Changing Your KITAS Sponsor from Company (PT) to Your Indonesian Wife

For example, you are an expat who moved to Indonesia several years ago to work for a local company. This means that you must have obtained a company-sponsored KITAS. A KITAS is a limited stay permit that has to be sponsored by either a company or spouse. But while you work in Indonesia you meet your partner, marry, and now want to change the sponsor of your KITAS from the company to your spouse (for example because you want to quite your job).

You now have two options:

(1) you can arrange it by yourself or,
(2) you can pay an agency to do it for you.

The second option is the easiest but also the more expensive option. And be aware: some immigration services agencies may lie to you by saying you have to get a completely new KITAS (implying that an EPO process needs to be completed to close the existing KITAS and you will have to go abroad before a new KITAS application process can be started by the agency).

The reason why some of these agencies prefer the foreigner to get a brand new KITAS is because they can ask a higher price for their services (while it is usually easy for them to abuse foreigners' lack of knowledge about immigration matters). Moreover, by starting a new KITAS process, the agency will not be dependent on documents that need to be written and signed by your employer (this is further explained below).

Regarding the price difference between both options, if you hire an agency to arrange it, then it will probably cost you between USD $500 and USD $1,000. The advantage, however, is that you will not need to visit various institutions (multiple times). When I started this process (to change the sponsor of my KITAS from a local PT to my Indonesian wife) it was early January and by the time it was finished it was already early March. Within that period I had visited the immigration office six times, the Kantor Kelurahan twice, the Direktorat Jenderal (Dirjen) Imigrasi twice, and the Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Hukum dan HAM twice. That is a lot of traveling in a city where traffic congestion is a big problem. Moreover, sometimes you need to wait hours in line before it is your turn at one of these institutions. Hence, there were moments where it felt like a full-time job to arrange the transfer of my sponsor. But I was determined to do the process on my own, without the assistance of an agency.

So, if you opt for the first option, be aware that it will be a long process and one that is both confusing and frustrating. I hope that the content of this article - based on my own experience - will make the process easier for you than it was for me. My first advice is therefore: start the process on time! It may take a long time before you have collected and gathered all required documents that you need to present to the immigration office. You should definitely start collecting all documents at least two months before your existing KITAS expires. In my case the change of sponsor and 1-year extension of the KITAS were done at the same time.

One note; I would not be surprised if the exact requirements (for the transfer of the KITAS sponsor) differ from immigration office to immigration office across the country. Therefore, it is important to point out here that my experience comes from the West Jakarta immigration office (Kantor Imigrasi Kelas 1 Khusus Jakarta Barat), located near the famous Fatahillah square in the old part of Jakarta (Old Batavia or Kota Tua). Because I live in West Jakarta, all my immigration matters have to go through this branch.

And although I have read many stories about grumpy, greedy and wicked Indonesian immigration officers on various forums on the Internet, my experience with the immigration officers at this West Jakarta office is in fact very positive and pleasant. Indeed the bureaucracy can - or will - make you crazy, but the lady and man who - during my visits - always sat behind the West Jakarta service desks at the immigration area (located one floor above ground-level) were very helpful and friendly.

Which Documents Do You Need to Give to Immigration?

Before I describe these in detail, another piece of advice: make photocopies of all documents you obtain or receive from the immigration office as well as other institutions. If one of these papers gets lost during the process (for example at the immigration office), then you will still have the copy.

The immigration office will need the following documents from you (whenever possible in the Indonesian language) when changing the sponsor of your KITAS from a legal business entity to your Indonesian wife or husband as well as to extend the duration of your KITAS (some of the documents that I mention are optional or case-specific):

1) Sponsorship Change Request from Your Employer; this is a letter from your office that states it requests to change the sponsorship from the company to the spouse. It should be signed by the director or head of the human resources department (complete with a "meterai" at the bottom, which is a stamp duty to legalize a formal document; you can buy these at a local bookstore or post office).

The letter should have the company's letterhead and is directed to the immigration office. In the letter the company kindly asks immigration to change the sponsor from the company to the spouse. Important information in this document is the company's data (name and position of the person who signs it as well as the name and address of the company), the expat's personal data (name, birth-date, passport number, nationality, job title and address), and the spouse's personal data (name, passport/KTP number, nationality).

-----------------------

Example:

(letterhead)

Tanggal: 01 Januari 2018
Perihal: Peralihan Sponsor KITAS

Kepada Yth,
Kepala Kantor Imigrasi Jakarta Barat
Jl. Pos Kota No. 4
Jakarta Barat

Hal: Permohonan Peralihan Sponsor KITAS

Dengan hormat,

Bersama ini saya mohon kepada Bapak/Ibu agar kiranya dapat diberikan Peralihan Sponsor KITAS untuk karyawan kami, dengan data sebagai berikut:

Nama:
No. Paspor:
Kewarganegaraan:
Tempat & Tanggal lahir:
Masa Berlaku Paspor:
Status: Nikah – Suami dari XXXXXX
Alamat Tinggal:

Sponsor KITAS dimohon beralih dari:

Nama Perusahaan:
Alamat Perusahaan:
NPWP:
Nama:
Jabatan:

Menjadi:

Nama:
No. KTP/Paspor:
Kewarganegaraan:
Tempat & Tanggal lahir:
Status: Nikah – Istri dari XXXXXX

Demikian permohonan ini saya sampaikan. Atas perhatian dan bantuan yang Bapak/Ibu berikan, kami ucapkan terima kasih.

Hormat kami,

(meterai)
Nama

-----------------------

2) Sponsorship Change Request from Your Spouse; in this document your spouse requests the immigration office to change her husband's/his wife's KITAS sponsorship from the company to the spouse as well as to extend the duration of the KITAS. This document also requires a meterai at the bottom.

-----------------------

Example:

Tanggal: 01 Januari 2018
Perihal: Peralihan Sponsor dan Perpanjangan KITAS

Kepada Yth,
Kepala Kantor Imigrasi Jakarta Barat
Jl. Pos Kota No. 4
Jakarta Barat

Hal: Permohonan Peralihan Sponsor dan Perpanjangan KITAS

Dengan hormat,

Bersama ini saya mohon kepada Bapak/Ibu agar kiranya dapat diberikan Peralihan Sponsor dan Perpanjangan KITAS (termasuk Izin Masuk Kembali) untuk suami SAH saya, dengan data sebagai berikut:

Nama:
No. Paspor:
Kewarganegaraan:
Tempat & Tanggal lahir:
Masa Berlaku Paspor:
Status: Nikah – Suami dari XXXXXX
Jangka Waktu: 12 bulan
Alamat Tinggal:

Untuk melengkapi permohonan tersebut di atas, saya lampirkan dokumen-dokumen yang diperlukan.

Demikian permohonan ini saya sampaikan. Atas perhatian dan bantuan yang Bapak/Ibu berikan, kami ucapkan terima kasih.

Hormat kami,

(meterai)
Nama Istri

-----------------------

3) Marriage Certificate; the marriage certificate is proof that you are indeed legally married to your spouse. Therefore, you need to make a copy of the marriage certificate (surat nikah or akte perkawinan) and give it to the immigration office. In my case it was easy because I married in Indonesia and thus have a certificate in the Indonesian language. Those mixed couples that married abroad need to obtain a letter from the country's embassy in Indonesia that shows the marriage is registered in the expat's home country.

4) Spouse's Identity Papers & Tax Card; a copy of your spouse's identity card. The Kartu Tanda Penduduk, abbreviated as KTP, should be enough but in order to be complete you can also add a copy of your spouse's passport. Please note that your spouse's KTP needs to be an updated one, thus it should state "married" as status. Also a photocopy of his/her tax card/number (locally known as NPWP) is required.

5) Family Card; all Indonesians are required to have a family card (in Indonesian: Kartu Keluarga, or KK) which states the names of the spouse's parents, husband/wife and (if applicable) children. Be aware that the copy of your spouse's KK needs to be updated before you present it to the immigration office (thus your name should be on it as well as the names of your children, if you have children together). If the KK is not updated yet, then this has to be done at the place where your spouse's KTP is officially registered.

In my case, my wife was still registered in Balikpapan (East Kalimantan) even though she has been working and living in Jakarta for more than a decade. Luckily, her parents (who still live in Balikpapan) could do the update on her behalf at local Balikpapan authorities and send us the updated KK. Thus, a trip to Balikpapan was not necessary for us (which would have delayed the process, add costs, and is tough if you both have full-time jobs).

6) Employment Contract Spouse; in case you continue to work in Indonesia then you can provide a copy of your employment contract (and wage slip) as proof that you can support your family financially during your stay in Indonesia. In that case you will also need to show a copy of the extension of your work permit (IMTA) that is issued by Indonesia's Manpower and Transmigration Ministry. This should be arranged by your employer.

However, if you quite your job (and not move to another local company), then you will not have any income (and without work permit it is strictly forbidden to work in Indonesia!), thus your spouse needs to show immigration that he/she - as sponsor and responsible person for you - can support you financially during your stay in Indonesia. Therefore, you will need to present a photocopy of your spouse's formal employment contract.

Although I read on the Internet that my wife would also need to show her bank statement showing a healthy balance of at least IDR 10 million (approx. USD $700), this was never requested by the immigration officer in our case. However, it could be possible that my wife did not need to show a bank statement because the officer could see from the employment contract that my wife works at a big and well-known Indonesian media company. Or, considering my wife is a former news anchor at Metro TV and Bloomberg TV Indonesia, the immigration officer may have recognized her face and therefore felt it was unnecessary to request a bank statement.

7) Copies of Your Existing KITAS and Passport; you need to make a photocopy of the following:

(a) the personal data page in your passport,
(b) the passport page that shows your limited stay & re-entry stamp,
(c) your existing KITAS (front and back if you still have a physical card),
(d) green card

Recently, Indonesian immigration moved to non-physical documents (or electronic documents) and therefore does not issue the green card and the physical KITAS anymore. If you already have an e-KITAS then you simply print it and hand it to the immigration.

8) Birth Certificate Children; in case you and your spouse have one or more children, then it is advised to make a copy of the birth certificate(s) and present these to the immigration officer. Having children is a sign of the "serious nature" (relationship) between you and your spouse. One reason why immigration regulations are strict in Indonesia is because they want to prevent foreigners entering the country for any hidden/secret/illegal intentions (for example by obtaining a KITAS through a marriage that is not based on love they can conduct their true intentions in the country, such as working without a work permit or more severe matters such as drug trafficking).

9) Higher Education Diploma; it is also advised to enclose a copy of your diploma of higher education. For example, if you have a Master's degree it is wise to include a photocopy of the degree because it is proof that you are well-educated and gives you a sort of (social) status. Surely, immigration officers prefer to approve an applicant who received higher education (and can transfer his/her knowledge to Indonesians) than one who has not. Also with good educational background you can more easily find a job (but you will need a work permit if you want to work in Indonesia).

10) Two Immigration Forms; after the immigration officer checks whether all required documents are presented (please don't overlook number (11) below), you will need to fill in two forms that are given to you at the service desk. It is an example of bureaucracy because all information you need to fill in on these forms is already available in the pile of documents that you hand over to the immigration office. But, ok, it will only take you 5-10 minutes.

11) Domicile Letter; I saved this one for last because this is the document that caused me the biggest trouble. The domicile letter (in Indonesian: surat domisili) is a document that is issued by local administrative authorities and which certifies your residential address. The immigration office needs the domicile letter from the Kantor Kelurahan (local city administration). However, to obtain the domicile letter from the Kantor Kelurahan you will first need to go to the local community unit (Rukun Warga, or RW) and neighborhood unit (Rukun Tetangga, or RT) heads, these are the lowest levels of public administration and the local RT/RW office should be located not far from your house or apartment. At the RT/RW office you will obtain a letter. This is one of the documents that you need to bring to the Kantor Kelurahan.

I was lucky enough that the Customer Service (CS) Department of the apartment complex I live in agreed to arrange this letter at the local RT/RW office. So, I just needed to give copies of my passport, KITAS, and my work permit (IMTA), which is issued by Indonesia's Manpower and Transmigration Ministry (your employer should have this) to the CS and then they went to arrange the letter (unfortunately I cannot give further details about this process simply because I was not present). It took them eight working days to collect the letter from RT/RW. Unfortunately, CS did not want to arrange the domicile letter at Kantor Kelurahan. So, I had to arrange it there personally.

This turned out to be frustrating because you would think it is simply one of the Kantor Kelurahan's duties to issue a domicile letter once you show your passport, KITAS, the letter from RT/RW and inform them that the purpose of the domicile letter is to extend the KITAS (on the advice of immigration I did not say I also wanted to change the sponsorship of my KITAS because according to the immigration officer that would complicate the process as my wife is still officially registered in Balikpapan, not West Jakarta).

Unfortunately, the documents I showed were not enough. The officer at Kantor Kelurahan requested additional documents:

• a letter from my employer or human resources department head stating that the local company requests a domicile letter for its employee at the Kantor Kelurahan for the purpose of extending the KITAS,
• a copy of the identity card (KTP) of the person who writes the letter as mentioned in the point above,
• I received a new form that needed to be filled in by my employer or human resources department head.

Fortunately, my employer was willing to issue the letter, send me a copy of his KTP, and fill in the form. After I showed the additional documents, I finally received the domicile letter at the Kantor Kelurahan, implying that all the documents I need for the sponsorship change (and one-year KITAS extension) at the immigration office are now complete and in my hands.

Back to the Immigration Office & Interview at Home

After handing in all the documents at the immigration office in West Jakarta I received a piece of paper that states the process is underway at immigration and that I will be visited by immigration officers at my residential address within the next couple of days. You should not lose this piece of paper because for the next couple of weeks it is basically the only immigration or identity document that you carry around (your existing, original KITAS and your original passport are kept at the immigration office).

Problematically, the immigration officers will only notify you about their arrival at your house/apartment a few minutes in advance. Thus, for the next couple of (working) days you basically need to be waiting at home (preferably in the presence of your wife) and wait for the officers to visit (hopefully your employer allows you to work at home for a couple of days).

Fortunately, the immigration offers came at a time - it was late in the morning - when I, my wife and our little daughter were all at home. The interview was in fact very easy and over before I knew it started. The two immigration officers arrived in my apartment and asked when my wife and I married. The second question was when our daughter was born. Then they took some pictures of my family and apartment, and me and my wife had to sign a document stating that we have been visited by the immigration officers.

The whole interview lasted for about 30 seconds with only two questions being asked. When I guided the two officers back to the lobby of my apartment complex I asked "how come the interview is so easy? I imagined it to be a bit longer and tougher." They replied: "if there is no reason to be suspicious, then the interview only takes a minute or so, but when we are suspicious about the intentions of the foreigner, then we ask a lot of questions". Therefore, if you have nothing to hide, then you will not need to worry about this interview.

It is also worth pointing out here that nowhere during my "journey" at immigration or at the Kantor Kelurahan I was requested to give a "special fee" (meaning some small bribe money) to the officer. However, not giving any small financial bonus may very well be the reason why the whole process would eventually take me two months to complete. For comparison, when I extended my KITAS through a local agency one year earlier, it took them only about two weeks to complete the process (and from conversations I know that they give some money to immigration officers during the process). But I would like to emphasize that foreigners should never try to bribe officers. Indonesians, on the contrary, can do it because they have "feeling" for that game; they understand it when an officer gives certain signals.

Back to the Immigration Office (Again)

Seven days after the interview you need to come back to the immigration office. At this occasion you are photographed by an officer, your fingerprints will be taken, and you are required to pay the fee for the KITAS extension and re-entry permit (in my case the total tariff was IDR 2,050,000 or approx. USD $150). Apparently, the sponsorship change is free of charge.

Rather surprisingly (to me) was that you are also requested to make two (identical) sets of photocopies of the whole pile of documents that you handed to immigration on your last visit. Downstairs was a copy machine, so I made two sets of photocopies and handed these back to the immigration officer about 20 minutes later (together with the original pile of documents). The immigration officer then checked whether both sets of copies were complete and instructed me to present one of these photocopy sets to the Regional Administrative Office (Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Hukum dan HAM) the following day. Fortunately, this office is not too far away from my location. But in other regions/provinces of Indonesia the location of this office can be at a really far distance (which would require traveling for multiple hours).

Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Hukum dan HAM

The following day I went to the Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Hukum dan HAM and the service there was really fast (or perhaps I was simply lucky that there were no other expats at that time). I only had to give one set of photocopies to the receptionist and sign a paper that showed I had been there that morning. One week later I had to come back to the same place to collect an approval letter from the Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Hukum dan HAM.

Directorate General of Immigration (Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi)

One week later I collected the letter from Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Hukum dan HAM and then I had to bring that letter - together with the second set of photocopies - to the Directorate General of Immigration (Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi), located at Jalan Rasuna Said Kav. 8-9 in Central Jakarta. If you live in or near Jakarta, you can deliver these documents there yourself. However, for those who live far away it is better to send it via a courier service.

Once arriving at the 10th floor you need to present the documents to the receptionist. There you will get two new (identical) forms that you will need to fill in (containing basic information such as your name, passport number, purpose of visit, etc.). Once you have filled in these forms, you go back to the receptionist and you will take home one of the forms on which the officer writes the date that you can go back to the immigration office to collect your passport. This is usually five working days after you have visited the Directorate General of Immigration.

Back to the Immigration Office (Again)

On the date that was written on the document I received from the Directorate General of Immigration I went back to the immigration office in West Jakarta, expecting the whole process to be completed. However, to my surprise the immigration officer requested me to come back again two days later because the process had not been completed yet at the Directorate General of Immigration. The immigration officer said there was no complication but the Directorate General of Immigration still needs to "make one last click" to close the process (I didn't ask but assume this is something in their internal computer system).

As requested I came back to the West Jakarta immigration office two days later. But, again, the immigration officer told me that the Directorate General of Immigration had still not completed the process. I was then requested to go back home and wait for a phone call from the immigration office before collecting my new KITAS. But by that time I had been without my passport or KITAS for a month (implying my mobility had been limited significantly) and therefore I was anxious to complete the process as soon as possible. I asked the immigration officer to remind the Directorate General of Immigration to complete my application. He didn't want to do that and instead advised me to visit the Directorate General of Immigration personally, again, and request them to complete the process.

So I took a Go-Jek (motorcycle taxi) and went straight to the Directorate General of Immigration again. At the 10th floor I explained the case to the receptionist and he said they would investigate the matter immediately. After about one hour waiting an officer came to me and handed me the final approval letter. He requested me to go back to the immigration office in West Jakarta and give them this letter.

Back to the Immigration Office (Again)

Back at the immigration office I handed the letter from the Directorate General of Immigration to the immigration officer (who by now remembered my name). Meanwhile, the officer also told me that "the last click" had been done by the Directorate General of Immigration, hence the whole process had been completed. I then received my passport with the new limited stay and re-entry stamp. Apparently, the immigration office no longer uses physical KITAS cards, therefore I would receive the e-KITAS through email several days later. And indeed, I received that email several days later (albeit in my spam box).

All in all, it was a long and sometimes frustrating experience. Next year, I will be allowed to change my one-year KITAS into a five-year KITAP because I will have been married to my Indonesian wife for more than two years (among the requirements is that you are married for at least two years). I expect it to be a similar tiresome process, but - if successful - I will not need to deal with Indonesian immigration for a long time. Perhaps I will be able to share this experience next year.

For questions, advice & other feedback (or to share with us your experience with immigration) you can comment below or send an email to info@indonesia-investments.com

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