SosBud Visit Visa extensions

[clm]

Hello.

Currently doing research about how to spend a year or two in Bali and have found that the SosBud visa would be an option. Don't understand why do people have to waste time every month to go to the office (or multiple times with a week between), but I guess that's how inefficient and bureaucratic government works.
Anyhow, from all the different places I have read, each says that you can get a SosBud for 60 days and extend it 4 times.
But when I went to the (I think) official Indonesian Immigration webpage - ".." (dang, as a newbie, I can't post links yet :-] ) - it says that the 'Visit Visa' can be extended 5(five) times.

As I was looking up the requirements in Indonesian embassy in Portugal, their webpage - it also says it can be extended 5 times.

Is this something new, or is it due to the maximum limit of 180 days, and in case of the first visa being given for 30 not 60 days, those would have 5 options to extend?
(Why can't they have a 90day visa, with 90 day extension if a person wants it. Just add up the price and avoid the time waste. Too much European efficiency in me I guess..)

Thanks.

 

[Markit]

Avoid all that BS and just get an agent to do it for you. Give them your passport (and some money) and carry on blamelessly chasing small brown women and drinking large brown beers.

Bali IDE (Yani) are good.

 

[davita]

Hi clm and welcome to the forum.

A Sosial Budaya (Sosbud) is available but needs to be initially applied at an RI Embassy/Consul outside of Indonesia. It needs a sponsor (someone living in Indonesia). It's valid for 90 days prior to entering Indonesia and, after entering, lasts for 60 days. It can be extended within Indonesia at the nearest immigration office of the sponsors KTP, 4 X 30 days to a total of 180 days.
Then leave Indonesia and return on another Sosbud or some other visa.

 

[clm]

Hi davita, thank you for the warm welcome.

The info I have found is exactly what you wrote. And that would be my plan once I somehow find a sponsor and a place to stay. Does anybody know about volunteer/internship "work"? Since I'm looking for a place where I can volunteer for the exchange of a stay. Have been doing it for 2 years in Europe, which helps with traveling and avoiding accommodation and living costs.

Coming back to the Sosbud visa extensions. Everything that davita said is what I have read from all the places, except from imigrasi.go.id which has the following statement. "A holder of Visit Visa is given up-to 60 days stay and can be extended in Immigration Office for 5 (five) time, each extension will be given another 30 days stay"

Similar info at kemlu.go.id Lisbon embassy page: "Visit visa can be obtained at the Indonesian Embassy or Consulate of the applicant´s area of residence. Visit Visa issied by Indonesian Embassy or Consulate may have a maximum stay period of 60 (sixty) days and it is extendendable by
Immigration Services 5 (five) times, each extension for a maximum stay period of 30 days"

That's why I had the initial questions, since they mention about 5 extensions, and those are official gov. pages.

Also, good tip Markit, thank you!

 

[spicyayam]

Most embassies give you 60 days for sos bud visa. KL will only give 30 days if you have had a couple of social visas already. It happened to me once, so I thought I could only stay 5 months, but apparently you can renew an additional time for 30 days to make your stay 180 days. An agent told me I couldn't renew a 5th time but apparently it is possible. Either way maximum stay is 6 months.

 

[davita]

Re: CIM 's post #4

One thing about Indonesia is...it never appears as it really is...Indonesians by culture or tradition aren't capable of being exact. If you live here it is one of the frustrations that we expats have to live with. They sometimes make rules up as they please and I'm including those that work for governments. Trust members here.... we've all been thru' this crap and 6 months (actually 180 days and better count day one as the day you arrive) is all you'll get from a Sosbud.

If you cannot find a sponsor you can get an agent to sponsor...for a fee. I wouldn't talk anything about 'working' in Indonesia as it is a criminal offense if found working without a work permit. That doesn't mean, after arrival, you couldn't find something to do in lieu of accommodation etc...as long as you keep your head down.

 

[clm]

Yep, that's what I have understood as well about 'working'. Not allowed under any visa except kitas. But since there are some agencies that place people to companies via 'internship', it is somewhat an option. Technically it it not a job position, neither does it take away an opportunity from a local. No pay, no job. Have done it in EU and there doesn't seem to be clear lines where volunteer exchange stop and job starts.

How difficult it is to attain a kitas? I have read the rules and requirements and seems pretty though. Expensive for both the company and the person, plus it must be for a professional they cannot find inside the country. But where is their limit? Do you have to be a nuclear scientist or a regular smarter type of a guy will out-qualify the locals?

Thanks

 

[davita]

RE; POST #7

A good question but this is a grey area and not too many good answers.
You've researched how to get a work permit and you understand the requirements...there are some opportunities but mainly in employment fields of tourism like Chefs, Scuba Instructors, Hotel Managers; and others like Oil & Gas Engineers (not too much activity recently), Pilots and International School teachers. If you have a unique expertise then search in that area of work.
The best job would be to represent a Company from your own country who are, or wish to be, established in Indonesia...which has a huge and growing market..
Otherwise.... it is best to arrive here and find a niche market and develop a work environment with a potential employer..i.e. real estate.
Many expats DO work in the IT field semi-illegally as it is easy to do, under the table, without attracting too much attention.

Developed countries welcome students, casual workers and volunteers as it generates harmonious relationships but don't expect that from Indonesia...it seems hell-bent on being nationalistic and xenophobic, for no apparent reason.

 

[Nydave]

I have been travelling on a social visa for 10 years,last year when I went to get my visa I had all the paperwork in order and then they told me that now you have also to include a bank statement,i was late applying and didn't have time to do that as I get my bank statements by email,so it would have taken maybe 2 weeks to get a paper version,therefore I just went with voa,the one that can be entended and after 2 months flew out and back again and got the same visa again,my point here is that you cant believe anything the Indonesian website has on there,there is no mention of a bank statement at all,and even right now there is still no mention of it,so I called the consulate here in ny and they told me yeah you need a bank statement,so why don't they put that on their website,,it makes no sence,

 

[Markit]

If you don't embrace chaos as a friend you may be staying in the wrong country...

 

[clm]

Regarding all the visas and extensions, I am just about to extend my passport before I leave EU and need to make new paper photos (the country I'm from, everything is digital, one click in a photobox and done for next 5-10 years). But the rest of Europe is still in the dark ages
So as I am going to go and let myself be photographed, I was reading from different sources how much the Indo's like pictures. That some places want double digit amounts for your paperwork.
What do the more experiences know about it? How many photos should I let them print out? And are 5x5cm enough, or they need different sizes as well (saw some webpage, but can't find it any more where it listed multiple sizes and amounts the offices in Bali can ask for). And yesterday I read from some agency page, I think, that Indonesia is ok with white background picks and do not require red background any more (I can already see myself arguing over this with somebody).

 

[davita]

Re: Post #11

I'd always have a few photos available. Some places like Immigration/Drivers permits etc. have their own digital photo and finger-printers but there will always be somewhere close that can provide a photo/copy service for a small fee...same as in other countries.

 

[Atlantis]

Is this something new, or is it due to the maximum limit of 180 days, and in case of the first visa being given for 30 not 60 days, those would have 5 options to extend?

I wouldn't call it new. Outdated would be more correct. A sosbud could be extended up to 5 times (5th extension for emergency or medical reason only, after acceptance of the Ditjenim) prior to... May 2011! It was one of the stipulation of UU 9/1992 which has been abrogated and replaced by the current Immigration Act, UU 6/2011.

Unfortunately you can have now only 4 extensions on a Sosbud.

Please note that there has been a few modification concerning Visa Kunjungan (ex: Sosbud) and VITAS very recently.
Learn more about it here: https://www.expatindo.org/2017/01/24/immigration-changes-visit-visa-vitas/