Issues with Immigration, Embassy and Previous Company.

[Illuminasi]

Are you one of the 17 people like me that's had your visa/kitas/imta or kitap delayed more than two months? Well you're not alone. There's a reason why and It's about to go big if it gets out..


The truth is, someone in Immigration has been stealing passports. Not just the agents, but the actual immigration staff. After a new law was passed banning certain people from acting as "agents" the ones allowed to continue the practice of document assistance quickly set up a 3rd party system for those now illegal agents so they could keep working. Unfortunately this was income oriented and is causing more problems. Worst thing, the immigration system is in on it. (surprised?)


Here's my back story as someone caught in this entaglement. This is designed for me requested advice, assistance, contacts and also to help you guys, the expat community, from falling into the same trap.


I recently got caught up being the victim of a vicious Indonesian man named Hengki Martjuki who owns Kaplan Edupac (A non Kaplan existence according the Kaplans US website) in Indonesia. I had worked there for 2 years when in the 2nd year about 3 months prior to my contract ending I discovered my Kitas was under "marketing". Since immigration and permits are being stamped down harder now I thought my best option for me and the safety of my family so I wouldn't be deported for an illegal work permit would be to leave. This is the reason I told him I was leaving. When i left i gave my passport to process the EPO as he was my previous employer and I couldn't just go do it myself without someone wanting to fill their pockets. I was now unemployed and needed to be more strict with my spending., I messaged regularly to request updates and even visited the office several times but was told it was in immigration (This was done during the 2 months before my Kitas was due to expire, so please bare that in mind. The company had more than 2 months).


About 6 weeks after my EPO was supposed to be processed I was told I could collect the passport. Finally. The passport had a bill inside stating I owed close to 16 Million for over charges. Kaplan Educpac had actually withheld my passport so long (3+ months) then sent it off a few days before I picked it up and refused to take responsibility as "since your kitas expired with us a few weeks ago, we have no obligation to pay"


So, me being me, I didn't want any issues and I payed. I was then told that my kitas had no taxes payed for over 2 years and was charged an additional 11.4 Million for unpaid taxes and penalty. They then asked me if I was a marketing person at Edupac to which I responded no, I was a teacher. So I was illegally sponsored too. (No wonder Hengki would hide us and force us to teach in HSBC bank when someone official came knocking, he also covered all the Kaplan logos with huge stickers too. Dodgy.) This guy is really bad and I implore anyone seeking employment to avoid working there.


Move on to immigration, after paying all the fees and finally being told my passport and EPO were done i began to process a new kitas, this time sponsored by my wife. After one month I began to ask the agent why it was taking so long, she began replying less and less until finally she called my wife in tears to tell her it took more than 2 months because the official immigration handling it was caught taking bribes and ran, he took 17 passports with him and a whole bunch of cash. After a few days of panic and contacting everyone I knew I was taken to immigration where I requested a signed form that stated my passport was with them at the time it was stolen.
They agreed but never gave one and said they would charge me a cancellation fee for the kitas and also every day after cancellation until the passport is recovered I would be charged 300k per day overstay. Thanks guys. I was told NOT to contact my embassy, not to talk to any media, not to speak about this openly or it would interfere with them. They updated me last to tell me the guy was caught in a kampung is Kalimantan but only 9 passports were recovered. The officer that was caught said he was taking a small vacation and forgot the passports were with him (good liar)


The passport process was handed over to another person. The other person informed us the EPO had not been processed for 5 months and the overstay charge was very high, but not to worry, just send him a large bank transfer and he will fix it. So, this time I had demands. I met up with this agent in a public place and created a contract in Indonesian with a stamp for him to sign stating the passport would be completed by a certain date with the condition if it wasn't he would take full responsability and be forced to pay back what had been taken. He happily signed and assured us it would be done. (I also made him hand over a copy of his KPT and Kartu Keluarga) Then we didn't hear from him again for a few weeks. Not fore lack of trying. This has really become a huge stressful issue and burden on my family. Especially my wife.


So, he finally responded. He told my wife her texts were amusing and gave him a good laugh and nothing we threaten him with will work. He has the passport and if we cause problems for him, he will cause more for us. Enough was enough, I went to the embassy and contacted my friend in the Jakarta post. The embassy told me to go and report to the police as it wasn't something they can be involved in. So i went to the police, they told me this is an embassy issue.
It's amazing, I'm actually on the conclusion no one knows how to do their job or at least is uninformed. After barraging the embassy through emails and phone calls I decided to contact the UK embassy in London, I explained the situation to them, they were appealed, suddenly the embassy here got involved after they realized it was "fraud" (duh) The embassy said it was still the responsability of my previous employer to fix. The agent is continuing to laugh and mock us and we're now on 7 months overstay and have requested the passport back well over 20 times and been told no. So this is a mixed case. Fraud, corruption, illegally withholding a passport from a foreigner, bribery and threats. The embassy, the police and no media have bothered to offer up anything. Does this community have any ideas? I've spoken to a lawyer, they told me to make a video and try to get it spread around social media and it may get to someone that can act upon it.


Until then I will still be charged by the Indonesian Immigration for each day I'm here even though I have no access to my passport because it's in the Indonesian immigration. I've also visit the immigration and requested to have it returned only to be told they don't know which immigration it is in. I asked the mocking prick which immigration it was in several times and he's just said "no, stop asking questions, leave it to me" I've had enough, I can't work, my wife is sick with stress and I have a 2 year old daughter feeling the affects of the atmosphere we're creating. So, now the information is out. I've posted it here. No going back now. Time to get aggressive.


Illuminasi.

 

[Davita]

Why not report your passport has been stolen and give details...then apply for a new one.

 

[Illuminasi]

Why not report your passport has been stolen and give details...then apply for a new one.

That's great advice and I did think to do that at the beginning but I was told as this would be my second passport theft in under 3 years I would be investigated and interviewed and may not be allowed a new one for up to 1 year. (People used to sell them) That was too big of a risk. I couldn't just be sent back to the UK and leave my wife and daughter here alone. I'd rather be here illegally by their side than in the UK waiting for people to type up documents that allow me to be back with them.

 

[Davita]

I'm confused...you didn't mention your passport had been previously stolen nor the circumstances behind that theft. So our help is of no value as we aren't privy to the facts.

The Embassy cannot prevent you having a passport if you are genuine...they may request an interview but, if are simply the victim of circumstance, they cannot deny your citizen's rights.

 

[Illuminasi]

I'm confused...you didn't mention your passport had been previously stolen nor the circumstances behind that theft. So our help is of no value as we aren't privy to the facts.

The Embassy cannot prevent you having a passport if you are genuine...they may request an interview but, if are simply the victim of circumstance, they cannot deny your citizen's rights.

I didn't mention it because it happened 3 years prior and has no relevance to the current situation. You would also think an embassy would reinforce citizens right by telling them your passport has been stolen and is being withheld from you and the holder is demanding money and acting in a threatening manner would raise some red flags. The response I was given to raising those concerns was "It's not our problem, go report it to the police, we can't do anything" The person himself laughed when I said I was reporting it and called the UK embassy useless. He had no fear of me doing that.

 

[El_Goretto]

The problem is now you face deportation with a minimum 6 months blacklist.

 

[Daniel50]

I am no expert in any of this and I don't know who to contact when the criminals are agents in Immigration. There has to be someone to help in perhaps the main, Kuningan, office especially if you have some receipts and a signature of an agent. I actually thought Immigration was one agency that had improved. I am sure I would feel frustrated and powerless but I imagine I would be looking up the Immigration chain. The only people he may be scared of would be in Indonesia.

 

[dafluff]

This is some seriously scary stuff...are you located in Jakarta?

 

[jstar]

I couldn't just be sent back to the UK and leave my wife and daughter here alone. I'd rather be here illegally by their side than in the UK waiting for people to type up documents that allow me to be back with them.

Even if the thought is rather chivalrous, because of decisions you made/did not make, the chance of that happening becomes very very slim. I think some longer term thinking is in order.

 

[Anglian]

Seriously, you must report to the police your passport was stolen, they will give you a letter for your passport renewal, don't go to the police station you have been too already, they will give you another passport albeit possibly only valid for one year, as jetstar says being chivalrous isn't the thing to be at the moment, I think it takes about a month for a new passport, the longer you stay here the deeper the shite you are getting into, you obviously want to come back for your family, that is understandable, you could always take them to Thailand or Malaysia, although I don't know your financial situation, but I feel at the moment your top priority is get a passport by hook or crook

 

[William King]

Bloody heck... get a passport. Get legal. Then fight those assholes.

 

[Illuminasi]

The problem is now you face deportation with a minimum 6 months blacklist.

I can;t possibly be deported if I don't have a passport right? If it's not being returned to me?

I am no expert in any of this and I don't know who to contact when the criminals are agents in Immigration. There has to be someone to help in perhaps the main, Kuningan, office especially if you have some receipts and a signature of an agent. I actually thought Immigration was one agency that had improved. I am sure I would feel frustrated and powerless but I imagine I would be looking up the Immigration chain. The only people he may be scared of would be in Indonesia.

I've been to the Immigration intelligence in Kuningan and the general for police and been told this is an embassy issueas no official government people are involved.

This is some seriously scary stuff...are you located in Jakarta?

Yes in Jakarta. This isn't just a Jakarta incident though. I had askd the person in immigration how many reports like this he gets and he said I'm in 7th one with month. 4 of which are in Bali, 2 in Surabaya

Seriously, you must report to the police your passport was stolen, they will give you a letter for your passport renewal, don't go to the police station you have been too already, they will give you another passport albeit possibly only valid for one year, as jetstar says being chivalrous isn't the thing to be at the moment, I think it takes about a month for a new passport, the longer you stay here the deeper the shite you are getting into, you obviously want to come back for your family, that is understandable, you could always take them to Thailand or Malaysia, although I don't know your financial situation, but I feel at the moment your top priority is get a passport by hook or crook

That's the only thing standing between us fixing anything right now is finances. I've been taking on freelance work illegally just to scrape enough money to keep going but it's mostly been my wife supporting us through this whole thing. The person keeps demanding more money and we've just flat out refused now.

Bloody heck... get a passport. Get legal. Then fight those assholes.

Thanks William. I think once immigration has done what they needed and this is fixed I will be hiring a lawyer and hunting this asshole down.


Anyway guys, thank you all for your replies. I've updated the main story with some changes that have happened over the past 10 days. Some good some bad.

 

[Anglian]

I hope you can sort this out with a satisfactory conclusion, not easy but good luck

 

[Illuminasi]

Nevermind, I can't seem to edit the main story. I'll add the update here.

So the day after I posted this story I talked to my wife and told her I need to do something drastic to get some attention. I planned on going to the airport and declaring myself here illegally and let them go nuts for a while but then at least they would know why and either deport me or help me. My wife disagreed wholeheartedly bless her. I contacted a few friends and arranged a small meet up over coffee and told them I was going against my wife's wishes and doing it first thing in the morning so whatever happens please make sure her and my daughter would be okay while I try to fix this. It was a desperate move.

One of these friends that was unaware of what was going on put me in contact with an official officer within immigration and told me to tell him everything that was going on so I did. He said he was going to look for the passport since the person said it was in immigration. 3 days later he contacted me back and said the passport hasn't been in process in over 5 months. It was taken out and they don't know who allowed it and who took it. He requested I get my passport back from the person ASAP and he can begin helping to fix this. I contacted this assclown and told him I needed my passport and again he said it was in immigration being processed. I told him i knew it wasn't, I knew he had it and refusing to give it back at this point is theft as well as bribery and fraud. He sounded scared for once and said he would "try" to return it on friday (today) 07/04/2017 - I called him this morning and he told me again it's in immigration and he can't give it back. He said two officers he's close with have it and won't return it. I asked him which immigration is it in and he flat out refused to tell me. Said it wasn't my business. So i contacted the officer I've recently been in contact with and he's requested me and my wife to go in on monday. He's trying to set up a meeting with someone higher to help with this.

Deeper in the rabbit hole we go.

 

[Illuminasi]

I hope you can sort this out with a satisfactory conclusion, not easy but good luck

Thank you Anglian. The most important thing is now people are aware.

 

[Anglian]

I meant to add, I would have thought the British Embassy would be more helpful, as I believe the passport doesn't actually belong to you, it's government property, I'm sure they don't want people mis using it

 

[Davita]

Thank you Anglian. The most important thing is now people are aware.

I disagree...the most important thing is you get the passport, which belongs to the Gov't of your Citizenship (it isn't yours), returned. This surely IS an Embassy/Consul issue. I'd demand to see your Ambassador/Consular Official and explain.

oops...seems like I was writing as Anglian was also writing...lucky we agree!

Edit: I re-read the thread and note you are from UK...it has a big Embassy in Jakarta. That's where I would go and thump the table to get attention to this matter.

 

[Illuminasi]

I disagree...the most important thing is you get the passport, which belongs to the Gov't of your Citizenship (it isn't yours), returned. This surely IS an Embassy/Consul issue. I'd demand to see your Ambassador/Consular Official and explain.

oops...seems like I was writing as Anglian was also writing...lucky we agree!

Edit: I re-read the thread and note you are from UK...it has a big Embassy in Jakarta. That's where I would go and thump the table to get attention to this matter.

Hi Davita. I agree, this should be a priority for the embassy but to be brutally honest with you they're not being very helpful. I've been back and forth through emails with them for several months and I'll get a reply every other day and most of the time it isn't anything helpful. The last email I received they gave me some advice on something that wasn't related to this. They had completely got what was happening wrong and gave me advice on something they thought was happening. If only they scrolled up 3 previous emails they would have seen what's really going on. That was 5 days ago and I haven't received a reply since then. I'll get a reply If i message and ask why it's been so long since they replied. I think this case isn't important to them.

 

[Davita]

Hi Davita. I agree, this should be a priority for the embassy but to be brutally honest with you they're not being very helpful. I've been back and forth through emails with them for several months and I'll get a reply every other day and most of the time it isn't anything helpful. The last email I received they gave me some advice on something that wasn't related to this. They had completely got what was happening wrong and gave me advice on something they thought was happening. If only they scrolled up 3 previous emails they would have seen what's really going on. That was 5 days ago and I haven't received a reply since then. I'll get a reply If i message and ask why it's been so long since they replied. I think this case isn't important to them.

With respect my friend...this is too important for emailing...you need to make an appointment with someone in the UK Embassy who has discretion. UK taxpayers pay for this service...demand it!
I'd focus on simply getting your passport, or an explanation from RI Immigration to UK Embassy, as that is of immediate concern.

Your other issue with your ex-employer, and an EPO, concerns Indonesia...they are separate and you may be on your own there.

 

[William King]

Threat, extortion bribery ?

Police, immigration and your embassy should be going nuts.

Forget emails, contact the consular or ambassador, not some flunky.