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Foreigners can apply for a Retirement Visa as long as they have a sponsor. The sponsor must be a travel agent who has been preapproved by the Government of Indonesia to act as a sponsor. If you are married to an Indonesian citizen, you can choose a different route, described below.
USING A TRAVEL AGENT AS SPONSOR
To get a retirement visa, foreigners are required to hire an approved agent to do the paperwork. For a retirement visa, expect to pay from US$1,500 to $2,000 for their service. (Click here for Expat Indo suggestions on choosing an agent.)
The travel agent will need to write a letter on the applicant's behalf confirming that they are serving as sponsor. The rest of the process must be carried out by the applicant. who first goes to an Office of Immigration or Kantor Imigrasi. Applicants must be:
Documentation Required
Taxes
Retirement Visa holders are required to pay Indonesian income tax on their personal earnings. Over US$20,000 per year would be about 35%.
IF YOU HAVE AN INDONESIAN SPOUSE
If you have an Indonesian spouse, the procedure for the Retirement Visa is no different. So, if you are married to an Indonesian citizen, my recommendation to everyone is to avoid the Retirement Visa due to its strict requirements. Instead, have your spouse sponsor you for a spouse-sponsored KITAS, and later a spouse-sponsored KITAP. You will no longer need to have a special agent as your sponsor saving you quite a bit of money. You can either process the Visa yourself or hire and agent at much lesser fees then if you had them sponsor you. You will no longer have a requirement for insurance, showing income, a minimum of property rent paid, or a guarantee of hiring domestic help. All in all, you save a lot of money and hassles over getting a retirement Visa and end up with the same privileges it offers.
While Indonesia still has on the books that you need to be able to demonstrate enough income to live (in order to obtain a spouse-sponsored KITAS/KITAP), I have not heard of anyone being asked for proof over the past four years. It is your sponsor that is guaranteeing that you will be stable in all regards.
Cost
KITAS (1 Year) Non Electronic, Rp800,000, Electronic Rp1,000,000
KITAP (5 Year) Non Electronic, Rp3,500,000, Electronic, Rp3,700,000
KITAP Renewal, (unlimited) Non Electronic Rp10,000,000, Electronic, Rp10,200,000
Fingerprints and picture. Rp150,000
Usual legal disclaimer: While every effort has been made to make the above information as accurate as possible, the writer is not a lawyer, nor is this article supposed to be legal advice. Readers are advised to recall that Indonesian laws, regulations, and procedures can change at any time.
Questions/Comments/Corrections? Please add them below!
USING A TRAVEL AGENT AS SPONSOR
To get a retirement visa, foreigners are required to hire an approved agent to do the paperwork. For a retirement visa, expect to pay from US$1,500 to $2,000 for their service. (Click here for Expat Indo suggestions on choosing an agent.)
The travel agent will need to write a letter on the applicant's behalf confirming that they are serving as sponsor. The rest of the process must be carried out by the applicant. who first goes to an Office of Immigration or Kantor Imigrasi. Applicants must be:
- Age 55 or older
- In possession of a valid passport with more than 18 months remaining before expiration
Documentation Required
- Copy of all passport pages and four passport photos, 4x6cm
- Curriculum Vitae with work history
- Proof of income/pension/savings that pays a minimum of US$1,500 per month
- Proof of medical, death, and personal liability insurance
- Letter of sponsorship from an approved travel agency
- Statement of accommodation in Indonesia showing a rent value of US$500 per month for Jakarta or Bali homes or $200 per month for elsewhere.
- Statement that they will employ domestic help while living in Indonesia
- Statement agreeing not to work or engage in business in Indonesia while living in Indonesia
Taxes
Retirement Visa holders are required to pay Indonesian income tax on their personal earnings. Over US$20,000 per year would be about 35%.
IF YOU HAVE AN INDONESIAN SPOUSE
If you have an Indonesian spouse, the procedure for the Retirement Visa is no different. So, if you are married to an Indonesian citizen, my recommendation to everyone is to avoid the Retirement Visa due to its strict requirements. Instead, have your spouse sponsor you for a spouse-sponsored KITAS, and later a spouse-sponsored KITAP. You will no longer need to have a special agent as your sponsor saving you quite a bit of money. You can either process the Visa yourself or hire and agent at much lesser fees then if you had them sponsor you. You will no longer have a requirement for insurance, showing income, a minimum of property rent paid, or a guarantee of hiring domestic help. All in all, you save a lot of money and hassles over getting a retirement Visa and end up with the same privileges it offers.
While Indonesia still has on the books that you need to be able to demonstrate enough income to live (in order to obtain a spouse-sponsored KITAS/KITAP), I have not heard of anyone being asked for proof over the past four years. It is your sponsor that is guaranteeing that you will be stable in all regards.
Cost
KITAS (1 Year) Non Electronic, Rp800,000, Electronic Rp1,000,000
KITAP (5 Year) Non Electronic, Rp3,500,000, Electronic, Rp3,700,000
KITAP Renewal, (unlimited) Non Electronic Rp10,000,000, Electronic, Rp10,200,000
Fingerprints and picture. Rp150,000
Usual legal disclaimer: While every effort has been made to make the above information as accurate as possible, the writer is not a lawyer, nor is this article supposed to be legal advice. Readers are advised to recall that Indonesian laws, regulations, and procedures can change at any time.
Questions/Comments/Corrections? Please add them below!
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with a government agency.
