One of the benefits of studying in Indonesia with ACICIS is that we do all of the visa paperwork for you, both before you go, and when you arrive in Indonesia. You receive a 12 month KITAS, and an MREP.

If you were to go on your own, here is an example of instructions on getting all the permits needed after you have received a VITAS visa, a research permit from LIPI, and then arrived in Indonesia. This information was provided in pamphlet form by the American-Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) in Jakarta, to recent Fulbright Scholars upon their arrival in Indonesia. The information was pointed out by John MacDougal in his Indonesian Studies YahooGroup.

Some Important Definitions

  • LIPI: Lembaga Ilmu Pengatahuan Indonesia (Institute of Indonesian Sciences).
  • SIP: Surat Ijin Penelitian (Research Permit).
  • INTELPAM: Intelijen dan Pengamanan (Office of Intelligence and Security).
  • SKJ: Surat Keterangan Jalan (Travel Permit).
  • KESBANGLINMAS: Kesatuan Bangsa dan Perlindungan Masyarakat (Office of National Unity and Community Protection).
  • SPP: Surat Pemberitahuan Penelitian (Notification of Research).
  • POA: Pendaftaran dan Mutasi Orang Asing (Alien Registration Card).
  • KITAS: Kartu Ijin Tinggal Sementara (Temporary Residence Permit)
  • MREP: Multiple Re Entry Permit

Procedures

When you arrive at the airport, your visa will be stamped. You have one week to report to the Immigration Office in Jakarta or to get an extension if you are going to another area of Indonesia. Between Jakarta and the place you will be carrying out research, you will need five photocopies of your passport and many photographs with a red background. You can get these at a photo studio located adjacent to the Hotel Cemara or in Kebayoran Baru. You will need ten 4×6 cm, and nine 3×4 cm. You also will need photos for Immigration in the city where you will be staying if not Jakarta and two of these are smaller (2×3 cm). Police will also want photos (4×6 are OK). It is best to get extras of all sizes to be prepared and to keep the negative or digital disk.

LIPI

Report to Bapak Ruben Silitonga, Kepala Sub-Bagian Administrasi Penelitian Asing (head of the administrative sub-section responsible for foreign researchers). Receive a cover letter for the Police and Immigration. Fee $100.

Police Department

Officially called Direktorat Intelpam located at Jl. Trunojoyo no. 3, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan. Deliver letter from LIPI. Direktorat Intelpam will then issue a document entitled Surat Keterangan Jalan (SKJ) which, as noted above, is essentially a travel permit. You will probably be asked to return the next business day to get the SKJ.

Immigration Office

Departmen Perhakiman (Judicial Building) Jalan Rasuna Said, Kuningan, just past the Malaysian Embassy. Drop off letter from LIPI and photocopy of your passport to get an extension if needed; you will need an extension only if you will be carrying out research and need to report to immigration in another city. If you will be working in Jakarta, you will report to one of six local immigration offices there AFTER you have completed the remainder of your office visits in Jakarta.

Police Department (again)

Pick up letter from Police, prepared from day before; this is a travel permit.

LIPI (again)

Return to LIPI to submit a copy of the SKJ. You will be given a Surat Ijin Penelitian (research permit) which must be delivered to three different places: Directorate General of KESBANGLINMAS (Ministry of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy); your sponsoring institution (e.g. Universitas Indonesia); and the local Immigration Office in Jakarta or at your actual research site outside of Jakarta.

Kesbanglinmas

Go to KESBANGLINMAS (Ministry of Home Affairs), Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara 7-8, Jakarta Pusat, to drop off a copy of the SIP from LIPI. You will be issued one more letter, usually the next day, called a Surat Pemberitahuan Penelitian. Later on, you will deliver this letter and copy of research proposal to the Governor’s Office(s) in the province(s) where you will carry out your research.

Immigration Office (again)

Return to Immigration Office to pick up your letter for extension, if necessary.

Kesbanglinmas (again)

Return to Home Affairs to pick up letter of research notification for Governor’s Office in the Province where conducting research.

Immigration Office (again)

Report to local Immigration Office in Jakarta if you will be working in Jakarta. Outside Jakarta: Report to the Immigration office upon arrival in the city that you will be conducting your research. Note: Although the Immigration Office appears third on this summary, you should really report there on the first day because the process there will take up to a week. Get started with that process as soon as possible and visit the other offices in the order given.

Governor’s Office

Governor’s Office, Badan Kesatuan Bangsa (KESBANG), drop off letter from Home Affairs and copies of the letter from Police in Jakarta, your passport and letter from LIPI. They will also want a copy of your research proposal and a picture, any size. Wait while letters are typed if you have everything you need. Otherwise, return later with copies. You will be issued three letters: one photocopy to be sent to LIPI, one photocopy to be delivered to your sponsor, and the original to be delivered to the Walikota or Bupati of the city or cities where you will be doing your research.

Walikota/Permerintah Kota/Bupati

Drop off letter from KESBANG plus one photo and 1 photocopy each of your research proposal, passport, and the Memorandum of Understanding or the letter of invitation from your sponsor which was sent to LIPI. You will receive three letters: one for your sponsoring institution, one for the local Immigration Office, and one for the head of the Kecamatan (Pak Chamat) where you will be carrying out research.

Immigration Office (again)

Local Immigration Office: Apply for a Pendaftaran dan Mutasi Orang Asing (POA; Alien Registration Card) and a Kartu Ijin Tinggal Sementara (KITAS; Temporary Residence Permit). You may pick up Immigration registration forms and other related documents. Formulir Kantu Izin Untuk Mendapatkan Tinggul Terbatas, Bagi Warga Negara Asing and Formulir Pendaftaran Orang Asing and take them home to fill out or fill them out there. These forms are complicated, and you may need help. After you have filled out these forms, submit them with a letter from your sponsor (letter of guarantor) and a photocopy of his identity card, a photocopy of your passport, copies of letters from LIPI, Immigration in Jakarta, the Governor’s Office, and Walikota or Bupati, a copy of your marriage license if you are a couple, and pictures (two 2×3 and two 3×4). You will be finger-printed here. You will have to leave your passport while they process everything, so you may want to ask the clerk to notarize a photocopy of your passport to be used in place of the real thing. Pay Rp 300,000. Wait three days (at least) for POA and KITAS. Note: If you plan to travel outside Indonesia during the period of your research, after you have your POA and KITAS, you may ask for a letter from LIPI that requests a Multiple Exit Re-entry Permit (MREP); otherwise when you report to immigration (which you are required to do) to leave Indonesia, you will be eligible only for an Exit Permit Only (EPO). You may fax your letter, including a copy of your KITAS to Bapak Ruben Silitonga, Kepala Sub-Bagian Administrasi Penelitian Asing at LIPI. Fax (021) 552-5640. Submit this letter along with a completed Formulir Peruabahan Data Orang Asing to the Immigration Office at least one month before you plan to leave (and then return to) Indonesia.

Police Department (again)

Police Office drop off letter from LIPI, letter from police in Jakarta, copy of passport, photos (four 3×4) and pay Rp150,000. They need the Alien Registration Card number once you get it from Immigration, so you may decide to wait to report here until you have completed the immigration process, or you may decide to complete everything else and bring your card once it has been issued. You will be finger printed here also and will need three 4×6 and one 3×4 photos; you will pay Rp30,000.

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