How long of wait for KITAS

It should not take more than 4 weeks once you have been to Immigration and received the telex to go out of Indonesia for the stamp. After that you will then need to go back to immigration for the stamp to turn into the kitas and photos and finger prints have been taken. The kitas should be issued the same day or the day after. If using an agent then you need to push them along, it also depends on which office you are using.

The above is about right as far as my experience went, but that was some years ago now.
Spouse sponsored KITAS have been given a pretty easy run, but I understand immigration have been keeping a closer check in order to confirm couples are truly married, not just using the KITAS for illegal entry into Indonesia.
In the case of an American, it's less than likely you'd do that so you're likely to get looked at less closely.

I think they no longer ask for the photos as they do it all electronically now. I could be wrong as I haven't applied for one for some years, but I think they stopped asking for them.

A note about agents ~ Avoid them if possible as they charge for something you can do easily yourself.
The first one is always a bit harder as you have little idea, but it gets easy after that.
After 2 years of marriage, you can apply for a KITAP

I did everything myself (not being able to afford an Agent).....

My process at the Bandung Immigration Office took 6 weeks instead of 4 (end of June 2016 to early August 2016), because of 1 week Eid Al Fitri holidays, and 1 week that I didn’t realize my documents were ready for collection in Jakarta.

They took the required photos themselves, and also did not take my fingerprints (saying that they already have it from the airport where I entered Indonesia).

You may possibly not have to leave Indonesia after starting your KITAS application, as you are already married to an Indonesian.
In my case I did not have to....
I entered Indonesia on a SosBud visa with my Indonesian fiancé as sponsor.
We got married 1 month after I entered Indonesia, and I proceeded to convert the SosBud to a KITAS, without having to leave Indonesia.
I just had to extend the SosBud visa first before applying for the KITAS, since we got married a month after I entered Indonesia and needed to allow enough KITAS-processing time.

Zoé.7 wrote:

I did everything myself (not being able to afford an Agent)......

A very nice opening post, thanks for that and welcome to the forum.

You made a wise choice, even if it was forced by economics. Agents for people in your position are a bit of a waste of cash as the KITAS is almost automatic.
This section of the forum is pretty inactive, but please hang around an we'll try to answer as many of your questions as possible.
You might already be aware, but after two years married you can switch to KITAP, a 5 year permit.

I hope you enjoy your time in Indonesia as much as I have.

Fred wrote:

A very nice opening post, thanks for that and welcome to the forum.

Your kind welcome is much appreciated

I was very fortunate with the KITAS process though, as I lived in Indonesia for a year before deciding to get married, so I already knew the Immigration staff well (having to extend 2 x SosBud visas 10 times over that year, at 3 x Immigration Office visits for each). My original plan was just to be here for 1 year.... but I fell in love during that year, and then things changed.

I also got to know some Agents during that time, drinking coffee and chatting outside the Immigration Office, who gave me very helpful free advice
For example how to get to DirJen Imigrasi in Jakarta from Bandung in 1 day, without having to sleep a night in Jakarta, but still having enough time to do the required business there (as they already knew that I cannot afford it, or their services).

My process was tricky (slightly different than usual) though, as I already lived in Bandung for a year, but my husband lives in another town (where I had activities during 2015), and I couldn't move / change address after I got married (i.e. during the KITAS application process). So our "Keterangan Domisili" letters were from different RT/RW's in different Regions, and at first they couldn't decide WHERE my application should be processed, what additional letters I needed in such "different than usual" case, etc... But some friendly talk, explanation, and slight persuasion, helped them decide

PS: When Immigration's "Inspection Staff" came to see where I live & ask their 100's of polite questions, while re-inspecting all my documents, taking extra photos, chatting to the locals who live around me, etc. (to assure that I am married for love, and do not have a hidden agenda or strange activities), they did mention that I can change to a KITAP after 2 years of marriage. Thank you for reaffirming that

It sounds like you've gone about everything the right way and got immigration on your side. Once that's sorted, you usually get an easy ride on everything else.
Them mentioning the KITAP is very good news for you as it means they're happy with the whole situation and are clearly intending to be helpful.
You're on a winner.

Fred wrote:

Them mentioning the KITAP is very good news for you as it means they're happy with the whole situation and are clearly intending to be helpful.

Speaking of them clearly intending to be helpful (which they truly have been), I am reminded of something VERY helpful they did, though there were many helpful things, I think this one applies to the original thread-question:

After dropping off my documents at DirJen Imigrasi in Jakarta, they said they will contact me when I can fetch the processed documents, which they said should take maximum 1 week.
After 2 weeks I still had no news from them, so I sent them 3 e-mails (to different e-mail addresses that I found on the web, as the phone numbers on the internet didn’t work), and all 3 replied to my e-mail saying that my documents were NOT ready yet.

I then sent an e-mail as well as an sms to the Head of Immigration in Bandung (whom I had the earlier discussion with about where my KITAS should be processed, and who was kind enough to give me his e-mail address & number incase I run into problems because of their decision).
I said that within 3 days my extended SosBud will expire, and if I don’t have the KITAS documents by the next day, then I THINK I’ll have to do another extension of the SosBud first, unless they go on Application Date in which case I could afford to wait longer (which in the end I could have, but I didn’t know it at that point)….. So I asked if he had advice as to what I should do.....

He called me (wow!) 7:30 PM from the Immigration Office in Bandung, checked my Application files on the system, and said that I should go to DirJen Imigrasi in Jakarta the next day and ask for my documents, then if they say it’s not ready, I should call him from there and let him talk to them, as he does not accept it taking so long while there are no recorded problems on my file on the system.

I went to Jakarta the next day and all my documents were ready since a week before (according to the dates on all the documents).
I didn’t even have to talk to anyone there about whether my documents are ready or not; I just gave my application receipt-paper and they fetched my documents.
Actually it was so fast, that I still had 2 hours before the next shuttle back to Bandung….. so I had a nice relaxing lunch in Jakarta first.

I'm guessing you're the sort of person who moved abroad, and the first things you packed were an open mind and a friendly attitude.
Officials here tend to be pretty good if you have the above.
I loath paperwork with a passion, and I'm going to compliment immigration and a bunch of other departments for their help saving me a pile of stress and messing about.

Back to important matters for you --- have you made a police report and an SKTT yet?
Both are essential to keep you out of the soup.

Fred wrote:

I'm guessing you're the sort of person who moved abroad, and the first things you packed were an open mind and a friendly attitude.

I’ll be honest in saying that it sounds easier in words than it felt in practice, as I'm sure you know

Fred wrote:

Back to important matters for you --- have you made a police report and an SKTT yet?
Both are essential to keep you out of the soup.

The SKTT was listed (at my 1st visit to the Immigration Office) as one of the required documents for a KITAS application.
Actually, it’s because of that letter that an issue arose about where to handle my application, as both my husband’s KTP & current address were in a different Region.

The police report made everyone confused, LOL… which I honestly remember needing in 2012 even for just a 6-week period that I was here.
So I went to get that first, remembering that I needed to get that within 2 days after arriving in Indonesia if I planned on staying longer than a month.
But last year when I went, the people at the Police Station were totally confused as to why I was asking for such document, and I didn’t understand why they were confused, even showing them exactly the letter I was given in 2012.
They did not want to give me one, so I asked about that later at the Immigration Office, and they said it’s an old requirement (prior to 2015) and not needed anymore.
So I went back to the Police Station and apologized for the confusion.

I’m guessing..… that the reason they don’t need it anymore, is because the SKTT has to come from Pak Lurah (the Kepala Desa), and in order to get that (as you probably know), you have to go through Pak RT first, and then Pak RW, so I’m guessing that combined with the visit from Immigration’s “inspection staff” (since 2015 even for a SosBud extension after 2 months of being here), they see that as “sufficient”.
That’s just my guess though…..

The old police card was scrapped some time ago, but I've always been asked to do a local police report when moving house and the coppers have always made one without the slightest question.
I must check the law on the matter, but experience tells me to just do whatever the officials ask for and life gets easier.
You made a good move returning to the police station. One thing here is officials like polite. I saw a local woman go ape here when she couldn't get her KTP quick enough, and I suspect it's going to take a very long time now.
I also had an issue as I wasn't on whatever list they wanted me to be on so I have to go to the area head office instead.
Smiled, said, "No problem, I'll go tomorrow", and a 'thank you', and off I waddled, but with happy member of staff sitting at her desk.
I was a bit miffed I'd just wasted an hour for nothing, but smiles work for next time and 'miffed' doesn't.

I see that a new regulation was issued (effective from 1 February 2016), in which some Immigration Offices require that the submission of the application forms (as well as the renewals thereof) be done ONLINE.
 
The applicant will then receive a confirmation email within 3-7 business days stating that he or she can continue the application process manually.

Some Immigration Offices that require this are:
Soekarno Hatta, Central Jakarta, West Jakarta, South Jakarta, North Jakarta, East Jakarta, Tangerang, Bogor, Depok, Karawang, and Bekasi.

Therefore, expats applying in other Immigration Offices (like I applied mid 2016 in Bandung) are not obliged to apply online.

The link with more info and instructions is here:
http://www.cekindo.com/newest-regulatio … ermit.html