Jakarta immigration trying to pull a fast one

[Travellingchez]

I've just come through immigration in Jakarta airport. The immigration guy asked what I was doing here (lots of kitas etc in the passport but I was on a free visa on arrival). Said I was going out to get a new kitas. He then tried to tell me I couldn't come in on a free visa if I was waiting for a kitas. To which I said mana ada seperti itu. (Cant help myself ). I said I am married to an Indonesian and my family is here and we were moving house. I wasnt working so I am allow a free visas on arrival and there is no need for me to pay for one. He asked if I had a buku nikah which I said I had but not with me but I had plenty of photos if my husband and son if he wanted to see them. To which he smiled and stamped my passport.

I knew there was no such requirement to pay for a visa on arrival. For one I'd told the immigration when I'd come into Indonesia that I was waiting to go back out for my kitas after idul fitri. He just advised that if my telex want ready I could get the paid voa as I could extend it. I informed him the telex was ready I was just waiting till after the holiday and to move house and that I would get my kitas before the 30 days was up. So no issues from him. Also nowhere does it say in all the laws I've read you must pay for a voa if you want to get a kitas.

Moral of the story stand your ground when you know you aren't in the wrong.

 

[Puspawarna]

Actually, I believe only tourists are supposed to get free visas. If you are coming to join your family, or you are in-between work-related visas, the rule is you are supposed to pay.

Weird, I know. But I learned this when I had to pay for a tourist visa as I was switching from my KITAS/IMTA to dependent status on my husband's DINAS.

 

[Travellingchez]

Well if they want to be technical I've effectively been a tourist in Semarang this past week together with the rest of the family.
Most people in the kampungs that I've run through over the years will say oh look a tourist. So a tourist information will be.

​

 

[Travellingchez]

I'd be interested to see the law that states having to pay. As I said I've never seen it and I am normally quite up to date with immigration laws. Though must admit I haven't looked much since the visa waiver was introduced after not existing for years.

 

[Travellingchez]

According to immigration's own website they list the following being allow a free visa on arrival. Family is the second on the list.

1. Leisure ,Tourism
2. Family
3. Social
4. Art and Cultural
5. Government visit
6. Giving Lecture or attend seminar
7. Attend a meeting held by head office or Representative office in Indonesia
8. Continue journey to another country

http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php/en/layanan-publik/bebas-visa#purpose

 

[nd_eric_77]

For what it's worth, I paid (and expensed) the "tourist" visa last time I was waiting for the KITAS telex. My situation was a bit different, as the telex had not yet arrived. The only reason I went the paid route was on the off chance that the telex was further delayed, I would be able to extend the paid visa, whereas the free one is non-extendable AFAIK.

 

[Travellingchez]

For what it's worth, I paid (and expensed) the "tourist" visa last time I was waiting for the KITAS telex. My situation was a bit different, as the telex had not yet arrived. The only reason I went the paid route was on the off chance that the telex was further delayed, I would be able to extend the paid visa, whereas the free one is non-extendable AFAIK.

That is why the immigration guy asked when I arrived. Though my telex had been ready since June so I wasn't too worried about needing more than 30 days. Might have paid if I wasnt sure due to being able to extend.

 

[Puspawarna]

I better not say anything (said Puspa, as she typed) because I dunno anything on this topic. But I thought that if you LIVE in Indonesia with your family, you don't get the free visa. The point being, visitors get free visas. But "regulars" who just happen to need a VOA for some reason have to pay. (Did I mention I don't know anything on this topic?)

 

[BAJakarta]

I better not say anything (said Puspa, as she typed) because I dunno anything on this topic. But I thought that if you LIVE in Indonesia with your family, you don't get the free visa. The point being, visitors get free visas. But "regulars" who just happen to need a VOA for some reason have to pay. (Did I mention I don't know anything on this topic?)

There is another way to look at this Puspa - if you do not have a KITAS (or other permission to live in Indonesia eg KITAP or whatever other options there are) you actually, legally, do NOT live in Indonesia with your family. Legally, you are only visiting them until such time as you get the legal permission to live here.......

 

[Travellingchez]

There is another way to look at this Puspa - if you do not have a KITAS (or other permission to live in Indonesia eg KITAP or whatever other options there are) you actually, legally, do NOT live in Indonesia with your family. Legally, you are only visiting them until such time as you get the legal permission to live here.......

I like your way of looking at it

 

[Pak Asam Manis]

I have entered the country twice so far this year - well actually three times, but only twice with no valid visa stamped in passport.

The first time I told them that I was coming to stay temporarily with my WNI spouse - true - who was already in Indonesia at the time, and to visit other family members and friends (also true). They said (if I do recall correctly ... this was in Ngurah Rai Int'l airport, in January) that I had the OPTION of entering on the "visa-free" (30 days, non-extendable) OR of paying for the VOA (also 30 days, but extendable one time). Since I explained to them that I wanted the option of extending, they recommended the paid VOA, which I paid for (I had already worked this out beforehand anyway, and knew I wanted the paid VOA).

After extending one time on the VOA, I went onto a spouse-sponsored SOSBUD for a few months. When I left the country again canceling the SOSBUD, I again entered but this time tried to come in on the "visa free", but after explaining to the officer that I had left canceling the sosbud and was coming back in, again, to stay with my Indonesian wife, they pulled me out of the line and sent me to the back office where after some puzzling over my passport (also a lot of previous kitas, etc) the officer in charge simply told me I would have to pay for the VOA and go through the line again.

Draw your own conclusions, if any. I am also not sure about the actual letter of the law on this, but the way some officers are "interpreting" seems to be along the lines of what Puspa has said: if you are married to Indonesian, you ain't a tourist. But then again, the regulation does mention "family" as one of the legitimate purposes for visa-free entry. Confusing indeed. It would certainly be edifying to get a clear answer on the regulation ...

 

[OomBen]

Well, i know you can't convert a VOA to KITAS, so i'm confused on what the imigrasi guy was talking about. There's a few different ways to go about getting the VISA you want..so..whatever. Glad you got in with no problems.

Once I handed over my passport while going through customs here and he asked why I came to Indonesia...i said "Because I live here." He thought i was a VOA visitor. Then he asked for my KITAS. Then asked who I work for...i'm bapak rumah tangga... then asked what company sponsored my visa... uh, my wife is not a company. I know he was probably just trying to do his job, but damn...

I left my KITAS (the actual card) at home when I went on a trip to Singapore. Imigrasi wanted me to have it...but they eventually let me pass. Entering Indonesia...they didn't even ask for it. blah. There's no set standard here is there?

 

[Puspawarna]

There's no set standard here is there?

In my experience, a lot depends on which terminal you fly into when you fly into Soekarno-Hatta. If you arrive through Terminal 3, they hardly look at your passport and you are in. If you arrive at Terminal 2, you have to go through the usual rigamarole and it might take longer. There are exceptions in both terminals, but that's usually how it works.

 

[Euc-]

In my experience, a lot depends on which terminal you fly into when you fly into Soekarno-Hatta. If you arrive through Terminal 3, they hardly look at your passport and you are in. If you arrive at Terminal 2, you have to go through the usual rigamarole and it might take longer. There are exceptions in both terminals, but that's usually how it works.

FWIW, I've been in and out of the country roughly 15 times this year and always go through T2, the most exciting thing that happened was that they asked for the actual KITAS card, other than that they barely answered my Selamat Pagi/Siang/whatever.