Looking for experiences: 1-year multi-entry business visa | index 212 - via Visa agents?

[TreeHugger]

Dear Expat Indo forum,

I am new to the forum, I have read through it but have not seen experiences on this topic.

Visa Agents like "Bali Visas", "LM Visas" etc. claim that they can get you above visa even if you do not have an Indo company sponsoring you, but they themselves would provide that.

They claim:
"
The price for this Visa including our company sponsorship is USD $245*

*The price does not include the administration fee charged by the Indonesian embassy overseas during visa collection. In Singapore, this is about 160 SGD.

Duration - Processing of Telex (Approval Letter for Visa): 7 to 10 working days"

Has somebody made experience with this type of agents / visa?
You find the price over-charged?

I am engaged, but not yet married to my Indonesian fiance. Would like to live in Indo but need to travel for work, that's why multi-entry.

Thanks a lot for any helpful comment.

All the best
TreeHugger

 

[dafluff]

From your description it doesn't sound like you need a business visa. Those are for people who wish to conduct business (meetings, inspections, etc, but NOT actual working).

Why not go with a social visa (ijin kunjungan)? Your fiance could sponsor you, and it's basically the same otherwise.

Check out either visit or multiple visit visa:
http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php/en/public-services/visit-visa

 

[jstar]

Would like to live in Indo but need to travel for work, that's why multi-entry.

Can you elaborate on this? (Frequencies of your trips abroad, duration of your stays in Indonesia till the next trip, plan to marry, ..)

As @dafluff states, there are alternatives, depending on how often you need to leave the country.

A business visa would only allow you to stay for 60 days per entry btw, that is much less than the maximum period including extensions on a social visa, and it's not more than a VOA (visa on arrival) with a (single) extension. Depending on your citizenship and travel plans, the visa-free entry would be an option too, but that gives you a maximum of 30 days in the country and can not be extended. But if your stays are less than a month, this would be much cheaper.

 

[TreeHugger]

Can you elaborate on this? (Frequencies of your trips abroad, duration of your stays in Indonesia till the next trip, plan to marry, ..)

As @dafluff states, there are alternatives, depending on how often you need to leave the country.

A business visa would only allow you to stay for 60 days per entry btw, that is much less than the maximum period including extensions on a social visa, and it's not more than a VOA (visa on arrival) with a (single) extension. Depending on your citizenship and travel plans, the visa-free entry would be an option too, but that gives you a maximum of 30 days in the country and can not be extended. But if your stays are less than a month, this would be much cheaper.

Thank you for the responses.

My understanding of social visa (ijin kunjungan) (index 211) is that it is for 180 days max - so 6 months. I also do not see multi-entry in its description.

I will have to travel almost every month within Asia, so a 60-day stay each time cuts it just fine.

If I keep coming back all the time with VOA + extension (60 days) I need to show a plane ticket exiting Indonesia each time. I think this is not the case with Index 212.
Also, if I re-enter every months with VOA I wonder if at some point they will question if this is valid and reject my entry.

Therefore, because of the 1 year multi-entry without having to show a plane ticket exiting, I thought Index 212 is better than 211 or VOA.

Am I missing something? thank you

 

[R Cameron]

Thank you for the responses.

My understanding of social visa (ijin kunjungan) (index 211) is that it is for 180 days max - so 6 months. I also do not see multi-entry in its description.

I will have to travel almost every month within Asia, so a 60-day stay each time cuts it just fine.

If I keep coming back all the time with VOA + extension (60 days) I need to show a plane ticket exiting Indonesia each time. I think this is not the case with Index 212.
Also, if I re-enter every months with VOA I wonder if at some point they will question if this is valid and reject my entry.

Therefore, because of the 1 year multi-entry without having to show a plane ticket exiting, I thought Index 212 is better than 211 or VOA.

Am I missing something? thank you

I think you're on the right track for your situation. The kunjungan visa is not multi-entry, so you would have to arrange a new one every time you come back, the fees would quickly go higher than a 212 multi-entry, and definitely the time spent. I have done the VOA + extension before, and have advised multiple visitors on how to do it, no one I know has had to show an exit ticket, though I have been simply asked when I am leaving. However, I also agree that you will raise suspicion with 5+ VOAs in a year.

Now, if those agents can actually get you a legitimate 212 multi-entry, I do not know. It seems reasonable that they could. And once you've received it I wouldn't think you are at high risk of it being scrutinized (I think they as the sponsor would be more at risk if it was investigated and deemed illegitimate).

The Immigration Website says this multi-entry visa is given for "Foreigners that travel frequently to Indonesia for Family, Business, and Governmental visit purposes". I don't think a fiance will be considered family, so you should probably have a business explanation for your travels. Something simple but genuine, think of a business opportunity that you can spend a small amount of time exploring, just half a day spent on "business" per trip gives you something to talk about with inquiring immigration officials. Q: "What business are you doing in Indonesia?" A: "Last week I met with Pak ____ at ABC Batik to discuss exporting his fabrics to sell in [my home country]. No deal yet, but I think there is great potential."

 

[jstar]

My understanding of social visa (ijin kunjungan) (index 211) is that it is for 180 days max - so 6 months. I also do not see multi-entry in its description.

You are correct, every time you'd leave the country you'd end the visa.

I will have to travel almost every month within Asia, so a 60-day stay each time cuts it just fine.

I realize that would be more work to track and and keep an eye on, but visa-free entry for one month maximum is for free. So a mix could be possible.

If I keep coming back all the time with VOA + extension (60 days) I need to show a plane ticket exiting Indonesia each time. I think this is not the case with Index 212.
Also, if I re-enter every months with VOA I wonder if at some point they will question if this is valid and reject my entry.

There are people who keep on coming in without any problems, but they could start asking questions yes. But those would be more related to whether you work in Indonesia or not. Visiting a fiancé is quite a good reason. Personally I would be more concerned about possible questions on your line of work (what exactly are you doing here?) with the business visa; you'd need a good story.

Open-ended flights are a thing of the past, and fully flexible tickets are much more expensive. An option to be able to prove you'll leave the country could be a ferry ticket to Singapore for approx. S$25. But also that increases the overhead (administration and costs) somewhat.

Am I missing something?

Getting married sooner and getting a spouse sponsored KITAS? ;-p
But honestly I don't think $400 is a bad deal for a whole year, of course YOU will be responsible if something goes wrong; the agents found a loop-hole but what they arrange is obviously not exactly following the gist of the law (to put it mildly).
.
NB: I think most of my answers overlap with those from @R Cameron but I saw that after posting and I'm too lazy to take out those sections...

 

[TreeHugger]

Thank you all very much.

When I enter VOA in Jakarta they only ask what I do there and how long I stay.
When I enter VOA in Medan they want to see th exit ticket... the thing is, the are entitled to ask for the exit ticket. Even the airline checkin counter lady at departure airport can ask you for exiting ticket when you go as tourist to a country by plane (...I had to buy exit tickets on mobile phone at airport quickly before for getting into Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia...)

I do have actual business in Indonesia, so that part of the story is no issue.
And yes, of course, getting married and sponsored KITAS is our wish, but it takes a while... and that's another story ;-)

 

[Vulgarian]

the airline checkin counter lady at departure airport can ask you for exiting ticket when you go as tourist to a country by plane (...I had to buy exit tickets on mobile phone at airport quickly before for getting into Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia...)

This has been my experience in the last couple of years. I won't be let on a plane to Indonesia without an exit ticket. My exit ticket has never been checked on arrival in Indonesia.

 

[snpark]

Depends on your passport, not to be racist

 

[snpark]

I mean if you are western, they don't seem to care too much