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If you are coming to Indonesia on a Visa-on-arrival procedure, you have no choice but to travel out and back in to Indonesia to re-new your visa. This usually after 3 days (USD 10) or maximum 30 days (USD 25), depending on how long a visa you paid your US Dollars for.
Visa on-arrival or extendable visa?
That’s something similar I used to do when still living in Phuket/Thailand. Every month you just travel to one of the surrounding countries, cross the border, the officers at the checkpoint stamp you out, you enjoy a few hours in Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia or Laos - and back you travel to Thailand. New stamp, new visa. Now it’s a bit more difficult, as Thailand recently changed their visa regulations.
But back to Indonesia - if you want to spend some longer time here, traveling in and out isn’t really an option. Except you live somewhere close to the neighboring countries. Indonesia is just too big to just travel out for a short while. And it’s definitely more expensive, as you mainly need a return flight. If you have friends in Singapore to fly to once in a while or live in the northern Riau Island like Batam or Bintan, it might be okay - but we are talking Bali here. Right in the middle of the 17.000 indonesian islands, thousands of kilometres and about 2 hours of flight away from the next country.
So you probably came here anyway on a different kind of visa. That is (if you don’t work in Indonesia) mainly a Social Visit Visa, or Sosial Budaya, as it’s called here. The work visa is called KITAS or KITAP, depending if you are employer or being employed.
Application outside of Indonesia
You can apply for this kind of visa for instance at the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore (which is rumored to be the fastest and most effective one in Asia) or any other embassy or consulate back in your home country. The process at the embassy will take you 3 days and you will end up with a Visa (single- or multi-entry, again depending how much you spent), which is valid for 2 month and allows up to 4 renewals or extension within Indonesia. You will need a formal indonesian sponsor.
The first 2 months of this visa are obviously the most convenient ones, as you have 60 days in a row, where you don’t have to worry about visa problems. When the expiry date of your 2 months closes in, panic usually is setting in. 8-/
So, how to extend that thing? Cost me how much?
You have basically 2 options, to get your visa extended for another month:
- pay a Visa Agency to do all the paper work for you
- D.I.Y. - meaning, to deal with the Indonesia bureaucracy yourself
Option 1 is usually done by handing over your passport, some passport pictures and the amount of 400.000-600.000 Rupiah to an agent, who is doing all the paperwork and trip to the immigration offices for you. Those agencies are to be found all over Bali and are usually reliable (according to the expats I spoke to). Some even keep your passport the whole time or until you really have to leave the country for a re-newal or other trip.
If you don’t have that much money to spend (just imagine that you could buy about 16 to 32 large beer Bintang for the amount you could save) and if you have more time than money - why not go the extra mile and get your extension yourself for about 200.000 Rupiah only?
All you have to do is to show up at one of the 2 immigration offices in Bali (one is located directly at the Airport bypass, the other in a nice Balinese-style building in Jl. Panjaitan in Denpasar) and fill out the paper forms which will be thrown at you. 
Actually it’s not that difficult: all officers speak english well enough, the forms are self-explaining and consist mainly of information from your passport and your sponsor in the first place. Fill them out, copy your passport (personals page and stamp/visa page) and hand it over to one of the officers. Voila! You can be out there in 10-15 minutes!
You have to come back usually twice: one time to ‘learn’, that your visa extension is approved and that *now* is the right time for you to hand-over the above mentioned 200.000 Rupiah. That is usually a matter of 2 minutes and you are out again. Then you have to come back the next day to pick up your stamped/extended passport.
Your time or your money!
That’s all! The only letdown is, that you are now only free for another 2 weeks, before starting the whole procedure again; as the time between 1st visit and pickup is about 1 week and you are supposed to go there again about 1 week before the expiry date.
3 days will do as well, as I just figured out last month. Nobody complained about it.
So, it’s really more a matter of time or money. What have you got? Do you want more independent traveling around the country without having to worry about passport matters? Either do it at the start of your Visa period (2 months in a row) or ask a Visa agency to help you get separated from your passport (and some more money). Either way - it’s still cheaper than flying or traveling in and out of the country every months to re-new and pay your visa “on-arrival”.
So it’s all up to your preference.
Australian Visa Visa Bureau provides Australian Visa services, including tourist, working and skilled migration
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[...] Visa Extension in Bali - how does it work? [...]
Nice website and blog. I am from Jakarta, Indonesia. And glad to find out that foreigner still interested with our country, even tough Bali already explode twice.
Update May 2007 regarding Extension of the Sosial Budaya:
As the local bureaucracy is expanding, new fees were recently introduced in Bali (Immigration Denpasar, Jalan Panjaitan):
- the Visa Extension Fee was raised from Rp. 200.000 to Rp. 250.000
- Instead of the Stamp (Rp. 6.000) you have to pay now as well for the Application Form and Red Envelope (another Rp. 10.000)
- All Documents (Passport, Forms, Sponsor Letter) have to be copied (Photo Copies costs Rp. 1.000 in the Immigration Department instead of Rp. 100 outside)
- A parking fee of Rp. 500 was introduced for Motor Bikes
Happy extension!
Hi,
Anyone know if they have any forms I could dounload?
So I can add to my collection.
entry visa
[...] Indonesia introduced a Visa-On Arrival (VOA) for maximum 30 days with respective fees only back in 2004 - before you could get a 3 months stamp for free. The bureaucratic processes to attain and extend a Social Visa are legendary. Although there were some rumours of longer VOA (up to 120 days) a few months back, those have yet to materialize. [...]
[...] When I was going to Singapore for my bi-annual Visa Run last week, I brought my Laptop with me, because it showed occasionally some flickery display. Sometimes white colours would turn into green light shining through the LCD, pretty strange behavior. Looked like a cable inside the thing was lose or not properly installed. No problem, I thought - still warranty. Down at the Asus Service Center in ‘The Adelphi’, right next to Funan IT Mall, I unluckily tried to to reproduce the error for the Service Staff to see - when disaster stroke. [...]
Hi,
Six months ago went to singapore to extend my social visa, very quick easy. Wanted to go to Thailand this time round for a change of scene.
Can anyone help me with where I need to go in Thailand and how long it takes etc.
Thanks
Michael
I never tried it in Thailand, but the process should be similar. In Bangkok it would surely be the easiest and most efficient way to do it. Maybe someone did it already and can give some review?
hey!
I want an indo visa for 60 days, I’m from holland, but now travelling in oz! is it possible to get the visa here in autralia!
thanks,
mell
mell, that should be perfectly possible. Usually the process is like this: drop by the Indonesian Embassy and apply for it there. It’s usually a straight-forward process, filling out a 1-page form, leaving 1-4 passport photos, paying the fees (around USD 50) and picking it up 3 days later. Good luck!
Just add some more information,
Actually for the 3rd and 4th extension for Social Culture Visa, the letter and documents are has to be submitted as well into ‘Kantor Imimgrasi Wilayah’ or briefly in English are: Immigration Office for Province, this office located at Jl Raya Renon Denpasar.
And by it’s natural the processing time will exceed from normally 3 working days up to 10 working days.
Cheers,
Somehow I personally think that Indonesia Government has to create more simple procedure for foreigner to be able to stay longer in Indonesia instead of make a trip to surrounding country just to obtain a new visa, and this will also somehow keep them spend their money in Indonesia…
Maybe pay another 5 or 6 Million Rupiahs for a new Social Visa valid for another 6 months, as that amount is about equal with what people has to spent to travel overseas to get the visa, keep the money home!!
Cheers,
balidreamhome - that’s a great idea! I wish they would follow through with it. The Philippines did the same thing about 8 months ago, so hopefully Indonesia will follow suit…
Indeed that will be fantastic if that ever happen to Indonesia, unfortunately I am not sure that this will happen soon unless if the decision maker is a person who exactly know what they’re dealing with other wise is just a wishful thinking (sorry!)
cheers, Bintang time!!
Beware at the embassy in Canada, I tried to get a social visa with an individual as my sponsor and it got refused as their final judgment is that I need to have a corporate sponsor. And that’s even if they told me I could when their emailed me a few days before.
I just got that answer today. I have 3 weeks left to get one by different means. I hope I can avoid the Visa on Arrival.
Hi Nicolas,
The policy at each of Indonesian Embassy are not the same and it could be that they have wrong understanding as the social visa (which only need personal sponsorship) with Single Entry Business visa which needs corporate sponsorship unfortunately both visa has the same index code number: 211 both visa are valid for 6 months and extendable while you’re in Indonesian on a monthly bases.
Sometimes the sponsorship has to be signed over stamp duty (Rp. 6,000 materai). If you can arrange to make a stop over in Singapore that will be much easier.
Good Luck!!
hey mate,
if i wanted to stay in bali for a year, without working, do you think my best option would be on a social visit visa? ive had a look around and it seems they are on valid for six months. what might the best course of action be do you think? and how would i go about re-newing the social visa after the 6months, and what are the surrounding costs?
Thanks Heaps, sorry about all the questions
Cheers
Dan
@ Daniel,
The option for you is Single Entry Business Visa or Social Culture Visa, both visa are valid for 6 months, the deferent is that the business vis is issue based on a Bali residing company but Social Culture visa is issue based on a personal invitation.
Why is only two option, because if you are not employed by a company in Bali or above 55 years of age then you can not have a KITAS and working permit or retirement visa which allowed you to stay in Bali / Indonesia continuesly 12 months.
As the social vis is only valid for 6 months, then by the the end of the visa you need to do the same procedure by visiting one of Indonesian Embassy in surrounded country such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia or Thailand.
lot’s of foreigner living in Bali using this arrangement to be able to stay in Bali in a longer period.
Cheers,
Channel1
Channel 1, thanks for helping out Daniel. I agree with your recommendation. As I don’t work I use the Sosial Budaya myself and it’s quite a straight-forward process.
You basically have to leave the country every 6 months. A return flight to Singapore is usually the cheapest way to apply for a new Visa, which can be done there either within 3 days (DIY for SGD 75) or 1 day (via an agent for around SGD 180).
my pleasure buddy, cheers
so for a newbee from usa…when one arrives in bali we get a 30 day visa ..is there no way before arrival to get a visa for say 2 months?
Yes, there is another way, it call Socio Culture Visa this visa required sponsorship or invitation letter from Indonesian, and this visa has to be obtain from Indonesian Embassy in your home country in L.A or other part of USA.
Once you have it, the visa is valid for 90 days until you use it for the 1st time and upon arrival in Indonesia / Bali, you will granted 60 days to stay.
For more detail you may visit my website.
Cheers,
channel1 is right as usual.
Cheers buddy, we should have a bintang sometime!!
You can get a 60 day tourist visa (no sponsorship needed) if you apply ahead of time at an Indonesian embassy in the US. Cost ~$45. If you wait until your on the plane, your only option will be a 30 day visa.
Channel 1 or Chris,
How do you get a personal invitation for 6 month visa? Social visa..being a first timer ..is it hard to obtain? obviosly flying in and out is bit of a pain and expensive..any thoughts…… I wanna go there SOOON…please help.
@ Ravi,
Actually is quiet simple what you need to do is contact visa agency in Bali and tell them what you’re aiming for and they will response to your question and assist you step by step to obtain the Socio Culture Visa.
But please be noted that for several nationality such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, or some country in Africa, Indonesian government are very strict and even the simplest visa the requirement is quiet complicated.
Good luck.
Channel1,
I am heading over to Bali in August and am trying to stay as long as possible. I have no contacts in Indonesia, is the multiple entry visa the way to go?
@ balibound
Multiple entry business visa is only good for a person with intention to travel to Indonesian for a business orientation and or invited by his business partner for a future cooperation. This visa is valid for 12 months but the problem is each visit is only for 60 days and is not extendable while you are inside Indonesia.
Considering that you are having no sponsor and no employment contract then the only option left is Socio (social) culture visa or Single entry business visa, both visa have the same visa index number and valid for 6 months with monthly extension after the 60 days upon arrival. Each extension is good for 30 days.
The sponsor for social visa is an invitation letter by Indonesian individual while Single Entry Business visa is invitation by a company residing in Indonesia.
The visa has to be obtained from any Indonesian Embassy prior to your departure to Indonesia.
Hope this help,
Cheers,
Can anyone tell me, I want to make the social budaya in Kuala Lumpur, what do I have to do, I always go to Singapore to arrange it.
But it will be my first time in KL.
Help?
Here is some information from my friend whose recently back from KL for the agenda Social Culture Visa:
We got back safely last night and I have an update for you!
Visas from KL are now QUICKER and CHEAPER than Singapore! Al you need do is go to Embassy at 9am and staff check your documents. you need 1 copy of the following:
Sponsor letter
Sponsor KTP
2 passport photos
First page of passport with photo
Recent visa - if you have one
Recent extension - if you have one
Exit stamp from Indonesia
Entry stamp into Malaysia
When checked you fill out form, pay 170MYR…and then come back at 3.30pm and pick up visa!!!!!!!
Cheers,
New requirement by Immigration office to Social Culture Visa holder and this is a compulsory. For the second extension each visa holder has to come in person to the Immigration office to do a digital finger print and photograph.
So if you’re planning to go out of Bali, you better adjust your time schedule.
Cheers,
Channel1
Thanks for all the great additions here, channel1! My latest experience is now, that the sponsor needs as well a Bali ID (KIPOM) to extend the Visa in Jalan Panjaitan/DPS. Before it was okay to have one from Jakarta or else (in Singapore it’s never a problem), but maybe we were just lucky.
That amounts to another Rp 50.000 every 3 months. Arglglggl!
Regarding the developments in KL - that’s a good thing! Will check next time in Singapore, if they can make it in a shorter time frame. Or fly right away to KL, if Air Asia offers a good deal. Guess the Visa Agents will be out of business soon….
Channel 1, Thank you for your information..I have all my documents, I normally extend in Singapore, so it won’t be a problem then..tq.
@ Bianca,
My pleasure and wish you all the best with your trip to Singapore, cheers
Does this mean that if I have a sponsor from Lombok I can’t extend it in Bali?
How are the rules considering where your sponsor is from?
Thanks for the information!
@Sandy,
For a person with Lombok ID card acting as his/her sponsor as long as the visa holder residing in Bali then the extension should be done in Bali plus the sponsor must show that he/she has a KIPEM or temporary ID card for Bali, the latest news is that the Immigration office will require the visa holder to come in person to the Immigration office to give digital finger print on the 2nd extension of Social Visa.
At the moment I’m staying in Jakarta with a Kitas and my Indonesian wife as the sponsor for the first year. For the second year my wife can not be the sponsor so I need a ‘good/big’ company to extend my Kitas.
On one of my job interviews I heard there is a new visa or a new rule since 1,5 year (that not many immigration offices even know of) that it is possible for the wife to be sponsor for the second year again to extend the Kitas.
I’ll call with different immigration offices in jakarta today, but have any of you heard of this new rule for extending the Kitas?
I also found a website http://www.rami-services.com/amasis.html where you need to pay a big amount of money and you become an investor and they arrange your kitas and will be the sponsor, but i have big doubts if it’s really trustworthy and not just a big scam
@ Chris B,
Hi Chris, regarding to your explanation I am presuming that you are under a Family KITAS, which also shows that you are sponsored by your (Indonesian) wife, and surely that should be no problem to extend it for the second year.
If somebody told you that you haev to search for a’big’ company to sponsor you then this will mean that you will change the KITAS from a family KITAS into a Working KITAS and surely you have to cancel your present KITAS and travel overseas to do the same procedure as the 1st KITAS with consideration to pay US$ 1,200 yearly (non refundable).
I am not sure with the offer to be an investor in a company to be able to have a sponsor and a KITAS, this is a little bit fishy for me as there are few things you must understand such as a personal tax identification number and actually the company sponsor should be an active company otherwise this are another scam form which create to absorb money from a person who doesn’t really understand and aware on how it works. Also do you really thing you can have proper information from them about your investment or this just weakening your position as a foreigner in Indonesia as you’re tight up to them :-)
I have my corporate agent located in Jakarta and surely he can assist you to extend your KITAS but I can not write it here as this is not my website and I feel bad to do promotion here (nomad4ever will angry to me :-) ), Please do feel free to visit my website and write me an email then I will inform you the person who can help you there in Jakarta.
Cheers,
channel1
@channel1
Thanx alot for the information about extending my Kitas and for the help so far.
My wife called this morning with the head immigration office in jakarta, but the right person to answer the question was not in at the moment. we got the request to go to our local immigration office in jkt timur and ask them to write a letter which we then can use to bring to the head office together with all kinds of documents like my passport, kitas and documents of my wife and then they can answer the question. (?!?)
sounds like me sponsoring the immigration ’service’ just to get 1 answer.
my wife will try to call again later, maybe the person who answers the phone this time will give us some more/other infomation.
If you can provide me with your contact’s info here in jkt it would/could be of great help.
I’ll send you my email address to your blogspot as your other/private domain has expired a few days ago (nomad4ever wont be angry for promoting that site i think)
Thanx again,
Chris B
if things can be done by a reliable agent and save your from doing a trip to the office in reasonable cost, why bother yourself :-)
I have sent you an email of the contact detail, good luck :-)
Guys, thanks for helping out each other once again!
Chris B, that’s the problem with plenty of services in Indonesia, some people seem wanting to help you, but actually they just want to empty your wallet. Officials and governmental institutions are no difference. Better always check ID/company and double-check, before handing over any amounts of money to unknown people.
My own Visa experience is limited so far to the VOA (Visa on Arrival) and Sosial Budaya. Just wanted to add for the last one: they now do the fingerprinting (which is necessary with the 2nd extension) with an electronic fingerprint reader here in Bali. All 10 fingers - but no ink anymore, so no more black fingers.
Hi, I am from Ecuador. I applied for my visa before entering to Indonesia. I is valid for two months, but it expired on August 28th and my ticket back home is September 1st. I am going to enter to Indonesia (Jakarta) on August 20th, do you think that I can ask in the inmigration in the airport if they can extend my visa just for 4 days more?
Thank you for your help
Hi Meche,
The meaning of the visa expiration on August 28th is the date when the visa is using the first time to enter Indonesia, normally the visa valid in two months before being use for the first time.
As you are entering Indonesia on August 20th, the sixtieth day will be on October 18th.
The best thing is look at the back side of your departure card, there is a stamp on a green color by immigration officer when upon arrival in Indonesia entrance gate, in that card is indicating how many days you may stay in Indonesia from the arrival date.
Please be noted that your arrival date also counted! If in that card is written 60 days then you have nothing to worry but if what written there is 30 days then your visa will expired on September 18th
Hope this help, have a great day.
Cheers,
Funny thing happened to me today, when applying for my 3rd extension of the Social Budaya. I only have to come back now in 2 weeks (usually 3 days) for payment. Are there some changes going on? Or are they just getting away from the practise that I have to play courier for them, transporting the documents to the other ‘kantor’ around the corner and picking it up for them? Channel 1, do you know more??
Hi Chris,
The processing of the 3rd & 4th extension of Social visa is always took longer time especially now when they apply a new system called e-office. This system is a media to collect the data and make an online registration of all visa holder in Indonesia.
This will bring the whole visa arrangement into the next level which is good for our country unfortunately the operator of the ‘machine’ seems doesn’t have enough training before the system was actually applied.
The step by step of extension now are:
1. Submit the passport & sponsor letter for extension to immigration locket.
2. They will do the data entry (digitally).
3. Bring the whole data and everything to the immigration officer section Foreigner Control Supervision (WASDAKIM).
4. Data Entry (again).
5. Scanning the passport.
6. Send the information to the Central Immigration Province which located in Renon for Bali Province.
7. Pay the extension cost to the immigration counter.
8. Placed the extension stamp on the passport.
9. Another scanned for the passport which already extended.
10 Recollect your passport.
So now we can imagine how many people are doing their extension at the same time and this create some certain delay in processing time of the visa extension.
I do believe that Immigration doesn’t has any intention to ‘push’ you to use agent service for extending your visa, but is only a matter of processing time.
Plus especially form Bali area you have to deal with Public Holidays and Ceremonies :-)
Hope this help.
Cheers,
Channel1, many thanks for the enlightenment and additional information. So let’s hope that overall the process is getting quicker and more painless, once they are used to the new procedures. That’s probably good news!
I and my wife are planning to travel around Asia for a year, and would love to visit West Papua (irian jaya) . The problem is, 30 days visa is just not long enough to do so while we would also love to stay in Java and Bali for a while. This means we will have to extend our Visa for maybe two more months. Is this possible, and how are we to go about this?
hello I have just returned from indo spent 2 nhalf months surfing. done one visa run to thailand returned indo for another 30 day visa. I left jakarta 18 august with 15 days left on visa. (Bad move) I now wish to return to jakarta indo.night 24th august- flight ticket on hold. Does anyone know if I return to indo now for 3rd visa with 2nd visa (even though I have left the country) to have expired in another another 9-10 days approx. 02/09/08. other than customs questioning my intentions for returning so soon. should there be any problems due to visa dates. e.g. am i supposed to wait the full time of 2nd visa before re entering the country. any info be appreciated. Thank you Shane
@ Markie,
Regarding to your plan you may ask to Indonesian Embassy in your home country to give you a 60 days tourist visa but unfortunately the Tourist Visa is not extendable so every time your visa expired you must travel to surrounding country at least for 1 day and return to Indonesia to gain another 30 days. Social visa also not suitable for you as your position will be in many different place and this will create a problem in extending your visa.
@Shane,
There will be no problem for come back to Indonesia with another tourist visa, as tourist visa is single entry so every time you leave the country while your visa is still valid, automatically your tourist visa is canceled
Hope this help, cheers & happy traveling..
Hello I’m going to Bali for six months and I don’t know of anybody who can sponsor me as this is my first time there. Can you explain to me what is the easiest way around this problem? I would also like to know where I apply for my visa living in northern Ireland? How much also would it take to realisticaly take to get by each month, basic living! I’m bring £3000 is that enough? Any light on theses subjects would seriously help! Thanks, great site!
Hi Leroy,
What you need to do is get a sponsorship from registered visa agent and also let them work for your visa extension and other matter regarding to the immigration requirement in Bali.
My company also providing services for this arrangement.
The living cost on basic living approximately is Rp. 3,000,000 to Rp. 5,000,000 a month but not including the accommodation and Visa cost for 6 months is Rp. 3,000,000 if you let the visa agent work for your visa. Transportation will be another additional cost for you if you willing to have a variety tour but if you ‘dare’ to drive rental motor bike here then the cost is very cheap let say Rp. 400,000 for the motor bike rental per month and gasoline is Rp. 6,500 per liter.
Please also be prepare with your International drivers license and also health insurance or travel insurance.
3000 pound will be ok for 6 months.
Cheers,
@ Leroy,
Sorry forgot to let you know that the visa called social Culture Visa and is valid for 6 months upon arrival in Bali with monthly extension before the first 60th day over.
The visa can be obtain under sponsorship of Indonesian National at the Indonesian Embassy in your home country. Approximately the cost for the visa is US$ 80 payable directly to the Indonesian Embassy visa counter.
Cheers,