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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ KITAS holder - KITAS card - certificate of registration
- passport and visa for temporary resident
- work permit
- letter from sponsor ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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