Tourist visa

The 30 day free visa isn't extendible.
Two visa on the trot isn't likely to cause any problems, but a string of them might raise flags with immigration.

Just dont overdo it and you will be fine. Twice is ok, once a while. If more, the suspicion would be illegal work.

If asked by immigration, you can say, you went shopping and visiting friends in Singapore.

In the future, if you know that you will be staying longer. You can choose the option of paying for the visa and extending.

What you should do depends on what your plans are insofar as Bali goes…as in, how long do you plan to stay here?

If you think you might want to stay longer than the 30 days allowed by the free VOA, then apply for a 60 visit visa at the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore.  That visa can be extended here in Bali up to four times, each time good for an additional 30 days.  Those extensions will however require that you use a visa agent here who will also act as your sponsor.

Obviously, flying back and forth, Bali to Singapore every 30 days makes no sense at all, unless of course you like visiting Singapore every 30 days.

enduringword wrote:

If asked by immigration, you can say, you went shopping and visiting friends in Singapore.

That is extremely bad advice, especially as the OP has already attempted to renew the visa.
Telling lies to immigration is far more likely to get you into trouble than being honest, so I very strongly suggest the OP (and everyone else) forget the idea of lying.

EDIT - It's also illegal, so could well get you kicked out and blacklisted.

thanks Ubudian will i guest  will get some agent to have an sponsor for me, I'm staying here for a couple of months might be 2 more months depends on, coz me and my partner are planning to get married here so for now we are looking for the best place and sanur will be the one of the option. my partner is in Australia for now and if ever I came back here from Singapore he will follow me here. thanks for the great idea! appreciate it. and to all who give a comments. thanks a lot! cheers!


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It would be a good idea to get an agent now, and use them as your sponsor for the 60 day visit visa in Singapore. 

Cheers, and good luck!

thanks a lot! sure will get one tomorrow..! cheers

I supposed that's the best thing to do, thanks a lot mate! cheers!

I think we need to keep things in context and not get carried away. Whether a person chooses to tell a lie to immigration is nobodies business here except their own and if they do then of course they take the risk of suffering whatever consequences ,if any, should they be found out.

But bearing in mind that the so called "lie" is not all that important and most probably one that thousands of tourists use repeatedly all the time, I hardly think that immigration would really care all that much, and in anycase, they can decide for themselves if they want to take action against someone who tells them they go to Singapore for shopping or to visit friends. Furthermore, it is a legitimate reason to visit Singapore and hard to prove otherwise.

Of course people shouldn't lie, my parents taught me that, but we are grown ups here and we do what we think is best. If someone in Expat.com asks to meet up with me, I might tell them that I am busy helping out at my son's school, in order to avoid meeting him. But I don't need anyone here telling me that it is wrong to lie.

Through my wife, I did raise this matter last night with a former provincial director of immigration (a family friend) and was told that all tourists pretty much give the same reason. In other words, almost every tourist tells the same small lie for their reasons to go to Singapore, but it is unimportant as long as the tourist exits within the 30 days period. So I think there isn't any need to make a big deal out of this.

Hansson wrote:

I think we need to keep things in context and not get carried away. Whether a person chooses to tell a lie to immigration is nobodies business here except their own

It's up to the individual, but making false statements to immigration is illegal and could get you into trouble.
I would most strongly advise visitors to Indonesia to remain truthful with immigration.

From a practical point of view, immigration know the ropes and can spot a liar from a million miles.
They also know Bali is a tourist destination, so are likely to want you to enter as long as you aren't going to be a problem to anyone. A lie could easily make them suspicious of everything else you say, especially if they know you've already tried to extend your visa.

Assuming immigration aren't suspicious of his intent, the ride will be smooth anyway; it's hardly an uncommon request for Bali.

Fred's point, and it's one I agree with 100%, is that this forum should not tolerate posts which infer, suggest, or outright recommend illegal activity under any circumstances.  And yes indeed, lying to a government official is an illegal act.

Taking this a step further, this forum's administration has a legal responsibility to see that posts which infer, suggest, or outright recommend illegal activity not be allowed. 

I don't think any of us want to try to sign on here just to find one of Indonesia's IT messages, “Internet Positif” (i.e. banned from ISPs located here).   

Personally I've never done the...what do they call it...."Singapore run"? from Bali or anywhere in Indonesia. Actually when I lived in Bali I got that predecessor to the KITAS, I think it was called a KITA? I got it from a company in Kerobokan, some guy who used to be an immigration officer. They also had a branch near the turnoff to Tegallalang. Some of you might know the company if they are still around. But that was 17 or 18 years ago. They were really nice and helpful.

Anyway, if you want to stay for a second 30 day visit I think immigration would not be bothered. But if you want to stay for 60 days straight you should consult an agent.

By the way, I think Sanur is a good choice if that's where you plan to live. Especially if you can find somewhere close to the beach. Some of the beach hotels have villas and give a special rate for long term stays so worth considering if money isn't too much of an issue.

Regards,
Hansson

Going back 17 years, most of us who weren't officially working here used the old Sosbud (Social/Cultural) visas which were initially good for 60 days and then renewable here for up to an additional 120 days (4 X 30 days).  Year after year, twice a year off we would go to renew those visas at the Indonesian Embassy in either Bangkok (my own preference), Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.  It is from this experience that the term “visa run” originated.

Ubudian wrote:

Going back 17 years, most of us who weren't officially working here used the old Sosbud (Social/Cultural) visas which were initially good for 60 days and then renewable here for up to an additional 120 days (4 X 30 days).  Year after year, twice a year off we would go to renew those visas at the Indonesian Embassy in either Bangkok (my own preference), Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.  It is from this experience that the term “visa run” originated.

It is illegal.
Do take your own advice on On Post#12.

Back then, it was not illegal at all!   As I said, this was only for those of us not working! 

A sponsor was required which at that time could have been either a private Indonesian citizen or a visa agent.

Looking back, I must have been on a Sosbud visa for at least 8 years.

Please read the posts...as Hansson and I were discussing "the gold old days."