A Guide to the Differences Between ITAS and ITAP Indonesia

Planning to settle down in Indonesia but unsure of which visa you need? This is a widespread situation for foreigners who wish to stay in Indonesia for work, family, or other reasons.

Legal jargon and visa variety in Indonesia can make the visa application process more complex than it should be. In the case of residency visas in Indonesia, this is particularly pronounced – due to the fine distinctions among visas and their supportive documents, such as ITAS vs KITAS, and ITAP vs KITAP.

Today, Cekindo has put together a simple but efficient guide to the difference between ITAS and ITAP that will help you figure out which one is the best fit for you – so you can make your entrepreneurial or family dream of staying in Indonesia come true.

ITAS and KITAS in Indonesia

ITAS stands for Izin Tinggal Terbatas, and KITAS means Kartu Izin Tinggal Terbatas, both of them are actually the same thing – limited stay visa or temporary stay permit visa in Indonesia.

The only difference between the two names is one being a physical card (KITAS), and one standing for the permit itself (ITAS). The “K” in KITAS is the abbreviation of “Kartu” in Indonesian, and it literally means “card” in English.

Currently, there is no card issued by Indonesian immigration. Instead, a limited stay visa is given out electronically, and thus it is now mostly called as simply as an ITAS or e-ITAS.

Types of ITAS (KITAS)

ITAS can be divided into four main categories:

Spouse ITAS (Family ITAS)

A foreigner who is legally married to an Indonesian citizen is qualified to apply for a spouse ITAS. With this visa, you are only allowed to stay but not to work in the country. A work permit is required in order to be legally employed in Indonesia.

The validity of a spouse-sponsored ITAS is one year and is extendable. Furthermore, spouse ITAS holders are not limited by the number of entries to Indonesia.

Work Visa ITAS

A work visa ITAS can only be sponsored by a company or an organization that is legally registered in Indonesia. The validity of your working permit impacts the duration of your work ITAS as well and is available with multiple exits and re-entry permits.

Retirement Visa ITAS

Foreigners do not need to be employed or start a business in Indonesia to acquire this visa. However, not all nationalities are entitled to a retirement visa in Indonesia. Check the restricted countries.

A retirement visa is valid for one year and can be extended up to four times.

Transit ITAS

This type of visa is given to Indonesians who are in the process of regaining their Indonesian citizenship. The validity varies from 6 to 12 months.

ITAP and KITAP in Indonesia

ITAP and KITAP are the same visas as well, and the additional “K” has the same implication as in ITAS vs. KITAS. ITAP (Izin Tinggal Tetap) or KITAP (Kartu Izin Tinggal Tetap) is a permanent residency visa for foreign nationals staying and living in Indonesia. It has a validity of 5 years, and an unlimited number of extensions is allowed.

According to the Immigration Law in Indonesia, an ITAP or KITAP can only be given to the following groups of people:

• a foreigner who has a temporary stay visa (ITAS or KITAS) as an expat, investor, retiree, or religious missionary for the required time
• a member (for example a child) of a mixed marriage family
• a spouse or a child of a foreigner or an expat who holds a permanent stay visa
• a foreigner who was previously an Indonesian citizen or possessed dual citizenships of Indonesia and another country

Restriction for Spouse-sponsored ITAS and ITAP

It is of general consensus under the law of Indonesia that holders of spouse-sponsored ITAS or spouse-sponsored ITAP are not permitted to work in Indonesia. However, there is still a grey zone under this law allowing foreigners with a spouse visa to conduct businesses.

According to the said law, a spouse visa permits foreigners to run businesses for the purpose of making a living and taking care of their family. However, this regulation does not specify what businesses foreigners on a spouse visa can or cannot undertake, as long as they do not hire any employees or work in an informal sector.

Continue reading: Is Doing Business on a Spouse Visa Legal in Indonesia?

Final Note

There is no need to stress about the terminology of a temporary or permanent stay visa in Indonesia. As you will find out soon, there are tons of required documents to get to the final stage of ITAS and ITAP, which are sometimes issued electronically in forms of e-ITAS or e-ITAP, or as it used to be common in the form of small cards (KITAS and KITAP) resembling Indonesian ID cards known as KTP.

Furthermore, if you apply for your ITAS abroad, you will be first given a visa (VITAS) that must be converted to ITAS upon your arrival in Indonesia.

At Cekindo, we will advise you on the whole process as well as assist you with the application. Thanks to this, you will not need to travel to several immigration offices in Indonesia and manage the procedure promptly. Talk to us now.