd had too many single-entry Sosbuds. I think they were suspicious I was abusing the Visa.
I once went to KL on a cheap ticket in the morning and returned in the afternoon...with a duty-free bottle of vodka.

I'm now on my 4th Retirement Visa which lasts one year and, as it's conjoined with a MERP, I'm free to leave and return anytime.
 

Zep66

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Feb 27, 2014
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Hi Marit,

Sorry if the post sounds confusing, I was a bit frazzled.

Social visa is usually good for 60days, but extensions get to a max of 180 days. The initial visa is 60 days, but for some reason only in KL they will only give you a 30 day - so you have to start your extensions earlier and ends up costing you more.

On the visa application they ask you how long you intend to stay, I put 60 hoping to get the standard 60 day to avoid having to make the first extension after only 30 days. Really, I'm am completely surprised I was rejected, I present well, had all the required docs, and no excessive or dubious passport stamps on fresh one year old passports with plenty of pages.




Btw: when I mentioned that I left (within 60 days) I meant I had a Sosbud and exited before the initial 60days. The officer in KL suggested that sosbuds (at least in KL) are questioned if you travel frequently, or maybe just looking for excuses to reject (maybe it's the Abbott effect). My paperwork was completely in order letter of invite/sponsorship, copy of sponsor id and except for asking for 60 days, can't see any problem. I also had bank statements and exit tickets with me but none were asked for.

Zep
 
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Zep66

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Feb 27, 2014
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....had to leave RI within every 60 days and return.This was recommended to me by the Immigration officer as, according to him, I'd had too many single-entry Sosbuds. I think they were suspicious I was abusing the Visa.

I think that this might be what the officer in KL may have alluded too by asking me to get some letter from Jakarta for some sort of 12 month visa. He suggested I get my sponsor to contact Jakarta and gave be a pre-printed slip of paper with all the contact details for Jakarta Imagrassi.

Zep
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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Quote...I think that this might be what the officer in KL may have alluded too by asking me to get some letter from Jakarta for some sort of 12 month visa. He suggested I get my sponsor to contact Jakarta and gave be a pre-printed slip of paper with all the contact details for Jakarta Imagrassi. Unquote.

It does sound similar to what happened to me.....but the officer who advised me was the one checking me in at Jakarta airport. It is a 12 month multi-entry visa but required me to leave and return to RI within every 60 days...it got tiresome.

I take it you have an Australian passport....did you get any vibes it could be something to do with the recent relationship issues between Oz and RI?
I hope this isn't the start of something bigger.
 

Zep66

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Feb 27, 2014
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Hard to tell, I'm not used to the 'grin' can't work out if it was genuine or loathing....

Asked me many questions as to the reason for my travel, I kept it brief, holiday and to give my daughter a taste of another culture.

When/if I get back OK will change my visa status, don't like playing funny buggers at all, just want to do the correct thing, just seems hard to tell.

Just saw the headlines in Aus, Aus VS RI. Not good politics in play at all, could be setting things up for a hard time. Hope it's not the case.


Zep
 

Normy

Member
Jul 22, 2012
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It seems paperwork issued in KL is more complicated than for instance Perth West Aust. The application is 1 page. No mention of your intended length of stay. Not asked for how long you want visa. Just the usual stuff, address in Indonesia, name address and phone no of spnsor. Copy sponson ktp etc. Always issued for 60 days. Itinery (ticket) clearly shows 5 months stay in Bali, no questions asked. Put stuff in Monday pick-up Friday. No problem as live in Perth.
After about 6 weeks in Bali sponsor extends next month, and so on each month for the 5 months. We have never had to leave Indonesia for sosbud renewals. Everyones experience seems slightly different.
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
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When I was on a social visa, I preferred to go to KL over Singapore. Each time though they seemed to ask more questions and then the last time I went I only got 30 days. After that I went to Singapore and used an agent. I had the feeling that there was no limit doing this, even at immigration after arriving back in the country they hardly said a word.

[strike]If you are married and want to stay long term then I would suggest just applying for spouse sponsored visa.[/strike] - Ok, forget about that unless you want a new wife.
 
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Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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After that I went to Singapore and used an agent. I had the feeling that there was no limit doing this, even at immigration after arriving back in the country they hardly said a word. Absolutely worth the S$ 175 for the agents!!

If you are married and want to stay long term then I would suggest just applying for spouse sponsored visa.

What is this? Only available for pensioners with younger wife or with Indo wife? Poster says needs a Kitty for wife so she obviously isn't Indo...?

Sry can't be assed to read all backward as internet pretty fecking ****e today.
 

Zep66

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Feb 27, 2014
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Just an update on my situation.
Arrived 11:30pm, no issue on entry with VOA or even any questions from imagrassion.

Thank goodness. Will work on other options.

BTW: mentioned my situation with KL sosbud application this morning at the school pickup spot and a couple of people said others also had issues in KL.
 

odez999

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Jul 4, 2011
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Yes nowdays is better to AVOID KL !

I had my passport, full of that 30 days 211 visas !And only that ! like maybee 8 of them in a row ... for 3 years continuesly .. and mostly it was from KL !
One american had lived 10 y in indonesia on sos bud visas without problem !

But today I would not count on that. They are tightening on all ... completley ... from kitas to visas ...

So if something worked before dont count it will work now. More likely you will bump into problems !

they might ask you proof of funds this or that ... So have all bases covered (meaning ... if you have your passport full of kitas stamps ... change it !!! it is red flag !!!)

If you have lived for example in Indonesia last 4y out of 5y on sos budaya .. then that is not social visiting by any standards ! Thats why they are tightening ... I guess ..someone figured it is way too abusive .. or whatever ...
The problem is with indo gov. whenever they stick with the law .. gets more problem that if they not ! Coz ... now alternative is to get more USELESS papers to get same result ... at the end !

Tightining up is counter productive ... In a same way they want to show Australians and Abbot .. buy making more problems to Aus visitors ... and and the end it will make just more problem for them .. and Indonesian people/economy as whole !

They are not in position to nego terms .. by moral or economical standopint ! but they still do it ... which is counterproductive ! (save the "face" philosophy I guess)

So instead going to KL go to Sing .. it will cost you 100-200$ more but at least you will know what you get ! Or use agent !

Kuala Lumpur I would not advise to my worst enemies any more ... I would rather fly back home to Europe than have deal with "friendly" people in there !
So easily they can f*ck you up for actually no good reason ! and as you can see they do it !

KUALA LUMPUR = DONT GO !!!
 

odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
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Please moderator ..... you can freely stick this KUALA LUMPUR = DONT GO ! To post title as well ! Thx
 

Zep66

New Member
Feb 27, 2014
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Completely agree, at least give a straight answer, this visa situation has caused me a fair bit of grief and expense. I did all the research and due diligence possible.

If you go the the imagrassi web site and read the pages on visa, it defies logic, is non specific and non prescriptive. The opposite to helpful. You need to talk to an agent to get 'the feel' of how it works.

Also.... Can't understand how different embassies for the same country operate so differently. There is only one Indonesian imagrassion law, why is it so differently applied in KL?

Zep
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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Also.... Can't understand how different embassies for the same country operate so differently. There is only one Indonesian imagrassion law, why is it so differently applied in KL?Zep

It's been some years since I used the KL Indonesian Embassy but did notice that most of the counter staff were not Indonesian...they are locally employed Malaysians.
That Embassy has a serious problem with legal and illegal Indonesian maids in limbo, without jobs and no means of support....some even sleep on the premises.
It's the same in Hong Kong...very difficult to ascend the stairs due to the mass of maids waiting for permits or something. There is a Chinese lady been in the visa section there for 100 years and gives everybody ****...especially Indonesians.

I'm not sure it's the same all over the world...the border between Canada and USA can be a nightmare. My wife and I were interviewed for hours once because we were going from Vancouver, where we lived, to our winter holiday home in Arizona.
I put it down to human nature...give someone a uniform and a badge and they become totalitarians...witness how many gongs and medals the Indonesian traffic police have on their chests....apparently it helps them to direct traffic when the signals don't work.
 

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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Ok girls lets presume that we live in Asia.

Lets presume they think we have shedloads of money.

Why would we try and do it ourselves when there are perfectly good people that will do it for us for a fee and support their wives and kids and grandkids by doing that.

These people live in KL and SNG and Penang and etc.

They go every day into the Indonesian Embassy and make a reasonable living for the above doing that.

If you were them...

You'd have a good relationship with the people issuing the visas?

You might ask them kindly to make life difficult for people coming in on their own and doing their own visas, maybe?

You might make sure they understand that is in their best interest by sharing the good-life?

Why are you surprised when it doesn't work with cheap ass DIY?
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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So Markit....do you know of any agents in Kuala Lumpur/Penang?...I don't know of any.