Hi everyone,
I have recently read another immigration circular letter ( http://itjen.kemenag.go.id/sirandang...5ee375b9acbb89 ) which also relates to expats who are currently abroad during the pandemic who would like to return to Indonesia. I am slightly confused as there have been many rule updates and changes.
In the case of a TKA/ foreign worker and his/ her family who recently left Indonesia and are currently abroad in a country which currently doesn't allow the TKA's family members (spouse and children are citizen's of that country) to go abroad because of a travel restriction/ ban, which will most probably result in them not being able to go back to Indo before their itas expires, do you think the attached letter might help in anyway at all?
In my view it seems that the attached letter is only applicable to foreigners wanting to come to Indonesia for the purpose of a family reunification. In that case if their itas/ itap have expired they could still come. Another interpretation from one visa agent of the current rules is that in the case of the TKA currently abroad with their family (and itas and work permit will expire before they can return to Indo) they only have 2 options of going back:
1. Return to Indo before itas expires
2. or being allowed to return only after the Indo gov declared the corona pandemic is over and hopefully given the emergency stay permit at the airport immigration.
That particular visa agent suggested to have the current still valid work permit to be extended and pay the USD 1200 DPKK so that upon returning (which can only be done after the pandemic is officially declared over) the TKA can show the proof of work permit extension, and reason that is why they are coming back, and hopefully be granted the emergency stay permit stamp.
Does anyone know of any information or have an opinion regarding this? Is it rather risky to pay for the USD 1200 DPKK without the certainty/ ability to be able to extend the ITAS. If the current ITAS expires and are not able to be extended, and thus an 'as new' application would have to be made, perhaps the DPKK paid might even go down the drain and be invalid. As the doc above is more about ITAS holders that are thinking of returning to Indonesia for the purpose of family reunification, am not even sure that we would be eligible if TKA and the rest of the family left Indo and will be returning to Indo together at the same time. And in the case of the TKA returning first, would that even be allowed?
Rather hard to find out when or how the current ITAS can be extended, or if one can even go back after the Itas expires before the pandemic is officially declared over. Not sure if the granting of the emergency stay permit is only applicable during the emergency status until 29th May or afterwards as well.
Apparently the immigration department previously had a 'kebijakan' whereby itas/ itap holdrers who are stuck abroad in a country under a lockdown are able to have their itas extended while still abroad - by scraping to the rule to have the original passport submitted/ presented. However, they have since scrapped that rule
Quite a few families seem to be in this situation, which is rather frustrating and making it hard to plan for anything short term/ long term....work, schooling, departures, etc...so many uncertainties, but I guess that is expected during these times.
I have recently read another immigration circular letter ( http://itjen.kemenag.go.id/sirandang...5ee375b9acbb89 ) which also relates to expats who are currently abroad during the pandemic who would like to return to Indonesia. I am slightly confused as there have been many rule updates and changes.
In the case of a TKA/ foreign worker and his/ her family who recently left Indonesia and are currently abroad in a country which currently doesn't allow the TKA's family members (spouse and children are citizen's of that country) to go abroad because of a travel restriction/ ban, which will most probably result in them not being able to go back to Indo before their itas expires, do you think the attached letter might help in anyway at all?
In my view it seems that the attached letter is only applicable to foreigners wanting to come to Indonesia for the purpose of a family reunification. In that case if their itas/ itap have expired they could still come. Another interpretation from one visa agent of the current rules is that in the case of the TKA currently abroad with their family (and itas and work permit will expire before they can return to Indo) they only have 2 options of going back:
1. Return to Indo before itas expires
2. or being allowed to return only after the Indo gov declared the corona pandemic is over and hopefully given the emergency stay permit at the airport immigration.
That particular visa agent suggested to have the current still valid work permit to be extended and pay the USD 1200 DPKK so that upon returning (which can only be done after the pandemic is officially declared over) the TKA can show the proof of work permit extension, and reason that is why they are coming back, and hopefully be granted the emergency stay permit stamp.
Does anyone know of any information or have an opinion regarding this? Is it rather risky to pay for the USD 1200 DPKK without the certainty/ ability to be able to extend the ITAS. If the current ITAS expires and are not able to be extended, and thus an 'as new' application would have to be made, perhaps the DPKK paid might even go down the drain and be invalid. As the doc above is more about ITAS holders that are thinking of returning to Indonesia for the purpose of family reunification, am not even sure that we would be eligible if TKA and the rest of the family left Indo and will be returning to Indo together at the same time. And in the case of the TKA returning first, would that even be allowed?
Rather hard to find out when or how the current ITAS can be extended, or if one can even go back after the Itas expires before the pandemic is officially declared over. Not sure if the granting of the emergency stay permit is only applicable during the emergency status until 29th May or afterwards as well.
Apparently the immigration department previously had a 'kebijakan' whereby itas/ itap holdrers who are stuck abroad in a country under a lockdown are able to have their itas extended while still abroad - by scraping to the rule to have the original passport submitted/ presented. However, they have since scrapped that rule
Quite a few families seem to be in this situation, which is rather frustrating and making it hard to plan for anything short term/ long term....work, schooling, departures, etc...so many uncertainties, but I guess that is expected during these times.