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about visa agents :-)))

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liudmila123

Dear community!
I stay  in Bali quite long and want to share my experience about visa agents here. First I was thinking that each agency that has office is more or less professional and do their work quite responsible, but I was really wrong :-) yes, it's attractive to use agent to extend visa and visit migration only one time instead of 3 times if to extend visa by yourself , fill all forms and provide required documents. So, I put my passport to agency and was sure that all be good. They promised me that my visa will be extended in 12-15 business days and I was lucky that I put my passport in advance. I was patient to wait invitation for fingerprints, but nothing. I was in contact with office staff and heard just answer - maybe tomorrow, we will inform. Then I started to be worry because 12 business days passed, but I had no news about extension. I went to migration office, I asked officer is my passport on extension process ( I showed a photo of my passport main page and they checked it). I was very surprised that my passport not in process yet!!! When I came to agency they just told me Sorry..... I was really lucky that I had no overstay yet . I took my passport back and my friends recommend another agent to extend visa. All was done in time, without any problems. I'm using their service all the time now and happy to have  no stress anymore. Be careful, guys!

Guest123756

I know how you must have felt.
My Indonesian wife has been using a retired guy from the immigration dept to handle my 5 year permanent resident visa, and for the last 6 + years it's still not done, all I ever hear is that "It's in process", as well as other LIES, and it's been almost a year since he finally turned in the paperwork to the immigration dept.  My wife is too naive and trusting of that guy, she should have never paid him up front for something he doesn't give a god damn about. Where I come from promises are usually fulfilled in a timely manner. Seems to me that most locals here in the Jakarta area CAN'T BE TRUSTED. The biggest mistake of my life was moving to Indonesia!!!!

Guest123756

I learnt many years before ever leaving Europe on a Holiday “trust no one”
I keep reading about how wonderful this place is, and to be honest it is, but far down the list of my favourite countries in south east Asia/ Asia  (and my Indonesian wife’s list) i just happened to have married a local girl and now have children, I’m fortunate enough to have a very good job ( even by expat standards) and even more fortunate to spend about 50% of my time away from Indonesia and the over hype of the place (In my opinion) and would gladly leave yesterday if opportunity arises,
Fortunately I’m retiring on my big 50 end of next year (if project ends on time ) and will be spending even less time here we’ll return for short holidays only just to visit relatives and friends
Fortunately my wife is nagging at me to retire now so we bugger off (she much prefers malaysia and Thailand and Europe)
I do hear of more and more people wanting to leave but I can’t actually say if people coming here is up or static or down
Rule number 1 your skin colour = they will over charge or rip you off regardless and not give a toss if it’s right or wrong  your a foreigner and ready to be ripped off
Visa wise, either do it yourself or do a lot of research on company not agents
In my experience (not always the case) agents charge more than a senior lawyer

corinnehzt

Hi
Sorry to hear that!
May i Know who is your new agent?
In case I need to not go to the wrong one
Thanks and good luck
Corinne

Guest123756

One I have heard as being ok but I cannot confirm myself only through word of mouth is a local company (I think) called Enerhub / emahub (spelling?)  I’ve no idea if reasonable or pricey but I’ve heard very quick again it may be a one off good feedback so worth checking out

liudmila123

Hi!
Yes, I really happy to got good professional agent and not worry about my visa or timing anymore :-) )))
Sure, I will share contact and highly recommend
***
They have 3 offices in Bali and work on the market more than 8 years as I know
contact them by whatsapp ***

My regards!

Moderated by Bhavna 5 years ago
Reason : Please recommend in the business directory or share the names/contact details through the private messaging system of the website. Thank you
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct
BaliBruce

Yes, there are some BAD agents out there. 
My beef is with the laws that allow an agent to hold a person captive.  11 years ago, I hired an agent that I didn't know to do my retire KITAS.  Then my 2nd, 3rd, etc. until 5.  Then I HAD to have them do my first KITAP or I must start all over and actually fly to Singapore.  So then they did my first 5-year KITAP.  In those 5 years, I got married to a wonderful Balinese woman. 
I wanted her to save me money and do my life-time KITAP.  But to do that or even to change from my current agent to another, I'd have to start ALL over!!!!!!!  Why is the law like that? Was the law written by agents?  So unless I wanted to start all over with my wife doing all the work, it would take me 7 years to apply for a life-time KITAP (2 KITAS and one 5- year KITAP), PLUS fly to Singapore. 
My current agent, after getting fees from me for 10 years wants to charge me about 55,000,00 for a life-time KITAP.  And there is nothing I can do about it!!!  SAD!

scouser59

Why dont you get your marriage kitas , ya you have to fly out and a few forms to fill in ,then you can apply for your kitap conversion  immediately  ,I did it 5 years ago and recently got the lifetime kitap ,Its no big deal really and it will get agents out of your life and save you a fortune ,worth it in my opinion .
Bear in mind on a pension kitap every 5 years you will need to report to immigration and of course your "wonderful agent" will charge you for that , so the gravy train continues .

BaliBruce

Thanks.  I understood that I had to have a second KITAS and then I could convert to a KITAP.  But still I need 2 KITASs and a 2nd KITAP would be lifetime = 6+ years.  This way it's a lifetime now!  It just seems worth it.
BTW, how much will the bloodsuckers want for the 5-year paperwork?

scouser59

Nope , as long as you have been legally married for 2 years, you can apply for the kitap conversion right away after your married  kitas is issued at immigration ,after your first kitap expires ,ie 5 years ,you move to a lifetime kitap .
The first kitap costs around 3.5 juta plus multi entry for 2 years  .

brijoo

Hello,the info is ok, but why not mention the agencies? Otherwise it has no sense...
thanks

Fred

Hugh1 wrote:

. Seems to me that most locals here in the Jakarta area CAN'T BE TRUSTED. The biggest mistake of my life was moving to Indonesia!!!!


Ner, just agents. That's the same all over the world.

brijoo wrote:

Hello,the info is ok, but why not mention the agencies? Otherwise it has no sense...
thanks


Because agents abuse it by pretending to be real posters and placing sneaky adverts.

For those married to an Indonesian, you can get immigration documents without an agent so you're better saving the cash.

brijoo

no response to my question,who are the agencies? as discovered lately,unless I am mistaken,only 5 agencies can work now legally! by the past many were frauding and corrupted... thank you Jokowi, but indeed there is improvement to make !! why the need to start all over again,if we want to do it without agency? thanks

liudmila123

***

Moderated by Bhavna 5 years ago
Reason : Please recommend in the business directory or share the names/contact details through the private messaging system of the website. Thank you
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct
Fred

Naming an agent (a lot) and giving your number when you do is a bad idea as it looks like you're trying to promote them.

liudmila123

Fred, I just wanted to share my advise but not make any promo :-))) people can choose their way to solve their visa issues. it's ok :-)

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