KITAS Processing time...

Well currently in a lot of employment sectors Kitas are not being Issued. I would ask your company what is happening and when they think you will recieve the telext to be able to go to an Embassy outside of Indonesia and get the stamp. Even then the Kitas process could take longer than the stamp date. Hopefully this wont happen to you but it has been happening for almost a year on and off.

As ASEAN get closer, this is becoming more of a nest of vipers.
I'm hearing of horror stories regarding KITAS issues taking forever, or just not happening.
Add the new rules, and things are getting harder.
I should be going to immigration on another matter next week, so I'll try and find out more if I can.

If I understand correct, your host company is your sponsor in Indonesia. They can not apply in the Philippines for your work permit/KITAS, they first have to deal with the Ministry of Manpower here getting the RPTKA approved (which is now a huge headache), after that the TAO1 will need to get approved, only then the Dirgen will issue the telex visa to the embassy/consulate overseas.

Due to new regulations, different systems and the amount of documents the sponsor and applicant need to provide, it may can take 2.5-3 months until all finished.

Toms right. The headache is massive. Even main board directors of leading Japanese companies had to wait 3 months for a kitas being issued even though they were approved by the government of Indonesia.

Strange times

Yes my mistake... I just asked the HR and they said they did the application here and only get to have my  passport stamped back in Manila. Thanks for the response... Wow that duration is very long...

If you talk about the telex visa for sure (not a business visa etc) you also can collect it in Singapore, no need to get it in Manila except it is more convenient for you.

Another note: if the telex visa was send 3 weeks ago you should have a copy of it otherwise you can not collect a telex visa.

Something is not correct here I suppose....

No, they just started the processing 3 weeks ago... do they give the telex immediately upon application or later? So far the HR haven't relayed anything to me yet.
Oh so i can get stamp from any country? I only travel to Netherlands, Jordan and Manila frequently.. Yes its most convenient for me in Manila.

Can you tell what exactly they started 3 weeks ago ?

What is the status, have they submitted the RPTKA ?

Mind to share a little more background about your sponsoring company ?

Is it a PMA or local PT ?

Already expats working there ?

3 weeks ago they submitted the application (my documents + the Expat Placement Plan), with regards to the status I do not know yet.
The host company is under the Rajawali Group. Theres a lot of expat here so I am sure they have done the provision of Kitas to their employees before. I asked some of them about their Kitas but the answers i got varies from 3-8 weeks... anyway if I don't get mine then theres always the 30 days visa free stay if i use my philippine passport...

Thanks for the input, this group is known so they should be aware of all steps.

Guess you need to be patient, the processing takes just much longer.

I guess I should... Thanks for the help...

Would be good if you can keep us posted here with developments.....

Yes, of course I will....

Hi All,

My KITAS documents already submitted on 2nd march 2015 in Jakarta.....its really taking long time as till now RPTKA not issued.
Do anyone has update how long it generally take these days?

I have heard up to 12 weeks. Keep calling and pushing your employer to find out whats happening. Getting the telext and stamp in the passport is one thing but getting Immigration to make your Kitas is another.

RPTKA approval can indeed take 4-6 weeks.....

Is it new application or extension?

This is new application, originally RPTKA official asked employer to check in 3-4 weeks but no approval till now..
They need more and more documents..

Now already been 4 weeks ..do you guys have any idea about TA-01 processing time after RPTKA issued?

If it's a new application it can take even longer than 4 weeks to get approval, Depnaker is really looking into each application with care perhaps even decline if they think that a local could do the job.

It depends also on the job / position your company is applying for and how many foreign workers already working in the company.

TAO1 can also take anything between 5-20 working days.

Hope will get soon...Will keep everyone posted!!

Thanks for all quick responses...

Indeed it would be interesting to hear from you how long the processing was until you got your work and stay permit.

Finally, RPTKA application have been accepted by MOMT and acknowledgement provided. But not sure how much more time will it take.

I just came to know it was pending since 02-March-2015 when it was applied/Submitted.

Good news, thanks for sharing.

You can say the most difficult part has been done.

Thanks..

Any idea how long will it take from here?

I wouldn't hold your breath.

I was exactly in your same situation (applications accepted) last September with a very close friend who bought a long standing restaurant in Ubud...and he's still waiting.

Ubudian wrote:

I wouldn't hold your breath.

I was exactly in your same situation (applications accepted) last September with a very close friend who bought a long standing restaurant in Ubud...and he's still waiting.

Roy, you mean last year September your friend submitted all docs got RPTKA approved but still did not get his work permit and KITAS ?

Yes Tom, that's what I mean, and my friend is not the only one in the "same boat."

I never heard that before Roy. Usually the approval of the RPTKA is the most difficult part when applying for a work permit, once it is approved it should not be a big issue anymore to get the IMTA/KITAS even though it still takes some time.

What is Depnaker saying, they must have a reason.

Tom, this is happening all over the place. As I put previously "Getting the telext and stamp in the passport is one thing but getting Immigration to make your Kitas is another."

There are hold ups all over the place. I have now been told I have to have a medical check up as part of the kitas process but no one knows why, where or when or what kind. But this is at the start of the process for me, not even got to the telext stage yet. I am in deep trouble over the health check, what being in two minds over things, often heartless and have a tendency to turn a blind eye as well my funny bone losing its sense of humour. I will tell them I was bitten by a werewolf but I'm alright noooowl 

Luke, I remember we discussed in short about the medical check up in one of the other threads, it seems only the case for English teachers if I am not wrong but correct me if I am wrong.

However fully understand that this is another headache for you as you said, you don't even know yet where and what kind of test.

If your school respectively the agent is now processing the extension of your work permit and your KITAS (assuming you are holding one) then I believe the medical test result should be available and provided to Depnaker first.

But again, getting work permits for teachers is a very sensitive issue nowadays and obviously more complicated.

Well all I can do is wait and see and should something happen I shall let you know.

I also think it depends upon company which processing your KITAS and strength of expats.

Anyway, as of now just RPTKA application has been submitted, not approved.

Will update all once any have any further info..

lukereg wrote:

Well all I can do is wait and see and should something happen I shall let you know.

Cross my fingers Luke.

Would be nice if you keep us posted also you can PM if you like to...

rahbansal wrote:

I also think it depends upon company which processing your KITAS and strength of expats.

Anyway, as of now just RPTKA application has been submitted, not approved.

Will update all once any have any further info..

Ok maybe some misunderstanding earlier. When you said RPTKA has been accepted, it was my understanding it is approved but it's not. If RPTKA application is "only" submitted then it can take some days but also up to 4 week til you get approval or not.

Can you tell why it took your company respectively the agent 4 weeks to just submit the RPTKA application ?

Some corporate docs in original were missing....

We recently had a sort of “round table” informal discussion on this topic which involved about 10 expats in the Ubud area, most all of whom have been around for a long time, and all but two with their own businesses.

Each and every one complained that many weeks, and sometimes even months would go by before hearing back that a particular document was missing, or that a particular document was somehow flawed and needed to be re-submitted.  In more than one case the applicant heard four months later that a particular document was missing…four months! 

Many also reported excuses like “sorry, your file was misplaced.”

All of these guys are using a top notch and well known attorney/visa agent which has been at this for twenty years.  The head of that office is beside herself with frustration and has no idea what is behind what can only be described as purposeful stalling. 

One expat who has been here in Ubud for about 12 years running a good Italian pizza business has been at this process of a new KITAS and work permit for a year now.  He needed to change his business from a CV to a PT in order for his visa and work permit to be properly sponsored by his company which is in his Indonesian wife's name. 

As bad as this is for expats going through this process in order to be legally employed, the situation is much worse for medium size foreign investors…those with investments in the US 300K to 800K area.  For them, all this money has been invested and they are unable to legally work at their own company for months upon months.  No small wonder some have taken up the “f'em” position and are working anyway.  In their minds they have no other choice, as they are bleeding money and have no income from their business.  As one put it…

“Screw the bast..ds” at least if they throw me in the immigration jail in Jimbaran I'll get to eat.” 

The irony of all this is while on the one hand Indonesia is actively soliciting foreign investors, on the other hand they are encumbering them beyond reason or logic.  All it will take is for a few horror stories to hit major business press venues and many would be investors will start thinking twice about investing in Indonesia.

Thanks a lot for the detailed background Roy.

It's true it can take weeks sometimes until you hear that additional documents are required or need to be uploaded again online, still I personally hear first time now that even after months you still don't know the status of the application of the RPTKA. Not sure but it might be also that final decision will be made in Jakarta.

Roy, the attorney/Visa agent you guys are using is also present in Jakarta ?

The final decision is always made in Jakarta. 

"Roy, the attorney/Visa agent you guys are using is also present in Jakarta ?"

No Tom, just Bali, and that could make a difference.