By tourist visa you mean voa right?
Friends of mine have had it done by agents, but I would suggest it's not strictly legal.
Phil
Friends of mine have had it done by agents, but I would suggest it's not strictly legal.
Phil
I have a friend who extended her VOA four times in the last four months and it's definitely not legal. She met with an immigration official at her hotel each time and the cost, Rp1.2 million each extension.
She figured it was cheaper and easier than going to Singapore each time.
She figured it was cheaper and easier than going to Singapore each time.
A friend of mine was quoted RP 700,000. It might pay your friend to negotiate a little next time matsaleh. :icon_biggrin:
It is certainly not legal and basically you are not extending your VOA but getting a new VOA - ie you are leaving Indonesia and returning without physically leaving the country.
It saves the cost and hassle of flying out of the country.
It saves the cost and hassle of flying out of the country.
Because it's only legal to extend it ONCE (for another 30days). After that, you must leave the country.
A bit non-related but since this is a mixed-bag on visas/extensions/immigration offices, I wanted to relay my Singaraja office experience. I had mentioned on another thread that I wasn't sure if I had a Soc Bud (which I got in Bangkok) or a 60 day tourist as they are both 211 types and mine had no other info. on it. Apparently it's a soc bud or they didn't care and extended the 60 day...? Whichever it is/was, I successfully extended it. I have time and the office is close to where I am staying, so I did it myself.
I found the office not very busy, the officers courteous and efficient (wouldn't say friendly - but not expected) and I paid 250 000 for the first extension. It took 5 trips to the office. 1) Pick up the forms and the shiny red folder (pay 10 000 Rp for the forms- no receipt) 2) Take it to my sponsor and get it all filled out plus add the 6000 Rp stamp. If my sponsor had been with me and we had the stamp, step 1 and 2 could have been one visit. 3) Take the forms back in.....they receipt that they received the forms and your passport and give a return date (was 6 or 7 days). 4) Go back in to see if they said YES or NO....If yes, pay the money and get a receipt and come back in 3 days. I went in on Monday afternoon and was able to pick up my visa/passport on Wednesday a.m. When I went to pick it up, I was told I needed a photograph...not told before then and not written on the forms (?). They gave me my passport anyway but asked me to come back with the photo...so that was trip 5. If I had known, it would have been 4 trips. I took it back because I will go back for the next extension and didn't want them to remember me as that guy who didn't come back with the photo...They said I don't need a photo for the next one - so maybe just one for their file(?)
One thing I found a bit odd was that my last official day in Indonesia was Dec 1. I was to go back on November 28 to see if they were granting the extension. I was 95% positive that it was a yes as they briefly looked over everything when I handed the forms in and it seemed ok....BUT, if it had actually been a no, I would have had 2 days to make arrangements and leave the country. Would have gone to Phuket but glad I didn't have to leave... 2 or 3 weeks prior, Air Asia tickets to Phuket were cheap as chips but the few days before my extension, they were considerably more....
If I had to travel any distance to and from an office or if it was a super busy place that involved sitting for hours waiting, I would use an agent, but Singaraja is easy peasy....
I found the office not very busy, the officers courteous and efficient (wouldn't say friendly - but not expected) and I paid 250 000 for the first extension. It took 5 trips to the office. 1) Pick up the forms and the shiny red folder (pay 10 000 Rp for the forms- no receipt) 2) Take it to my sponsor and get it all filled out plus add the 6000 Rp stamp. If my sponsor had been with me and we had the stamp, step 1 and 2 could have been one visit. 3) Take the forms back in.....they receipt that they received the forms and your passport and give a return date (was 6 or 7 days). 4) Go back in to see if they said YES or NO....If yes, pay the money and get a receipt and come back in 3 days. I went in on Monday afternoon and was able to pick up my visa/passport on Wednesday a.m. When I went to pick it up, I was told I needed a photograph...not told before then and not written on the forms (?). They gave me my passport anyway but asked me to come back with the photo...so that was trip 5. If I had known, it would have been 4 trips. I took it back because I will go back for the next extension and didn't want them to remember me as that guy who didn't come back with the photo...They said I don't need a photo for the next one - so maybe just one for their file(?)
One thing I found a bit odd was that my last official day in Indonesia was Dec 1. I was to go back on November 28 to see if they were granting the extension. I was 95% positive that it was a yes as they briefly looked over everything when I handed the forms in and it seemed ok....BUT, if it had actually been a no, I would have had 2 days to make arrangements and leave the country. Would have gone to Phuket but glad I didn't have to leave... 2 or 3 weeks prior, Air Asia tickets to Phuket were cheap as chips but the few days before my extension, they were considerably more....
If I had to travel any distance to and from an office or if it was a super busy place that involved sitting for hours waiting, I would use an agent, but Singaraja is easy peasy....