ITAS/ITAP Covid Policy Change

Bonaldi Kresnanto

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Jan 31, 2019
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18
Does anyone hear any news about the renewal process change due to Covid?

The last news I heard from last year for those who are outside Indonesia (below) stated that you are given extra time until the end of September (60 days after July 2020) to return with expired ITAP/ITAS or expired MERP.

My case: I am still outside and beyond this grace period so now I am in US with expired KITAP and MERP. I guess when I return, I will surrender both and apply new one

Expired ITAS/ITAP abroad​

If you are abroad with an expired ITAS/ITAP or with an expired re-entry permit (ERP), you should return to Indonesia within 60 days of July 13th, 2020. You then need to extend the expired permits at your local immigration office.
 
Does anyone hear any news about the renewal process change due to Covid?

The last news I heard from last year for those who are outside Indonesia (below) stated that you are given extra time until the end of September (60 days after July 2020) to return with expired ITAP/ITAS or expired MERP.

My case: I am still outside and beyond this grace period so now I am in US with expired KITAP and MERP. I guess when I return, I will surrender both and apply new one

Expired ITAS/ITAP abroad​

If you are abroad with an expired ITAS/ITAP or with an expired re-entry permit (ERP), you should return to Indonesia within 60 days of July 13th, 2020. You then need to extend the expired permits at your local immigration office.

You should apply for a new VITAS, and inform the Indonesian mission near you that your KITAP expired while abroad.
 
You should apply for a new VITAS, and inform the Indonesian mission near you that your KITAP expired while abroad.
Bit of a process with the covid restrictions , just renewed my Kitas . Everything has to go through the Ministry of Law and Imigration /Director General of Imigration . Added a month to my kitas renewal which usually take 3-5 days ! Good luck .
 
I have my itas extended last Thursday and it took 5days, nothing changed except for the SKTT, while I went to the Disdukcapil the lady at desk said they no longer issue paper sktt, now it's become electronic same like ITAS. She said they will mail me a PDF file of sktt.
 
I have my itas extended last Thursday and it took 5days,.
From the reports I've heard lately, it sounds like you were very lucky. I can't speak for current ITAS but my current ITAP application has been in for over a month and still no word. Every time I enquire I'm told to just wait.
 
I also wanted to convert my itas to itap as our marriage is already over 2 years now, but I needed to renew my passport and it took 8 weeks, so when I went to the kanIm in mid January they told me better extend the itas, because it the itap conversion might take a long time during this time.
 
From the reports I've heard lately, it sounds like you were very lucky. I can't speak for current ITAS but my current ITAP application has been in for over a month and still no word. Every time I enquire I'm told to just wait.
Hi , I renewed my Kitas here in Jawa Timur at the Jember office , usually takes 3-5 days . Took almost 2 months as everything has to go through th Ministry of Law/Human Rights with the Covid restrictions . Was told 2 differenet time frames on the conversion Kitas to Kitap . One officer said 3 months and I'd have to do everything , travelling between offices etc . Then 2 weeks later another told me I'd have to apply 6 months before my Kitas expired and everything gets sent through internal mail ! Not only different rules/laws in each region . Different rules /laws in the same office !
 
Does anyone hear any news about the renewal process change due to Covid?

The last news I heard from last year for those who are outside Indonesia (below) stated that you are given extra time until the end of September (60 days after July 2020) to return with expired ITAP/ITAS or expired MERP.

My case: I am still outside and beyond this grace period so now I am in US with expired KITAP and MERP. I guess when I return, I will surrender both and apply new one

Expired ITAS/ITAP abroad​

If you are abroad with an expired ITAS/ITAP or with an expired re-entry permit (ERP), you should return to Indonesia within 60 days of July 13th, 2020. You then need to extend the expired permits at your local immigration office.
I would suggest following the Ditjen Imigrasi twitter feed. https://twitter.com/ditjen_imigrasi?lang=en

Last year because the policy kept changing, I kept up by checking the feed now and again for updates. You can reply to them in their twitter posts or send them a private message for questions specific to your situation. They're (usually) more responsive on twitter than on WA.
 
Does anyone hear any news about the renewal process change due to Covid?

The last news I heard from last year for those who are outside Indonesia (below) stated that you are given extra time until the end of September (60 days after July 2020) to return with expired ITAP/ITAS or expired MERP.

My case: I am still outside and beyond this grace period so now I am in US with expired KITAP and MERP. I guess when I return, I will surrender both and apply new one

Expired ITAS/ITAP abroad​

If you are abroad with an expired ITAS/ITAP or with an expired re-entry permit (ERP), you should return to Indonesia within 60 days of July 13th, 2020. You then need to extend the expired permits at your local immigration office.

Based on the latest policy, and please check with Ditjen Imigrasi, it seems they are still allowing extensions of KITAS/P and MERP that expired abroad. Your sponsor should apply for the extension in Indonesia, then when you return you must report to Imigrasi within 21 days to collect your ITAS/P or reentry permit.
 
I have my itas extended last Thursday and it took 5days, nothing changed except for the SKTT, while I went to the Disdukcapil the lady at desk said they no longer issue paper sktt, now it's become electronic same like ITAS. She said they will mail me a PDF file of sktt.
Just show's ,different regions ,different rules . Jawa Timur everything has to go to the Ministry of Law /Foriegn Affairs now with the Covid crap "Usually 3-5days same as you " . SKTT and SKTD , same letter ,different heading .SKTTinggal and SKTDomicili . are still available in paper form from The Kantor Kepala Desa here in Grajagan/Purwoharjo . I just take my old one in , they look it up on the computer ,change dates ,registry numbers and print it out . 20 minutes . Although they wanted a contact name and adress in Australia this time .
 
From the reports I've heard lately, it sounds like you were very lucky. I can't speak for current ITAS but my current ITAP application has been in for over a month and still no word. Every time I enquire I'm told to just wait.
How long before your Kitas expired did you have to start the Kitap Application and did you have to run back and forward to the Kantor Wilyaha , your countries Embassy for "Letter of Recognition of Marriage " and then to the Director Generals Office ? Told by the Offfice here in Jember/Jawa Timur , 6 months before Kitas expires and I've got to do all the running around . Then another officer told me 3 to be safe and they send everything to the relevent offices by Internal Mail , and as long as the application is in you are ok if your Kitas expires during the process . Same with my current Kitas , ,applied late October as the Kitas expired early November 2020, picked up the new Kitas early January 2021 , just on 2 months waiting with an expired Kitas which they said was no problem as the renewal application was in the system prior to the expirey date ! Also once your Kitas Renewal / Kitap Application is in they should have given you a reference number so you can check the progress on-line !! Everything was smooth sailing until / before the Covid crap , now every region seems to have adopted there own interpritation of the rules/laws !
 
How long before your Kitas expired did you have to start the Kitap Application and did you have to run back and forward to the Kantor Wilyaha , your countries Embassy for "Letter of Recognition of Marriage " and then to the Director Generals Office ?
I went in with only 2 weeks left on my KITAS, which is when the officer told me to come in. At first they didn't want to process the KITAP and wanted me to apply for another KITAS. Surprisingly after a little protest from my wife and I, they agreed to to process the KITAP. Luckily I had all the paper work they needed, so I didn't have to do any extra running around. No time frame was mentioned by immigration the day I was there. I only became aware of the long wait times after checking into this forum. I don't quite understand why COVID has slowed down the process so much. The amount of staff is the same and there are less foreigners than usual. You would think it would be faster. I am still waiting for my KITAP BTW.
 
I went in with only 2 weeks left on my KITAS, which is when the officer told me to come in. At first they didn't want to process the KITAP and wanted me to apply for another KITAS. Surprisingly after a little protest from my wife and I, they agreed to to process the KITAP. Luckily I had all the paper work they needed, so I didn't have to do any extra running around. No time frame was mentioned by immigration the day I was there. I only became aware of the long wait times after checking into this forum. I don't quite understand why COVID has slowed down the process so much. The amount of staff is the same and there are less foreigners than usual. You would think it would be faster. I am still waiting for my KITAP BTW.
Yeah , got me buggered why , they've got computers . Not like there running around to other departments /offices on foot . The office in Jember was dead , I was the only foriegner there and a hand full of Indonesians . This is why I haven"t converted over to Kitap previously. different story every time you ask and different again with eveyone you ask in the same office !! On my last renewal now and have to get the Kitap this time or leave the country and start the whole process again . I'm looking at near 10 million rupiah if I've got to do all the running around , I'm a 6-7hour return drive from the Immigration office ,14 hour return drive from the Kantor Wilyaha in Surabaya , then if I've got to take everything to the Director General in Jakarta it's a 3-4 day trip+ accomodation. Supposedly one Indonesia wide system in place as of last year , when they started the on-line renewal system "which only puts you in the que " , there supposed to contact you with a date to come in , 3 weeks I waited then they wanted me there the next day when I rang to see what was going on ! Cheers and good luck !
 
Sometimes when the process is made nonsensically difficult, there is someone waiting for you to offer a little fee to make it go quicker and easier. I am not making any specific accusation or recommendation, just an observation.
 
Sometimes when the process is made nonsensically difficult, there is someone waiting for you to offer a little fee to make it go quicker and easier. I am not making any specific accusation or recommendation, just an observation.
Ha Ha , sure they had a scam going at the Jember office with Kitas renewals and maybe other documents . Whether it was office wide or not I don't know " maybe someone wasn't gettting as much as someone else and they spilt the beans on the others " but once they stopped cash transactions / payments at the office and went to making payment via bank transfer the renewal fee dropped by 200,000rp !! The 20-50,000rp descreetly placed in whatever paperwork you hand in still works at a lot of the smaller places here , or if there making things difficult , once you pull the wallet out there quick to let you know how much to get whatever you want ! Dozens of guys hang around outside the local Motor Registry , they'll get anything passed , new titles , names changed etc etc for the right coloured fist full of notes !
 
In East Java, patience is a virtue. Applied 2 months before the Kitas expired, late October to early March for my Kitap conversion. . had some hoops to jump through as per usual regarding my partners KK and an incorrectly labelled integration Surat, but didn't need the recognition letter.They were reluctant to let me make the application giving the delays and various obtuse reasonings but finally relented and let me lodge the application. So it's best to just politely insist that you want to make the conversion application and lodge it with them.. Hopefully the will oblige you and once you lodge it leave it at that and just be patient.
 
Yeah the Jember office told me at least 6 months before my Kitas expires , due to the Corona restrictions and everything having to be approved by various Departments and that I'd definately need the Letter of Recognition . Lodged my Kitas renewal late October 2020 and didn't get it until early January 2021, usually takes 3-5 days . Did you lodge your Kitap application at the Jember Imigration Office ? If so did they send the application to Surabaya for approval by the Kantor Wilayha then send it to the Director General in Jakarta ? The female officer at Jember told me I've got to go to Surabaya then to Jakarta as everything has to be handing in by the applicant at the various departments ! Which will add another 5 million rupiah "travel and accomodation " to the 5 million for the Kitap and Merp as I'm down in the far south/east past Banyuwangi . I think she might have her information wrong as everything in the past has been sent by internal mail ! Cheers .
 
Sometimes when the process is made nonsensically difficult, there is someone waiting for you to offer a little fee to make it go quicker and easier. I am not making any specific accusation or recommendation, just an observation.
I always wonder regarding kitas to kitap conversion if it’s not so much waiting to be offered a fee as it is not wanting to lose “business”. A Kitas means revenue (official or otherwise in “cuts” if the applicant uses an agent) every year whereas a Kitap means the revenue is now once every 5 years. This goes for both the bureaucrats and agents (if you use them).

And in this regard, “it will take too long” is a convenient way to discourage people to apply. And if you have family and work (or both), you’re discouraged at the idea of having your Kitas runs out as you apply for your Kitap.

This is an observation based on my experience with my current agent who’s been using the “it will take too long” reason. The vibe I get when they tell me this is “don’t bother applying or asking us about this” rather than “we can help you if you pay more”. Though as I’m finding out in recent times not all agents are like this.
 
I always wonder regarding kitas to kitap conversion if it’s not so much waiting to be offered a fee as it is not wanting to lose “business”. A Kitas means revenue (official or otherwise in “cuts” if the applicant uses an agent) every year whereas a Kitap means the revenue is now once every 5 years. This goes for both the bureaucrats and agents (if you use them).

And in this regard, “it will take too long” is a convenient way to discourage people to apply. And if you have family and work (or both), you’re discouraged at the idea of having your Kitas runs out as you apply for your Kitap.

This is an observation based on my experience with my current agent who’s been using the “it will take too long” reason. The vibe I get when they tell me this is “don’t bother applying or asking us about this” rather than “we can help you if you pay more”. Though as I’m finding out in recent times not all agents are like this.
Yeah , I wanted to do my conversion in 2018 but got the "it takes a long time and your Kitas will expire before it's processed " story . Then when I renewed my Kitas this time they said as long as the application is in the system your ok if your current Kitas expires during the process ! I haven't used an agent after finding out I got charged nearly 10million rupiah over other agent fees for my original/first Kitas ,and I had to do half of the running around as they said I lived to far away for them to send someone down from there Surabaya office . Local offices here are still quick to let you know "Discreetly " a few $$ will get you whatever you want !!
 
I can't help but think that since so many people are having the exact same experience of being discouraged from applying for KITAP, there is word coming from the higher ups to do so. The reason could be money, as stated by Sam, by losing the yearly income or it could be related to something else altogether. It also appears that it only takes a little pressure to get them to accept the KITAP application. It's like they want to discourage you but only to a certain point. It's odd if nothing else.
 

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