Both the KITAS and the KITAP are types of residency certificates that are often needed by various administrative authorities and agencies to identify a citizen, particularly a citizen of another country who has chosen to dwell in the territory governed by the Republic of Indonesia. These are vital for foreigners working or who want to live in Indonesia, or for corporates that will send expats. This is to ensure that these individuals can legally carry out their activities and that they are not legally impaired.
What Exactly is this KITAS?
A Limited Stay Permission, also known as a “Kartu Izin Tinggal Terbatas” or “KITAS” visa, is a permit that is often issued to foreign nationals who would be residing in Indonesia for a certain amount of time. KITAS stands for Limited Remain Permission, which defines itself as “a permit provided to a Foreigner to stay and be in the Indonesian Territory for a limited length of time.
The applicant, who is a foreign citizen, is required to have a job in Indonesia and be sponsored by the firm at which the foreign citizen works in order to be eligible to get this document.
KITAS is granted to foreigners who enter the Indonesian Territory with a Limited Stay Visa; children whose father and/or mother were KITAS holders at the time of their birth in the Indonesian Territory; foreigners who are granted a status transfer from a Visit Stay Permit; the captain, crew, or foreign experts on ships, floating equipment, or installations that are operational in Indonesia; and foreigners who are granted a status transfer from a Visit Stay Permit.
The Minister of Law and Human Rights or a designated immigration officer is the one who decides whether these parties should get a KITAS, whether it should be extended, and if it should be canceled.
In accordance with the provisions of Article 75 of RMLHR 29/2021, KITAS has a number of different validity periods, allowing cardholders to avoid having to renew their visas every month. These periods are as follows: a maximum of five years, a maximum of two years, a maximum of one year, a maximum of one hundred eighty days, or a maximum of ninety days. a maximum of five years, maximum of two years, maximum of one year, maximum of one hundred eighty days, or a maximum of ninety days.
The Following Categories are Available for Foreigners Seeking a KITAS Visa
KITAS Investor:
You will be able to apply to an Investor KITAS if you have the intention of making an investment and forming a business in Indonesia. The fact that an Investor KITAS holder does not require a company sponsorship in order to be able to work in Indonesia and, as a result, does not need to apply for a work permit anymore is one of the advantages of obtaining this type of visa. Another advantage is that an Investor KITAS holder does not need to apply for a work permit.
After your business has been incorporated, you are able to submit an application for Investor KITAS. The visa is good for two years, but it may be extended for up to an additional five years. After reaching this milestone, you will be able to submit an application for permanent residence or a KITAP if you meet the requirements.
Work Permit Visa for Foreign Employees:
This particular kind of KITAS may only be acquired if the applicant has a sponsoring firm that is registered in Indonesia. Sponsorship opportunities are available for international workers via PT PMDN, PT PMA, and Representative Offices. Please be aware that foreign nationals cannot be hired for all available jobs.
Your sponsoring firm will first need to secure an IMTA or permission to employ foreign employees from the Ministry of Manpower in order to be eligible to apply for a Work Permit KITAS on your behalf. Legal responsibility for the candidate rests with the firm that is sponsoring them. The Work Permit KITAS generally has a validity period of one year, although this period may be extended for a maximum of five years. Contrary to the Investor KITAS, the Work Permit KITAS cannot be converted into a KITAP or another kind of permanent residence.
Retirement Visa for Foreign Retirees:
The KITAS for retirees is not available to those who own businesses or start their own companies. For this particular kind of KITAS, the minimum age requirement is 55 years old, and the legislation specifies that applicants must be citizens of one of the 53 nations listed.
Dependent KITAS Visa:
If you are the owner of a KITAS, the dependent KITAS program allows you to invite your spouse and any children under the age of 17 to come and live with you in Indonesia. If you are the owner of a KITAS, you are eligible for this program. The bearer of a dependent KITAS is restricted from engaging in gainful employment or operating a company while in the nation, although they are permitted to take up residence there. The validity term coincides with that of the main KITAS holder and may be extended for a total of five years if necessary.
Spouse KITAS visa:
If you are married to an Indonesian citizen, you may be eligible for a Spouse KITAS visa, which would enable you to remain in Indonesia as long as your marriage remains valid. As is the case with the dependent KITAS, you will not be permitted to work or run a company while you are in the country on this visa; but, after four years, you will be able to submit an application for permanent residence, also known as a KITAP.
The Procedures to Follow in Order to Apply for a KITAS Visa
The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower has granted your sponsoring firm permission to proceed with their RPTKA after reviewing and approving the proposal.
- The procedure of obtaining a Pre-RPTKA Approval and a Pre-work Permit both need to be completed by the business that is sponsoring you, and that firm must also be informed of the length of time that you are permitted to live and work in Indonesia.
- You are now able to legally work in Indonesia after receiving authorization from the RPTKA.
- Your VITAS will be issued by the immigration office in Indonesia after they have received your work permit.
- Upon entering Indonesia, your VITAS will immediately be converted into a KITAS/ITAS, and a copy of the new document will be sent to the address you provided when you registered.
After all of the aforementioned conditions have been met, the application for a Limited Stay Permit is then processed by either the Head of the Immigration Office or an Immigration Officer via the following mechanisms:
- inspection of the completeness of the requirements;
- data entry, file scanning, and printing of application receipts;
- necessary fee payments
- Immigration Office’s approval
- interview, identification, and verification of data, as well as a collection of photo and fingerprint biometric data;
- Re-Entry Permit or KITAS
After the KITAS has been issued, you have 14 days to complete the following required actions.
- Obtain all of the necessary documentation before moving to Indonesia.
- Present in the civil administration department.
- You won’t have any trouble obtaining the required civil certifications.
- Procedures to Follow in Order to Obtain an Indonesian KITAS Marriage Visa
Convert the VITAS to the ITAS: Similarly, the VITAS will be automatically translated into the KITAS or ITAS upon the arrival of the foreign worker in Indonesia.
Can You Extend an Indonesian KITAS?
Yes, you can. You may get a KITAS extension if you go to the offices of the Directorate General of Immigration at least one week before the KITAS’s expiration date and ask for an extension. As they pertain to your immigration status, you will be required to provide several papers, such as the following:
- The application for KITAS renewal has been filled out in its entirety.
- A letter from either your sponsor or your guarantor is required.
- Your valid passport.
- If you are renewing your work KITAS, you will need the RPTKA from the Ministry of Manpower.
- If you are renewing your Spouse KITAS, you will need to provide things like a copy of your marriage certificate, a letter from your spouse, an ID card of your spouse, and so on.
- Certificates of birth and marriage for any children or spouses who are dependent on the primary KITAS holder.
- Any additional documentation that the immigration officials need to see to process your application.
In addition to that, you are required to pay a renewal cost.
If you have maintained continuous renewal of your KITAS for two to four years, you will then be eligible for a KITAP, which is a permit that allows you to remain in the country permanently. Since KITAS are often given for temporary labor, it is not possible to renew them once they have been issued for a period of three months.
When is the Appropriate Time to Extend my KITAS?
You must apply at least three months in advance, and no later than one month before the expiration of your existing KITAS.
How Long Does it take for the KITAS Application to be Processed?
The duration of the KITAS application procedure is often lengthier owing to the extensive quantity of documentation that must be submitted as well as the other application processes that must be completed, such as the application for the work visa. In most cases, it takes anything from six to 10 weeks. A KITAS that is sponsored by the applicant’s spouse, on the other hand, is often approved within a month, while a KITAS for retirement takes around ten business days after the application has been submitted.
The KITAS application process does not take very long; nevertheless, the total procedure to get a KITAS might take several weeks, depending on the kind of KITAS for which you are applying. The KITAS application process does not take very long.
Who can Sponsor KITAS Permit?
Family Visa KITAS: Parent or Spouse can sponsor.
The dependent family members of primary KITAS holders are eligible to receive this sort of KITAS. Dependent family members include a spouse and/or children who are under the age of 18. Therefore, if your spouse already has a working KITAS, then they can sponsor your application for a KITAS. It is also given to the spouses of Indonesian nationals who are from countries other than Indonesia.
You are not permitted to work if you have a family or a spouse who is a member of KITAS. In order to accomplish so, you will need to have an Indonesian firm sponsor you, and that company will need to apply for a work permit (IMTA) on your behalf.
Work Visa KITAS: Employers Should Sponsor Future Employee.
The Work Visa, also known as the KITAS, is given out to foreigners who desire to work for a firm or organization based in Indonesia. Your employer is responsible for obtaining a work permit (IMTA) for you from the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower to apply for a work KITAS.
Student Visa KITAS: Schools or institutions should sponsor their prospective students.
Students from other countries may apply for the Student Visa KITAS if they want to enroll in a school or university in Indonesia to further their education. It must be renewed every year for the remainder of your studies since it only lasts for one year.
What Kinds of Qualifications are Necessary to Have an Investor KITAS?
The investor must have at least 1 billion IDR worth of shares invested; the company’s capital must have at least 10 billion IDR worth of capital investment; the company must have at least 25 percent of its total capital paid in; the company must have obtained a business registration number (NIB), trading licenses, and a foreign company investment realization report (LKPM); the representative of the company must have an ID card and a tax number, and the representative of the company must have obtained a business.
How to change Sponsors for Work KITAS?
You are only permitted to work for the sponsor while you own a Working Visa Kitas; you are not able to switch jobs or work for another firm. If you do change jobs and go to a different firm, your KITAS will become invalid, and you will have to submit a new application for a KITAS with the company where you are now working.
Change the KITAS Sponsor on Your Application from Your Employer to Your Spouse:
When changing the sponsor of your KITAS from a legal business company to your Indonesian wife or husband and when extending the period of your KITAS, the immigration office will want the following papers from you (where feasible in the Indonesian language):
- Request for a Change in Sponsorship from Your Employer; this is a letter from your office that indicates it seeks the sponsorship to change from being provided by the firm to being provided by the spouse.
- Marriage Certificate.
- Identity documents and a tax card belonging to the spouse
- Card for the Family
- Employment Contract Spouse.
- Copies of your current KITAS and passport, if you have them.
Is it Possible for me to Find a Job in Indonesia with the KITAS Spouse visa?
Yes, however, to work in Indonesia, you will first need to submit an application for a work permit.
What are the Differences between the Family Spouse KITAS and the Dependent KITAS?
Family KITAS benefits are available to non-Indonesians who are married to Indonesian citizens. Only a one-year subscription to KITAS is available, with the option to renew for either one or two additional years. You are eligible to change your 2-year KITAS to a 5-year KITAP once you have been married for 2 years.
If one of the children’s parents has a KITAS or KITAP, then the children of foreign nationals may apply for dependent visas. It is also possible for the spouse to get such KITAS. For instance, if you are working and hence eligible for Working KITAS or if you are an investor and therefore eligible for Investor’s KITAS, your dependent children may be eligible for Working KITAS, and your spouse will also get Working KITAS.
What is KITAP Visa Indonesia?
Permanent Stay Permission Visa, also known as Kartu Izin Tinggal Tetap, or KITAP, is yet another kind of foreign resident permit available in addition to KITAS. It is the permission that is given to some non-Indonesians to remain and establish in the territory of Indonesia as if they were Indonesian residents.
Parties who qualify to receive KITAP are as follows:
According to Article 126 of RMLHR 29/2021, the following are eligible to receive KITAP via the status transfer process:
Foreigners who hold KITAS as clergies, workers, investors, or the elderly; families as a result of a mixed marriage; the husband, wife, and/or children of foreigners holding KITAP; and Foreigners who were formerly Indonesian citizens or former children with dual citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia.
In addition, the KITAP may also be awarded immediately, without the need for a status transfer, to the following individuals or organizations:
- children born in Indonesia to foreign parents who are holders of a KITAP;
- children born in Indonesia to foreign parents who do not have a KITAP;
- and Indonesian nationals who have lost their Indonesian citizenship in the Indonesian Territory are all eligible for foreign citizenship.
Validity:
The KITAP is valid for a period of 5 (five) years, with the following exceptions for foreign nationals: the husband, wife, father, or mother of a foreign national who already has a KITAP; children born in Indonesia to foreign nationals who already possess a KITAP.
The procedure for applying for a KITAP license is outlined in Article 195 of RMLHR 29/2021, which states that applications for a change in the license’s status from KITAS to KITAP must be specifically submitted by applicants. These applications must be submitted by filling out the application data form and attaching the following documents:
- Document proving residency, provided by the Department of Population and Civil Registration;
- KITAS;
- Guarantee letter from the Guarantor;
- Guarantor’s identity card
- KITAS or KITAP if the Guarantor or Person in Charge is a foreign national;
- Integration Statement, with the exception of children who are under 18 years of age and have not yet married;
- and Power of attorney with sufficient stamp duty, in the event that the application is submitted through a presiding officer.
- a valid Nationality Passport that contains the Permanent Stay
An applicant who already has a KITAS must have resided in Indonesia for more than three years in a row to be eligible for a KITAP. Additionally, an applicant linked to a mixed marriage must have been married for at least two years to be eligible for a KITAP.
Foreigners who are lawfully married to an Indonesian are eligible to convert their KITAS/ITAS into a KITAP after two years of being married to their Indonesian spouse. Your spouse will act as the sponsor for the application.
- Take note that you will be unable to apply for a permanent visa if you have not previously obtained a KITAS or an ITAS. Simply being married does not qualify you for permission to live in the country permanently on its own.
- If you’ve been married for at least 10 years, your KITAP will be permanent regardless of whether or not the marriage ends in divorce.
- If you are married to an Indonesian, you have the right to work in Indonesia as long as you meet the requirements for a spouse-sponsored KITAP. This is another big benefit of being married to an Indonesian.
Foreign Investors and Executives Working in an Indonesian Company:
The candidates mentioned above are eligible to apply for the KITAP once they have been working with the same Indonesian company for four years in a row in the same position. This requirement must be met before they can submit their application.
Retirees:
Retirees are eligible to apply for a KITAP once they reach the age of 55 after they have successfully extended their KITAS or ITAS four times.
Advantages of obtaining a KITAP visa
The most obvious benefit of obtaining a KITAP visa is that it enables you to remain in the country without the need to repeatedly extend your visa, which is an expensive and time-consuming process; however, the KITAP visa has plenty of other advantages as well. Such as;
Indonesian identification card with a validity of five years, local driver’s license (SIM) with a validity of five years, bank account, credit card, loan, local prices to tourist attractions, paying only a fraction of what tourists pay, MERP with a validity of two years, allowing you to enter and exit the country as you please.
How Can I get KITAS and KITAP Residence Permits? Work with Mandreel on this:
In most cases, the procedure will take around three months to complete.
You will be able to complete the process in the most streamlined, trouble-free, and expedient manner possible with the assistance of a Mandreel agency that specializes in the application of Indonesia KITAS-KITAP visas.
We are aware that applying for a visa is a confusing process, finding out at the last minute that something is missing, confusion about the requirements, and so on.
In order to prevent undue disappointment, we recommend that you give yourself a lot of time and delve into the pile of requirements and essential documentation well in advance of the period. In addition, make it a point to double verify the most recent regulations with your agency or the immigration office in your area, since the restrictions are subject to change.
