Expatriates have to report any change of address
Expatriates have to report any change of address
Bambang Nurbianto
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Jakarta is indeed a huge melting pot, where people from all walks
of life, races and nationalities live.
But it does not mean either local residents or expatriates can
move around the city without reporting any change of address to
the necessary authorities.
In an event held on Wednesday to start the dissemination of
information on Bylaw No. 4/2004 on population and civil
registration, head of the Jakarta Population and Civil
Registration Agency's monitoring division, Edison Sianturi, said
the regulation affected expatriates who held permanent resident
visas (KITAP), temporary resident visas (KITAS), as well as
foreigners who lived in apartments and rented houses.
"Foreigners who live in hotels are not required to report to
the agency," he said.
The bylaw also requires expatriates to report a change in
their residential status, for example, from KITAS holder to KITAP
holder.
According to Sianturi, although the bylaw was enacted in 2004,
few expatriates have reported a change in address.
"We find it difficult to monitor their activities, while the
regulation is actually meant to enable us to provide security and
safety for foreigners in the capital.
"If we have good data on the foreigners, we may detect the
presence of terrorists among us," he said.
The event was attended by staff members of embassies and
representatives from international organizations, apartment
managements and recruitment agencies for overseas workers.
Sianturi stressed that according to Article 51 of the bylaw,
offenders -- who may include expatriates, apartment managements,
and owners of rented houses -- face three months imprisonment or
a Rp 5 million (US$500) fine.
The official said raids would be carried out continuously on
apartments and boarding houses by a joint team comprising of
representatives from the agency, immigration officers and the
police.
Sianturi admitted that his office could not monitor the
presence of foreigners who live in apartments and rented houses
in the city because many of them had not reported their address.
The agency records that there are 45,633 foreign residents --
41,633 KITAS holders and 4,000 KITAP holders -- and some 6,000
foreign visitors who hold tourist and socio-cultural visas.
Sianturi said that based on the result of monitoring, it was
found that many foreign visitors worked illegally in various
entertainment centers -- nightspots, karaoke houses, discotheques
-- as well as those who worked as sex workers.
I-BOX
Where to register
1. The City Population and Civil Registration Agency
Jl. S. Parman No. 7, West Jakarta Tel.: 5666-6341
2. Central Jakarta office
Jl. Tanah Abang 1/1 Tel.: 385-2857
3. East Jakarta office
Jl. Cipinang Baru Raya Tel.: 4895-725
4. South Jakarta office
Jl. Radio V No. 1, Kebayoran Baru Tel.: 739-6689
5. West Jakarta office
Jl. Pintu Besar Utara No. 12 Tel.: 692-8017
6. North Jakarta office
Jl. Yos Sudarso N. 27-29 Tel.: 439-38775
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Required documents New documents
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KITAP holders - KITAP card - certificate of registration
- police registration for permanent resident
- current address
- current job
- letter issued by subdistrict
head of old address stating
the reason for the change
of address.
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KITAS holder - KITAS card - certificate of registration
- passport and visa for temporary resident
- work permit
- letter from sponsor
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Visitor - passport - certificate of registration
- visit visa for temporary resident
- letter from sponsor - the agency records the
foreigner as guest
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After the registration at the agency, expatriates are expected to
register at the subdistrict office in their neighborhood. The
administration will issue a family certificate and ID cards for
those over 17, while KITAS holders will receive a certificate of
temporary residence. Temporary foreign visitors are only required
to report their presence in the neighborhoods to the subdistrict
office.
Source: City Population and Civil Registration Agency