Indonesian passport farce

[Anglian]

My wife and daughter went to immigration passport office to renew there Indonesian passports, she went last month but no luck, so they went to the little immigration office next to Ace hardware at Lebak Bulas, the office was staffed by one immigration officer and a security man, no customers, no they couldn't renew their passports as they hadn't registered on line, so the officer registered them at the office at Pondok Pinang, date end, of October, some offices the waiting list for passports is until 2018, each office only does 80 passports a day, why they are now in such a muddle and why so many people are wanting passports is a puzzle, when they first did their passports 5 years ago it was all done on the same day, no appointment needed, so what's gone wrong

 

[gab-rob]

if not mistaken the government is pushing people to use online application. and it started like 2- 3 months
my experience was even worse I guess. happened in January 2017 I had to wake up at 3AM and drove to the south Jakarta immigration ( I was hoping to get the e-passport at first and south Jakarta was the only place to get, that's what I was informed- wrong ) and when I arrived there at 4 something, I was #37 . and after waiting for 4 hours, we were brought to the building and for me , I had the wrong kartu keluarga. so I was rejected.
the following week I woke up at 2 AM and got there at 3.10, .. and got #12, .. and the interview started at 10 AM for 15 minutes.

from what I heard, they said that the immigration offices are running out the book paper ( at my time, normal passport takes 5 days to process and e passport takes 7 weeks ) , and they are renewing their system. ( their system broke down so many times during my waiting time )

amazing eh?

 

[Anglian]

Considering it's half a million rp it's a joke, I thought getting a U.K. Passport was hard work but they do really seem to have got their act together now

 

[Daniel50]

I spoke with someone who seems to think some of the delays are related to corruption. Meaning if you want to "volunteer" to give them some extra cash they can speed things up and if you are Indonesian they are even more apt to try this approach ( I realize foreigners don't apply for Indonesian Passports). They seem to like making it difficult for their own people. Maybe they generally feel safer trying to shake them down. This can be the reason for some of the delays.

 

[Smallworld]

Considering it's half a million rp it's a joke, I thought getting a U.K. Passport was hard work but they do really seem to have got their act together now

From my personal experience applying for a passport in UK was ... the easiest thing in my life. The whole process is dead easy. Only filled up application form in the post office, paying for the passport fee + post office fees, attaching some photos and 2-3 weeks later on the passport came to my house. Send it as next day delivery or sign letter with return envelope. It's done (10-15 min). Easy and simple. No need to book queuing place, wake up early in the morning, traveling God knows where and for what. Or like in Indonesia even have to hire an agent for doing passport. On the beginning I was shocked but after I have witnessed how it is done and wasted full day in Immigration Office waiting for my wife's application to be submitted I know now why it is better to get an agent. Regardless if it is done online or offline, little difference there.

The cost of the passport in Indonesia is the same as in Poland. The difference is it is only valid for 5 years here while we have standard 10 years. The real joke is that they have limits for applications/day. They should accept all applications and it is up to them how long will it take to process it all.

 

[Anglian]

I think you got it in one Daniel, the wheels here don't work to well till greased

 

[nd_eric_77]

My wife used the online form to apply for a passport a few weeks ago, and it was very easy. She got an appointment for 2 or 3 days later at the CGK airport location. Place was practically empty when she arrived, and she spent more time waiting for an Uber to pick her up than in the office itself.4 business days later, the passport was ready for her to retrieve. FWIW, she chose the "old-style" (non-e-passport).

 

[Exile]

I accompanied a friend to renew her passport at KanIm Jak Sel in Mampang last week. She used the Antrian Online (online queueing Service) from KanIm and got an appointment time & date. We went there on the specified date (Wednesday)
The whole process from waiting for our turn, interview, photos, fingerprints, etc, was actually less than 30 minutes. Fee was paid via ATM BCA later in the afternoon. On Thursday she added the Kanim's WhatsApp number and on Friday she got a whatsapp notification that her e-passport is ready for pick up. To summarize, went in on Wed, ready for pick up on Fri.

I personally think this is pretty amazing for Kanim to be able to provide such speedy service. If only their service for WNA can be as fast and less complicated.

 

[snpark]

I accompanied a friend to renew her passport at KanIm Jak Sel in Mampang last week.
I personally think this is pretty amazing for Kanim to be able to provide such speedy service. If only their service for WNA can be as fast and less complicated.

I am a bit confused by your last line? Your friend is Indonesian right? So why would you then say if only their service for WNA be as fast? WNA is Foreign citizen? Why would you be renewing your passport at KanIm ? You renew your passport from your own country Consulate / Embassy? Or if you mean visa / KITAS etc service for foreigners / workers, that is also pretty quick and not complicated at all, IMHO.
I have never had delays in renewing or processing my KITAS / IMTA etc here - the longest mine has taken has been about 1 month from start to finish. If you have all the correct paperwork in hand on Day 1, they is never any untoward delay really, and even people can do a KITAS on their own, it is just laziness that people pay a few hundred USD$ to get an agent to do all the running around
The most I have ever done is go to have my fingerprints done, and my agent even has the ticket waiting to I am pretty much out the lift, next in the queue, smile, press the pad, sign my name, and smile and see thanks see you next year.

Anyway that's only my experience. But for WNA you wouldn't be renewing your passport at KanIm so the comparison is slightly irrelevant really for a different department.

 

[tokektokek]

I am a bit confused by your last line? Your friend is Indonesian right? So why would you then say if only their service for WNA be as fast? WNA is Foreign citizen? Why would you be renewing your passport at KanIm ? You renew your passport from your own country Consulate / Embassy? Or if you mean visa / KITAS etc service for foreigners / workers, that is also pretty quick and not complicated at all, IMHO.
I have never had delays in renewing or processing my KITAS / IMTA etc here - the longest mine has taken has been about 1 month from start to finish. If you have all the correct paperwork in hand on Day 1, they is never any untoward delay really, and even people can do a KITAS on their own, it is just laziness that people pay a few hundred USD$ to get an agent to do all the running around
The most I have ever done is go to have my fingerprints done, and my agent even has the ticket waiting to I am pretty much out the lift, next in the queue, smile, press the pad, sign my name, and smile and see thanks see you next year.

Anyway that's only my experience. But for WNA you wouldn't be renewing your passport at KanIm so the comparison is slightly irrelevant really for a different department.

I understood what he wrote

What he means is that his friend is Indonesian, and he went with her to KanIm (which is where Indonesian passports as well as visas/permits for non-Indonesians are issued) to renew her Indonesian passport. He noticed how fast the Indonesian passport was processed. He wishes that the processes for WNA (ie KITAS/KITAP and others) were as fast and less complicated as renewing Indonesian passports.

I do agree with Exile. I have obtained KITAS and KITAP from KanIM, and there were various trips back and forth to KanIm, KanWil in my area as well as DitJen and Jakarta, which costs a lot of time as well as money for cars and flights. As well as this there were various "extra" documents required by each kantor which meant more trips.
I think I did 2 trips to KanIm, 3 trips to KanWil, 2 trips to DitJen, 1 trip to KanWil, then 3 trips to KanIm.

Bear in mind that our house is about 1.5-2 hours to KanIm/KanWil/airport. So that is 11 return car journeys to my city and 2 return flights, plus the 2 return taxi journeys from Jakarta airport to DitJen.

On the other hand to renew my Indonesian wife's passport, I apply online, go to KanIm, then go back to collect. 2 trips to KanIm.

So yes I wish the process for the residency permits for non-Indonesians was as fast and less complicated as the process for passports for Indonesians

 

[tokektokek]

From my personal experience applying for a passport in UK was ... the easiest thing in my life. The whole process is dead easy. Only filled up application form in the post office, paying for the passport fee + post office fees, attaching some photos and 2-3 weeks later on the passport came to my house. Send it as next day delivery or sign letter with return envelope. It's done (10-15 min). Easy and simple. No need to book queuing place, wake up early in the morning, traveling God knows where and for what. Or like in Indonesia even have to hire an agent for doing passport. On the beginning I was shocked but after I have witnessed how it is done and wasted full day in Immigration Office waiting for my wife's application to be submitted I know now why it is better to get an agent. Regardless if it is done online or offline, little difference there.

The cost of the passport in Indonesia is the same as in Poland. The difference is it is only valid for 5 years here while we have standard 10 years. The real joke is that they have limits for applications/day. They should accept all applications and it is up to them how long will it take to process it all.

Yes the 5 years on passports is rather annoying. I do wish they would make them 10 years, so much easier. And I agree there is a lot of waiting around in KanIm, when it seems that by having an online booking system with times to turn up it should be a lot more faster and efficient.

 

[Smallworld]

Yes the 5 years on passports is rather annoying. I do wish they would make them 10 years, so much easier. And I agree there is a lot of waiting around in KanIm, when it seems that by having an online booking system with times to turn up it should be a lot more faster and efficient.

My wish is that Indonesia scrap MERP. I don't see any sense of having KITAS/KITAP and MERP. I mean what's the use of it.

 

[Davita]

My wish is that Indonesia scrap MERP. I don't see any sense of having KITAS/KITAP and MERP. I mean what's the use of it.

Me too....it was necessary before, when it was optional, but now it's mandatory they should simply include it with the expiry of the Kitas/Kitap.
But...this is Indonesia!!!

 

[snpark]

I guess I was lucky then or just well organised, myself nor my agent has ever had any problems renewing my KITAS / IMTA etc etc etc in over 10 years

 

[snpark]

But should also point out that renewing or issuing a passport or driving licence is a significantly easier and faster process then an immigration / employment visa so I think it would be pretty hard to get that down to 2-3 day process with all the various different departments that have input into it
Perhaps that could be streamlined, but that would require major overhaul. In some countries you also have to have medical / blood test too before you can get immigration resident visa

 

[Daniel50]

Well hopefully they make it easier to renew Indonesian Passports as some Indonesians have been waiting for a year, or more, for their KTP so they use their passports to travel on domestic flights.

 

[Exile]

I understood what he wrote

What he means is that his friend is Indonesian, and he went with her to KanIm (which is where Indonesian passports as well as visas/permits for non-Indonesians are issued) to renew her Indonesian passport. He noticed how fast the Indonesian passport was processed. He wishes that the processes for WNA (ie KITAS/KITAP and others) were as fast and less complicated as renewing Indonesian passports.

That's right, Tokek. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Anglian]

Well my wife has eventually got her passport, one month wait, she was told if she missed her appointment she would have to wait till next year, it was a bit tight as her KTP renewal after six months has again been extended for another six months with a tatty piece of paper, she was told the office are only renewing with the E-KTP for 2015 period, 2916 renewals will be done in 2017,
This prat’s must think you have nothing better to do than spend time at their stupid offices

 

[Wisnu]

We (all four) collectively have renewed / replaced our passports for 18x (more than half outside Indonesia), and I can't recall any problem or difficulty in the process.
Last month I got my new passport from Indonesian Embassy in Cairo on the next day after I submitted the document, and spent less than an hour total process.
My daughter (junior) lost her passport last year in France; and she got the replacement in the same day from Indonesian consular in Marseilles after she applied.

 

[Davita]

We (all four) collectively have renewed / replaced our passports for 18x (more than half outside Indonesia), and I can't recall any problem or difficulty in the process.
Last month I got my new passport from Indonesian Embassy in Cairo on the next day after I submitted the document, and spent less than an hour total process.
My daughter (junior) lost her passport last year in France; and she got the replacement in the same day from Indonesian consular in Marseilles after she applied.

There you go Anglian...a quick trip with your Indonesian family to Cairo, or Marseilles, and all your passport problems resolved