ITAS renewal

[Pilgrimrunner]

Hi all,
I've been reminded by my 'agency' that my Kitas is due renewal, mid May, but that the process has changed (see below) and now I will have to leave Indonesia for 2 weeks!
Originally I only had to leave for a day, usually I'd fly to Singapore, do the visa thing and fly back the same day. Then during Covid, they changed the rules so you didn't need to leave the country at all. I understand that would come to an end at some point but now having to leave for 2 weeks feels outrageous to me.

Can anyone verify that we now have to leave country for 2 weeks please, or is my agency just trying to fleece me (again)?

Thank you...

 

[gemima]

This makes no sense to me - I havent had to leave for a KITAS renewal since long before covid happened.
Are they applying for a new KITAS for you each year? Are you sure its 100% legit (I had a dodgy agent at the start which meant I had to leave indonesia for each renewal - I found out he was not doing it the full legal way after 18 months here).
Recently I went over the 5 year renewal and the process was a bit more complicated than it was on the earlier renewals but I didn't have to leave Indonesia for it.

 

[fastpitch17]

Hi all,
I've been reminded by my 'agency' that my Kitas is due renewal, mid May, but that the process has changed (see below) and now I will have to leave Indonesia for 2 weeks!
Originally I only had to leave for a day, usually I'd fly to Singapore, do the visa thing and fly back the same day. Then during Covid, they changed the rules so you didn't need to leave the country at all. I understand that would come to an end at some point but now having to leave for 2 weeks feels outrageous to me.

Can anyone verify that we now have to leave country for 2 weeks please, or is my agency just trying to fleece me (again)?

Thank you...

View attachment 3917

You should find a new agent or easier and cheaper yet, do it yourself. Once I went beyond a Sosbud visa, many years ago, I never had to leave to renew a kitas or KiTAP.

 

[centurion]

Hi all,
I've been reminded by my 'agency' that my Kitas is due renewal, mid May, but that the process has changed (see below) and now I will have to leave Indonesia for 2 weeks!
Originally I only had to leave for a day, usually I'd fly to Singapore, do the visa thing and fly back the same day. Then during Covid, they changed the rules so you didn't need to leave the country at all. I understand that would come to an end at some point but now having to leave for 2 weeks feels outrageous to me.

Can anyone verify that we now have to leave country for 2 weeks please, or is my agency just trying to fleece me (again)?

Thank you...

View attachment 3917

If you do EPO, your KITAS is not renewed, but cancelled. You got a new one (visa+KITAS).

 

[snpark]

Nonsense
In and out same day is fine.
Even now there's not even entry exit stamps in SG

But just fly morning come back same say

I spent all day in SG lounge "The Club". V fancy.

But you don't need to leave for 2 weeks. Why 2? Not 3? Or 1? What's 14 days so special

Maybe she means 14 days to process new visa?

I did mine January with the new version

 

[Teabag]

Hi all,
I've been reminded by my 'agency' that my Kitas is due renewal, mid May, but that the process has changed (see below) and now I will have to leave Indonesia for 2 weeks!

Your agent is an idiot ! Do it yourself, it's cheaper and nowadays the immigration officers are very friendly and helpful.

Dump your stupid agent !

 

[Pilgrimrunner]

Thanks for all the comments, they are pretty much what I was expecting to be honest.
I am doing EPO according to them
This is a quote from their email:
"Now, after quota application we need EPO proof to continue Notification. That’s why we need to then collect your passport to process EPO (cancellation of current ITAS). After EPO has been done, you are only allowed to stay in Indonesia for 7 days, day 1 is counted the day EPO is released.

Let’s say you planned to leave Indonesia on 1st of May and we finished your EPO on the 29th – you can still leave Indonesia max on 5th May (7 days validity).

However, if you choose to leave on 23rd May (last day of ITAS expiry), you still have to leave on 23rd of May even though we finish EPO on 20th May (no 7 days validity because it will follow your actual ITAS expiry date). Hope this is understandable so far.

In the past, we don’t need EPO proof to process Notification (process of obtaining Work Permit). Now, we must cancel the old one first, to apply for new ones. We believe its to hinder double Work Permits. Because of this, we cannot do everything in parallel and wait for eVisa release. We must cancel your ITAS first before continue processing Notification and so on. So by the time you’ll be abroad, we’re technically only on the second step if we compare it with the past process.
"
I can't change my agent as they are linked to the company who employs me (it's long and convoluted). In my opinion, they milk the system and make money from the US company who ultimately pays my wages.
Tks

 

[Samoerai]

they milk the system and make money from the US company

For sure ... you don't need to do an EPO (and leave the country), unless you change jobs or company.

 

[AhhSamboi]

I'm on a Spouse Kitas. Just renewed, took less than a week(if you don't count the weekend) didn't need to leave the country. Not sure if they treat it differently for a working one but it wouldn't quite make sense to need to leave the country if you're just renewing it.

 

[Balifrog]

Your agent is an idiot ! Do it yourself, it's cheaper and nowadays the immigration officers are very friendly and helpful.

Dump your stupid agent !

Except if he is on a retirement visa, for which an agent is mandatory....

But yes,.I would be interested to know who is this "agent" because sure sething fishy going on.

 

[Balifrog]

Thanks for all the comments, they are pretty much what I was expecting to be honest.
I am doing EPO according to them
This is a quote from their email:
"Now, after quota application we need EPO proof to continue Notification. That’s why we need to then collect your passport to process EPO (cancellation of current ITAS). After EPO has been done, you are only allowed to stay in Indonesia for 7 days, day 1 is counted the day EPO is released.

Let’s say you planned to leave Indonesia on 1st of May and we finished your EPO on the 29th – you can still leave Indonesia max on 5th May (7 days validity).

However, if you choose to leave on 23rd May (last day of ITAS expiry), you still have to leave on 23rd of May even though we finish EPO on 20th May (no 7 days validity because it will follow your actual ITAS expiry date). Hope this is understandable so far.

In the past, we don’t need EPO proof to process Notification (process of obtaining Work Permit). Now, we must cancel the old one first, to apply for new ones. We believe its to hinder double Work Permits. Because of this, we cannot do everything in parallel and wait for eVisa release. We must cancel your ITAS first before continue processing Notification and so on. So by the time you’ll be abroad, we’re technically only on the second step if we compare it with the past process.
"
I can't change my agent as they are linked to the company who employs me (it's long and convoluted). In my opinion, they milk the system and make money from the US company who ultimately pays my wages.
Tks

As I said, something smells of rotten fish here !

 

[fastpitch17]

You so not need to leave for any reason.
You Do Not want an Epo which forces you to leave and then start over to return. You want a MERP (multiple entry and exit permit)

Your agent is either a complete ideot or adding up the charges to make you pay for things you really don't need. Either way, dump them.

Depending on your visa requirement, if you are able by law to process it yourself, do that and save a lot of money. If your visa, like retirement visa then find a reputable agent because you have to have an agent sponsor you.

 

[Brian86]

He is trying to cancel your visa and create a new one, this is not required. Insist that you want him to process an extension rather than a new visa. An agent is not required either, just a company representative, typically the HR person, who can go directly to the local immigration office and process the extension.

 

[Shadrach]

Can someone please show a photo of what the MERP stamp looks like?

 

[Pilgrimrunner]

For sure ... you don't need to do an EPO (and leave the country), unless you change jobs or company.

I'm certainly not changing jobs or company, I've been with these for a few years now

 

[Pilgrimrunner]

He is trying to cancel your visa and create a new one, this is not required. Insist that you want him to process an extension rather than a new visa. An agent is not required either, just a company representative, typically the HR person, who can go directly to the local immigration office and process the extension.

I've informed them that we need to do an extension, not renewal. The 'agent' is more like an HR company who oversee my admin for another company...

 

[Pilgrimrunner]

You so not need to leave for any reason.
You Do Not want an Epo which forces you to leave and then start over to return. You want a MERP (multiple entry and exit permit)

Your agent is either a complete ideot or adding up the charges to make you pay for things you really don't need. Either way, dump them.

Depending on your visa requirement, if you are able by law to process it yourself, do that and save a lot of money. If your visa, like retirement visa then find a reputable agent because you have to have an agent sponsor you.

I'm not at the retirement age yet, so no issues there but yes, I'll mention the MERP to add weight to my argument

 

[Pilgrimrunner]

Can someone please show a photo of what the MERP stamp looks like?

Found this online....

 

[Samoerai]

I'm not at the retirement age yet, so no issues there but yes, I'll mention the MERP to add weight to my argument

A MERP automatically add to a Kitas, as far as I know.

 

[gemima]

I've informed them that we need to do an extension, not renewal. The 'agent' is more like an HR company who oversee my admin for another company...

If the employment arrangement is complicated - going via multiple companies I can understand why they might give you a NEW kitas each time but the majority of us working here don't do our KITAS like this - we just renew it each year (after 5 years there is a kinda new KITAS but you don't need to leave the country even for this one).