Two Year E31A Spouse Visa (First time Application)

[m17tgw]

Hey Everyone , it's been a while since I've posted but just wanted to ask fellow spouse holder's who have gone the the process

So I'm looking to make my application as early as next year as I'm still working in the UK, happy with the whole application process, I'm just unsure of what to expect on Arrival at CGK, I know it's a separate counter, am I fully processed at the airport e.g biometrics etc or is it the 30 day entry stamp then a separate visit to immigration after entry?

If the application is done online is it just of bringing printed copies of the visa and marriage certificate etc with you ?

I'm applying for Two year Permit soon so just want to hear from you guys

Thanks in Advance

 

[marcus]

... I'm just unsure of what to expect on Arrival at CGK, I know it's a separate counter, am I fully processed at the airport e.g biometrics etc or is it the 30 day entry stamp then a separate visit to immigration after entry?

It is simpler now .
First you create a "Guarantor" account (for your Indonesian spouse) at https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/front/register .
After the account is approved , login into it at https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/front/login and request the E31A e-Visa (in reality you will be requesting/paying the ITAS and Re-Entry Permit too) .
When approved you receive the e-Visa through an email and after entering Indonesia you receive an e-ITAS through another email . No more biometrics at the airport or at Kantor Imigrasi .

If the application is done online is it just of bringing printed copies of the visa and marriage certificate etc with you ?

There are now the "Autogates" (in Jakarta's and Bali's airport - not sure in other airports) where you may not need even the printed e-Visa (but not sure , better hear from who used it) . If at the normal Immigration gates at the airport you better present the printed e-Visa .

 

[m17tgw]

Thanks for the detailed response

 

[Nicho]

Thanks for the detailed response

Think you will find you will have to go to immigration . New law /rule came in at the end of May 2025, All new and renewals/extensions have to be done through the online e-visa system but biometrics and and interview to be done at Immigration . They did an investigation and found at lot of suspect visa holders and previously unregistered / license cancelled agents using the new system . The new law/rule was/is posted on the Director General of Immigration /Immigration Indonesia web page . Or google search ; Circular Letter Number IMI-417GR 01,01 Year 2025. Effective 29 May 2025 . You will probably be told when you apply for the E31A spouse visa .

 

[Shadrach]

Think you will find you will have to go to immigration . New law /rule came in at the end of May 2025, All new and renewals/extensions have to be done through the online e-visa system but biometrics and and interview to be done at Immigration . They did an investigation and found at lot of suspect visa holders and previously unregistered / license cancelled agents using the new system . The new law/rule was/is posted on the Director General of Immigration /Immigration Indonesia web page . Or google search ; Circular Letter Number IMI-417GR 01,01 Year 2025. Effective 29 May 2025 . You will probably be told when you apply for the E31A spouse visa .

What a Circus!

 

[Nicho]

What a Circus!

I've got 12 months before I apply for the unlimited Kitap/Merp . Hopefully they'll have a ring master by then and the clowns won't be running the "CIRCUS" .

 

[marcus]

... New law /rule came ... All new and renewals/extensions have to be done through the online e-visa system but biometrics and and interview to be done at Immigration ... You will probably be told when you apply for the E31A spouse visa .

Not totally true . The new rule (see about it at https://www.expatindo.org/community/threads/extension-of-stay-permit.8041/#post-111787) refers to extensions only , does not affect new or renew (renew as "do it again" after an Exit Only Permit/EPO , or a "Bridge" Visit Permit) . So it does not apply to m17tgw's case .

 

[Shadrach]

Not totally true . The new rule (see about it at https://www.expatindo.org/community/threads/extension-of-stay-permit.8041/#post-111787) refers to extensions only , does not affect new or renew (renew as "do it again" after an Exit Only Permit/EPO , or a "Bridge" Visit Permit) . So it does not apply to m17tgw's case .

One thing that seems to be constant is they keep making new rules, that have kinks, then they have to get fixed! I still think it's a mistake not issuing laminated cards, and having all your information only online. I had my agent make a laminated card of my E-ITAP, to carry with me wherever I go. I will do the same with my MERP, if I want to leave the country? It just doesn't seem like a good idea, to have to rely on Smartphones here in this country, because there are always glitches in the systems here!

 

[m17tgw]

It is simpler now .
First you create a "Guarantor" account (for your Indonesian spouse) at https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/front/register .
After the account is approved , login into it at https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/front/login and request the E31A e-Visa (in reality you will be requesting/paying the ITAS and Re-Entry Permit too) .
When approved you receive the e-Visa through an email and after entering Indonesia you receive an e-ITAS through another email . No more biometrics at the airport or at Kantor Imigrasi .

There are now the "Autogates" (in Jakarta's and Bali's airport - not sure in other airports) where you may not need even the printed e-Visa (but not sure , better hear from who used it) . If at the normal Immigration gates at the airport you better present the printed e-Visa .

Am I correct on the initial application that my wife is the one that creates the guarantor account??

 

[marcus]

Am I correct on the initial application that my wife is the one that creates the guarantor account??

Yes , theoretically .

According to how the Indonesian evisa website was designed , with a foreigner's account he/she can request for himself/herself only visas/processes that do not require a sponsor/guarantor (like Visa-On-Arrival , Tourist Visit Visa , Investor Residence Visa , ..) .

As the Visa E31A and related processes (ITAS, EPO, ITAS to ITAP, ...) are sponsored by the Indonesian spouse , in your case , they need to be requested from the sponsor's account . But in my view , we foreigners better do these things ourselves , in behalf of our sponsors (except if the Indonesian spouse does not allow) . This because these processes refer to our personal documents and so we are the ones to lose the most if something runs wrongly .

 

[macvert]

Does anyone please know the correct minimum & maximum sizes for uploads when applying for vitas?

All I can see on the evisa site is minimum 400 x 600 pixels & maximum 2mb for the photo which conflicts with the Ditgen site that says 200kb for both the passport & photo.

Nowhere that we can see is anything mentioned about minimum or maximum sizes for PDF's & it seems there is no way my PDF's are gonna shrink down to under 200kb

Ditjen's apparent chatbot said 50kb – 5mb for everything but changed his / her / it's mind to 2mb max for photos & 5mb max for documents after I uploaded the attached screenshots.

 

[jstar]

Sorry but I recently removed all screen prints of the eVisa. As far as I remember the maximum size is 5 MB for PDF’s. I’m also quite sure they mention that next to the fields or on top/bottom of the screen. Don’t forget it takes some time to upload so be patient and don’t start clicking on the button.

It’s not so difficult to achieve these sizes, even after combining scans into one you can use tools like https://shrinkpdf.com/
Similar tools are available for jpg.

Post in thread 'Kitap Renewal struggles'
https://www.expatindo.org/community/threads/kitap-renewal-struggles.7992/post-111219

 

[marcus]

Does anyone please know the correct minimum & maximum sizes for uploads when applying for vitas?

All I can see on the evisa site is minimum 400 x 600 pixels & maximum 2mb for the photo which conflicts with the Ditgen site that says 200kb for both the passport & photo.

I just checked the photo I uploaded in the evisa site (but to create an account) , it was a 330,000 bytes/330 KB (or 2.64 M bits/Mb) photo , so I think the maximum is 2MB (not 2Mb) . File sizes are also usually presented in bytes .

Nowhere that we can see is anything mentioned about minimum or maximum sizes for PDF's & it seems there is no way my PDF's are gonna shrink down to under 200kb ...

I don't remember if I saw the limit for pdf when creating the account , but in other unrelated process (ITAS to ITAP) , AhhSamboi was asked to upload a pdf of maximum 5MB : "... Merge these documents into one pdf file before uploading it and make sure the file is not more than 5 MB in size ..." (see that at https://www.expatindo.org/community...onversion-in-the-new-evisa-system.7876/page-3 , post no.51) .

 

[macvert]

Sorry but I recently removed all screen prints of the eVisa. As far as I remember the maximum size is 5 MB for PDF’s. I’m also quite sure they mention that next to the fields or on top/bottom of the screen. Don’t forget it takes some time to upload so be patient and don’t start clicking on the button.

It’s not so difficult to achieve these sizes, even after combining scans into one you can use tools like https://shrinkpdf.com/
Similar tools are available for jpg.

Post in thread 'Kitap Renewal struggles'
https://www.expatindo.org/community/threads/kitap-renewal-struggles.7992/post-111219

Thanks for the reply, I still can't see anything near the fields regarding size but the consensus seems to be 2MB max for both passport & photo & 5MB max for PDF's.

I used PDF24 (free, & very user friendly) to compress my PDF's but they would only go down to about 1MB which had me a bit concerned at first.

I just checked the photo I uploaded in the evisa site (but to create an account) , it was a 330,000 bytes/330 KB (or 2.64 M bits/Mb) photo , so I think the maximum is 2MB (not 2Mb) . File sizes are also usually presented in bytes .

I don't remember if I saw the limit for pdf when creating the account , but in other unrelated process (ITAS to ITAP) , AhhSamboi was asked to upload a pdf of maximum 5MB : "... Merge these documents into one pdf file before uploading it and make sure the file is not more than 5 MB in size ..." (see that at https://www.expatindo.org/community...onversion-in-the-new-evisa-system.7876/page-3 , post no.51) .

Thanks for the reply, yes MB, my mistake. My photo was done at a studio where they have a program for passport & visa photos for most countries including Indonesia. I showed the photographer a screen shot of the example photo & criteria on the evisa site (if that guy's head in that example photo is between 50 & 60% of the height of that photo then I'm not here), anyway, the program had all the lines for correct placement of the image & it automatically turned out the minimal size of 400 x 600 & only 26.5kb
.

 

[marcus]

... yes MB, my mistake.

Immigration's mistake (from the photo you showed , it says 2Mb) .

My photo was done at a studio where they have a program for passport & visa photos ... the program had all the lines for correct placement of the image & it automatically turned out the minimal size of 400 x 600 & only 26.5kb.

I just used my cell phone for the photo at home and later I downsized it a little in the computer (my MX23 Linux's native picture app has this capability) .