Married to an Indonesian in Thailand

[Digitarius]

I married an Indonesian girl a few weeks ago and was about to notify my agent when she happen to send me an email asking me to renew my MERP/KITAS and the cost will be 11,500,000 only 500,000 rupiah less than what she charged me initially. She also said I must fill out a SKTT. I know my wife can be my sponsor but since we just got married do I need to wait a year or two? How do I drop my present sponsor and get my wife or anyone else to sponsor me, what is the process. My KITAS expires in MAY of this year. I want to begin the process now. I have not told anyone we are married yet, even though, we did have the required documents from her local village head, not sure of his title. I have the documents from the Indonesian embassy in Thailand. Any help would be appreciated I want to start this process now. I think if I can do this myself with my wife or her brother then it would not cost me 11,500,000 rupiah and I do need to save money.

 

[jstar]

I think there's a bit of a misunderstanding; only after two years of marriage, you can apply for a KITAP. That is a permanent residence permit, it normally succeeds a KITAS. A (K)ITAS sponsored by your spouse you can get right away, since the marriage is official and registered.

I guess you have a retirement visa now? If so, this May is perfect timing to not extend it and start from scratch with your wife. Yes, you would save a lot of money. You can finish earlier but the agent (sponsor) will need to help you with an EPO (search the forum).

Here is more info: https://www.expatindo.org/spousal-vitas-in-2019-update/
But don forget it only describes one of two possible procedures, the VITAS route. There is also a route via entering the country on a social visit visa (formerly called SosBud) which has to sponsored by your wife.

 

[harryopal1]

You can apply for the Sosbud visa through the the Indonesian Embassy in Thailand. It is a relatively simple procedure and can be processed in a few days. Here is a link to how to do it and what you need.
https://www.indonesia-investments.c...visa-permits-immigration/visit-visa/item7561?

If you go to the homepage of this forum you will also find step by step guidance for a VITAS. A lot on depends upon the capacity of your wife to follow the paper trail and develop an orderly system to complete the application. It can involve multiple visits to Immigration Offices and is quite a process which is why I guess many people go to an agent. But, as you say, it costs money.

 

[Digitarius]

Yes Jstar I do have a retirement visa now which expires in May. It seems my first step is to get the SKTT and then proceed to renew the KITAS. What do you mean start from scratch, so I should not renew the KITAS and just start over with her instead?

I never heard of the Sosbud visa thanks harryopal.

When you say an agent would have to help me with the EPO is this something I absolutely need the agent to take care of. I really want to do this on my own and not pay an agent anything. I agent I have now is ok but really has trouble communicating and almost cost me an extra $200.00 because he told me about the time at immigrasi 2 hours before I was to be there and I was 4 hours away, just bad communication even if I have someone talk to him or her in bahasa.

 

[Digitarius]

it seems like the sosbud is a visit visa. I don't get why I need that. I am here and have a KITAS already, so what am I missing about that link you asked me to look at harryopal?

 

[Digitarius]

Ok so the Exit Permit Only is what the agent would have to help me with from what I read on the postings. I cannot to this alone? So should I even apply for the SKTT? Do I get the EPO and then reapply at an outside embassy and start from scratch with my wife only. Wow seems like a lot to get done. Yeah I see why many choose the agent but I'll give it a shot just want to be clear on the order I should be doing things in.

 

[jstar]

The SKTT is just an ID which is also necessary if you want to extend your current KITAS. But you don't, right?

A possible simple steps plan: get the EPO, leave the country, return on SosBud (not the official name anymore), apply for (new) KITAS sponsored by wife, apply for SKTT.

Much easier than you'd think though.

 

[Digitarius]

I don't want to extend present KITAS if me and my wife can obtain it ourselves. Do I need the sponsor to get the EOP?

 

[dafluff]

I don't want to extend present KITAS if me and my wife can obtain it ourselves. Do I need the sponsor to get the EOP?

If you are on a retirement KITAS, then your agent needs to process the EPO. This is because they are your sponsor. Once you have the EPO, you need to leave Indonesia. I think the best way is for you to come back on a Social Budaya visa, sponsored by your wife, then convert this to a wife sponsored KITAS.

At this point you do not need SKTT yet, because you will be starting again from the first KITAS, this time sponsored by your wife.

 

[Digitarius]

Oh ok then I'll give that a try.

 

[Digitarius]

I just requested my sponsor process the EPO but no response yet. Do I need to be in Indonesia in order to process it, because I am going back to Thailand for a few days as of tomorrow and was going to return on Saturday but maybe I won't return until my wife applies for the visit visa to save some time.

 

[Digitarius]

Actually I see I must be here because I need to get the EPO stamp.

 

[jstar]

Actually I see I must be here because I need to get the EPO stamp.

Yep

A possible simple steps plan: get the EPO, leave the country, return on SosBud (not the official name anymore), apply for (new) KITAS sponsored by wife, apply for SKTT.

 

[Bad_azz]

I believe you are supposed to notify the Catatan Sipil of your marriage within 1 month of coming to Indonesia after getting married.
So if you haven't done that look in to it- you will need a photograph of the pair of you for their documentation-I forget what it is called, I got married in Thailand and I wrote up the process somewhere... will put a link to it in a bit

Edit- added link

https://www.expatindo.org/community/threads/mixed-marriage-outside-of-indonesia.173/#post-2907

 

[Digitarius]

My wife notified the Catatn Sipil of our marriage in her city. After I get EPO Ieave Indonesia and go to Singapore where my wife will send letter to the embassy there about applying for a Single Visit visa. Is there anyone I should talk to in Singapore for help with this process? I am assuming I only have to remain there a few days, hopefully. I saw somewhere on this site where someone said they went there one morning and was done that evening and returned to Indonesia is that possible?

 

[jstar]

I saw somewhere on this site where someone said they went there one morning and was done that evening and returned to Indonesia is that possible?

Yes, if you use an agent. You need to consider the price difference between having to pay for a hotel and the agent.

It seems @snpark knows a good one (was it Ali or was that long ago?). Contact him if you want to go that route.

 

[snpark]

 

[Digitarius]

Oh ok I will. I rather do it myself but don't want to get stuck there not knowing what to do.

 

[Digitarius]

Thanks snpark. You have any idea what this guy charges?

 

[snpark]

For kitas I think it's about s$260 or something and s$170 for sosbud I think. Roughly. Includes the fees which are about that much anyway as in he is not making huge amount but cheaper and quicker than a night in SG