Expired KITAP, ERP tidak kembali and all that jazz

[wombat]

Folks,

I have a visa problem that I need to solve and would be grateful for some help.

I had a KITAP (sponsored by my WNI wife) that expired august 2021. Due to the pandemic travel restrictions this year (both in Indonesia and in Australia where I am now) I was unable to renew the KITAP and so the KITAP just "died". I now want to travel to Indonesia again using another visa (317 or 112). But I was strenously warned by one agent that I must NOT go into indo with a new visa without "closing out" my expired KITAP with "ERP tidak kembali". If I was to rock up at Soetta without doing "ERP tidak kembali" I would be fined as an overstayer and the overstay duration would be counted from the KITAP's expiry date to entry date - a massive 100juta plus.

I am now effectively being prohibited from entering indo with such a massive fine waiting for me at the immigration counter in Soetta.

Another agent said that he could do the ERP tidak kembali, but the physical KITAP card that I have here in australia must be sent to indo. Not an option because it could get lost on transit and I would be in deeper trouble,

Another agent said that he could do ERP tidak kembali without having to have the physical KITAP card sent over - at a certain fee

Another agent said I could just get a 112 or 317 while in sydney and ignore the expired KITAP. just rock up to Soetta,

I dont understand these terms well : ERP tidak kembali, or just ERP, or EPO or MERP. But I do understand when I was given the run-around and I am desperately need to go to indo.

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,
Wombat

 

[wombat]

The deeper I go, the more sinister this rotten things become.

1. There is a regulation update on may 8th about allowing offshore expired KITAP holder to come back, is this true? If so, how re-enter?

"I have a KITAS/KITAP but it expired abroad, or I am a KITAP holder but my MERP will expire while I am overseas. Can I get come back?

Yes. On May 8th immigration changed the guideline so that those with expired KITAS/KITAP abroad, or KITAP with expired MERP will be allowed to enter Indonesia." From here

2. TRUE or FALSE: "ERP tidak kembali" is a ncessary process to enable an expired-KITAP holder to re-enter.

3. TRUE or FALSE: ERP tidak kembali is a declaration that a KITAP holder wish NOT to return to Indonesia ever again.

4. If point 3 above is true, then 2 is FALSE,
5. If point 2 above is true, then why declare "tidak kembali" when actually "mau kembali"

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Wombat

 

[dafluff]

The deeper I go, the more sinister this rotten things become.

1. There is a regulation update on may 8th about allowing offshore expired KITAP holder to come back, is this true? If so, how re-enter?

"I have a KITAS/KITAP but it expired abroad, or I am a KITAP holder but my MERP will expire while I am overseas. Can I get come back?

Yes. On May 8th immigration changed the guideline so that those with expired KITAS/KITAP abroad, or KITAP with expired MERP will be allowed to enter Indonesia." From here

That article is an old one. The period where you can enter with expired KITAS/P and/or expired MERP is now over.

2. TRUE or FALSE: "ERP tidak kembali" is a ncessary process to enable an expired-KITAP holder to re-enter.

3. TRUE or FALSE: ERP tidak kembali is a declaration that a KITAP holder wish NOT to return to Indonesia ever again.

4. If point 3 above is true, then 2 is FALSE,
5. If point 2 above is true, then why declare "tidak kembali" when actually "mau kembali"

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Wombat

The ERP/EPO process should be done before leaving Indonesia without the intent of returning with the same visa. If you are already abroad and the visa has expired, then it is water under the bridge, so to speak. At no point is it recommended to send documents back to Indonesia for some agent to "fix" the situation for you.

In your situation, I would apply for a new family reunification VITAS via the online immigration system: https://visa-online.imigrasi.go.id/

 

[mas_dam]

EPO/EXIT PERMIT ONLY = Cancellation of KITAS/P while still being in Indonesia. You submit your flight ticket among other documents. After EPO you have 7 days to leave.
(M)ERP-TK/ (MULTIPLE) ENTRY RE-ENTRY PERMIT TIDAK KEMBALI = Cancellation of KITAS/P after having already left Indonesia. You submit a scan of your final departure stamp among other documents.

After EPO/ERP is processed and you are abroad, you can immediately enter Indonesia again on a new visa.

2. TRUE or FALSE: "ERP tidak kembali" is a ncessary process to enable an expired-KITAP holder to re-enter.

3. TRUE or FALSE: ERP tidak kembali is a declaration that a KITAP holder wish NOT to return to Indonesia ever again.

2. EPO or MERP-TK is necessary.
If EPO has not been done prior to leaving and the KITAS/P is expired, then "TRUE" for your specific case.

3. FALSE. Has nothing to do with "ever again". It only means that you are not returning on this specific visa and want to cancel it while being abroad/already left "for the last time" on the existing visa.

The ERP/EPO process should be done before leaving Indonesia without the intent of returning with the same visa. If you are already abroad and the visa has expired, then it is water under the bridge, so to speak. At no point is it recommended to send documents back to Indonesia for some agent to "fix" the situation for you.

See above, only EPO can be done/should be normally done before leaving. If EPO has not been done, ERP is the legal substitute when being abroad. It's either EPO or ERP, it's never both. If you can produce high quality scans of all the documents, a good agent (in Jakarta, maybe not in the provinces) should be able to process MERP-TK. If needed, he can attach a police record of loss of originals if you really don't want to send them. It's not that difficult really,
Please note that orignal SKTT ("Green Card", these days a digital document) is usually among the documents required/returned. There is an exit procedure for Immigration, Civil Registration (Pencatatan Sipil) and Kemnaker in case you are a work permit holder as well. Proof of deregistration at other instances is part of requirements (i.e. Kemnaker wants to see proof that immigratio EPO/ERP has been done).

On a side note, DHL is reliable and works well in Indonesia. As long as your agent is reliable, there would be no problem sending some Indonesian original docs to Jakarta. You don't need your original passport for ERP, and the risk of losing the original of an expired KITAP...well...

 

[macvert]

I'll second mas dam about DHL. I recently had a new visa debit card delivered via DHL, 3 DAYS from Australia to Bali, straight to my front door. @ $96

 

[wombat]

Thank you folks for your enlightening responses. Much appreciated.

I will do the ERP process to terminate the KITAP. Then I will start the process to apply family reunification visa (C317 I think its called). And all will be well.

Regards,
Wombat