KITAS holder wants to sponsor friend's Sosbud

[waarmstrong]

You also can get a sosbud visa based on hotel booking & flight booking, in that case, you don`t need a sponsor.

That's news to me. Have the Social Bud rules changed or am I just ill informed?

 

[R Cameron]

You also can get a sosbud visa based on hotel booking & flight booking, in that case, you don`t need a sponsor.

That goes so much against the common understanding that I'm sure many people would appreciate you supporting this statement with a source or evidence. Possibly some KBRI embassy in some country would issue the Sosbud initially, but I can't imagine any immigration office in Indonesia giving any extensions without a sponsor.

 

[centurion]

When I came 7 years ago I came on tourist visa (sosbud) and I got it based on hotel booking and ticket.
For extension, you have to have a sponsor. I think rules did not change much except for the minimum available fund requirement.

 

[Davita]

It has been common, prior to arrival in Bali, to be issued a Tourist 60 day visa (sponsor not required and not extendable) which has the same number as a Sosbud 60 day visa (sponsor required and is extendable) and, after arrival, get a sponsor and extend the original as if it were a Sosbud.
I haven't heard the same has been acceptable elsewhere in RI.

 

[centurion]

I did exactly that in Jakarta 7 years ago.

 

[Davita]

I did exactly that in Jakarta 7 years ago.

That confirms what I thought and good to know they are willing to extend a Tourist 60 day Visa in Jakarta if a sponsor is provided.

Your previous posts implied you initially got a Sosbud from an overseas Embassy/Consul with just a hotel booking and exit ticket. That didn't seem correct to many of us who have been thru' the Sosbud hoopla for many years.

 

[R Cameron]

7 years ago seems like an eternity for Indonesian immigration regulations, I wouldn't encourage anyone to try that now without newer evidence.

 

[centurion]

@Davita
I took a tourist visa 211A with no sponsor - this is single entry tourist visa aka Sosbud and extended once with a sponsor and converted to KITAS after that.

For example in New York Indonesian embassy you don`t need a sponsor for single entry tourist visa:
https://www.kemlu.go.id/newyork/en/Pages/Tourist-Visa.aspx

Visa 211 A- tourist visa can be extended according to DirJen imigrasi visa matrix. However, here they mention that you need a sponsor (to get a 211 A visa), but it depends on the embassy, not DirJen Imigrasi because is issued straight away from the embassy. You can get the visa matrix on the link
https://visaonline.imigrasi.go.id/online/informasi.xhtml?i=1
and click DISINI

 

[Davita]

@Davita
I took a tourist visa 211A with no sponsor - this is single entry tourist visa aka Sosbud and extended once with a sponsor and converted to KITAS after that.

For example in New York Indonesian embassy you don`t need a sponsor for single entry tourist visa:
https://www.kemlu.go.id/newyork/en/Pages/Tourist-Visa.aspx

Visa 211 A- tourist visa can be extended according to DirJen imigrasi visa matrix. However, here they mention that you need a sponsor (to get a 211 A visa), but it depends on the embassy, not DirJen Imigrasi because is issued straight away from the embassy. You can get the visa matrix on the link
https://visaonline.imigrasi.go.id/online/informasi.xhtml?i=1
and click DISINI

The Tourist visa is not aka as the Sosbud visa.
You have linked to the Tourist visa application site...here is the link to the Sosbud application site.... https://www.kemlu.go.id/newyork/en/Pages/Social-Visit-Visa.aspx

I agree you do not need a sponsor for a Tourist 60 day visa and have said so....but it is NOT supposed to be extendable.
When I was applying for Sosbud Visas, from about ten years ago, it was always necessary to provide a sponsor letter and I extended very often although it was a pain to do it every month.
Since then I've found that many, on a 60 day Tourist visa, have found a sponsor in Bali and extended that Tourist visa for up to 6 months.... just like the Sosbud.
I believe it's because they are both called a B211 visa...I have B211 stamped on all my old Sosbuds in old passports.

The point is you initially said a Sosbud can be applied using a hotel and airline ticket and those of us who have been doing Sosbud visas for years would disagree.

 

[steveandpenny]

Just a word to the wise ..if you are a sponsor and your freind does anything stupid you will be on the hook. So if he skips out owning any money you will be the one paying for it. I am not sure I would do that for any of my freinds or about half my famliy ...bunch of low life' but fun low life' lol.

 

[centurion]

@Davita
Then I am wrong and I took a tourist visa, but both are B211 code and extendable with a sponsor (according to the DirJen Imigrasi website) and convertible to KITAS.

 

[Vicissidude]

All I've learned from this thread is that no visa requirements are adhered to or recognized universally. Can a foreign resident be a sponsor? Maybe. Do we now require a sponsor for a tourist visa? Depends on our mood.

 

[Davita]

All I've learned from this thread is that no visa requirements are adhered to or recognized universally. Can a foreign resident be a sponsor? Maybe. Do we now require a sponsor for a tourist visa? Depends on our mood.

Welcome to Indonesia and their general rules, management style, immigration policy and logic.
On the old forum someone had a signature that said something like..."When coming to Indonesia leave all your pre-conceived western notions at immigration". I thought that was a very wise idea!
Some officials don't know their own rules, some twist the rules to extort and some are decent and do try to help.

I've used Sosbuds since 10 years ago, issued in Vancouver, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. I even tried the multi-entry annual Sosbud but got fed-up leaving and returning every 60 days. I gave up and finally resorted to the expensive Retirement Kitas/Kitap.

There were two types of long-term single-entry visas (B211) to visit Indonesia issued from an RI Embassy/Consul in a foreign country.

1. Tourist visa...did not require a sponsor but was not extendable beyond 60 days.
2. Sosbud visa...required a sponsor and was extendable after the initial 60 days, monthly, to complete 6 months.
Since then it appears that Immigration have relaxed the rules and permit # 1 to be extendable, like a Sosbud, if a sponsor is subsequently found during the first 60 days, in Indonesia, for the extensions. The sponsor could be a WNI or a WNA with a Kitas/Kitap or, an agent for a fee.
Immigration still had the final say on acceptance according to their notion of accountability.

I'd say that's a welcome change in the rules and makes sense. Immigration were simply worried that the Gov't will be 'on the hook' for any liability of a visitor and can hold the sponsor culpable...especially when it comes down to a monetary issue.

 

[jstar]

I was at a KBRI in Western Europe two days ago and no, I (with KITAP) could NOT sponsor my family member who was there with me for a visit visa. They said it had to be a WNI. And when my wife thus became sponsor, they asked my KTP to see if there really was a family relationship. Crazy.

Also crazy that there were people sitting there applying for a visa but they had EU citizenship and their holiday would take less than a month. According to them the information on the KBRI website was very unclear.

 

[centurion]

Update:
My mother got B211 A "for tourism, social, cultural, government, business transit" (this is written on the visa) visa in Indonesian embassy in Belgrade for visiting Indonesia based on my documents for the invitation (my KITAP, KTP and my passport).
However, for extension of the visa in KanIm Jakarta Selatan, they did not accept my documents and I had to submit my wife`s documents-her KTP+forms for the visa extension.