4. FORMALITIES
4.1 Overview
Another reason that cruisers have avoided the Anambas Islands is that obtaining international clearance has not been possible in Tarempa. With the prevailing south to south-west winds in the summer, it would be logical to sail from the Anambas to either Borneo or Tioman, but without being able to clear out, cruisers are faced with a punishing 150 mile slog upwind to Nongsa Point marina to clear out.
In 2016, there were CIPQ (Customs, Immigration, Port Captain, Quarantine) offices in Tarempa in the Anambas. HOWEVER, they are not allowed to do INTERNATIONAL clearances. We have been told that Tarempa will be made into an International Clearance Port in the near future - contact Prakash, the Manager of Nongsa Marina (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) who will know the latest situation.
***UPDATE NOV 2016 *** Prakash at Nongsa Point Marina has informed me that IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO DO INTERNATIONAL CLEARANCES BOTH IN AND OUT AT TAREMPA, ANAMBAS. If you go there and do international clearance, can you let me know the procedure and I'll update this section of these notes. ****
We did our clearance in and out of Indonesia at Nongsa Point Marina, Batam, 20 miles south of Singapore. The staff at Nongsa will take the various documents (see below) and obtain an international inward clearance on arrival. The day before you leave for the Anambas, they will obtain the internal domestic clearance from Batam to Tarempa, Anambas. The process is effortless and quick. They charged 500,000 Rupiah (£25) for inward clearance and the same for outward clearance.
There was some confusion when we arrived in Tarempa, but it appears that each of the CIQP offices would like yachts to report in (see below).
The latest regulations can be found on the Nongsa Point Marina web site at:
http://www.nongsapointmarina.com/marina-service-ciqp.php
4.2 Obtaining a Visa Prior to Arrival
If you arrive in Indonesia with no visa, then most nationalities will be issued with a 30 day “On-Arrival” visa.
You can obtain a 60-day Indonesian Tourist Visa in Georgetown, Johor Bahru and Singapore. This involves filling in a form, supplying a passport photograph and paying $35 US dollars. Other documentation is required to support your application (see below). YOU MUST WEAR LONG TROUSERS AND A DECENT SHIRT or you will be refused access to the embassy. In Singapore applications are made in the mornings and pickups are done in the afternoon.
Our friends on “Amulet” obtained their visas in Georgetown and it was much easier than in Singapore.
In Singapore, when the embassy found out that we were travelling by private yacht, they demanded a CAIT and an itinerary of our intended route. They didn’t know that the regulations had changed and sent us to a local Singapore agent. The agent confirmed that we did not need a CAIT and sent us back to the Embassy.
We reapplied, taking along a print-out of a completed Cruising Declaration form which contains a section for an itinerary. We also took along a copy of a memorandum from the Indonesian Marine department informing the Ports of Entry that the CAIT is no longer required. As backup, we took along a recent bank statement showing that we have sufficient funds to buy a ticket out of the country and a copy of our ships registration document.
The embassy staff accepted the Cruising Declaration in lieu of the CAIT and we received our visas 2 days later.
So, we suggest that you go along armed with the following documents:
- The completed Visa application form (download from the embassy you are visiting)
- A recent passport photograph
- Enough cash to pay the $35US dollar fee in the local currency.
- A completed Cruising Declaration form, including an itinerary and make sure that it is signed (a boat stamp probably helps)
- A copy of your ship’s registration document
- A copy of the memo detailing the change of CAIT regulations
- A recent bank statement showing that you have sufficient funds to leave the country.
The visa application form for the Singapore Embassy can be downloaded from:
http://kemlu.go.id/singapore/en/Immigration-Services/Pages/Tourist-Visa.aspx
The memorandum detailing the changes to the CAIT can be downloaded from:
http://www.noonsite.com/images/pdfs/indonesia_no-cait-memorandum/view
4.3 Arrival in Nongsa Point Marina
4.3.1 Introduction
The staff at Nongsa Point will efficiently handle your inward clearance and domestic clearance to Tarempa in the Anambas. We handed over our paperwork and they came back two hours later with everything done.
However, there are some things that you need to do prior to arrival.
4.3.2 Cruising Permit
There is no longer a requirement to have a “Cruising Application for Indonesian Territory” (CAIT). Instead, there is a Cruising Declaration form which should be filled in and printed out before arrival.
http://www.nongsapointmarina.com/download/cruising-declaration-form-2016.docx
4.3.3 Customs
For customs, you can need to fill in an on-line form, no more than 48 hours before you arrive at Nongsa Point marina. You will need to print out a copy of this document to give to customs.
http://yacht.beacukai.go.id/yachtbc/form_mhn_vd_e.php
4.3.4 Immigration
If you arrive in Nongsa Point Marina with no visa, then most nationalities will be issued with a 30 day “On-Arrival” visa.
If you arrive with a 60 day Tourist visa then you will be given 60 days.
4.3.5 Port Captain
There’s nothing special to be done. They issue a Port Clearance document at Nongsa.
4.3.6 Quarantine
There’s nothing special to be done. They issue a Quarantine Clearance document at Nongsa.
4.4 Arrival in Tarempa, Anambas
Each of the CIPQ offices would like yachts to report in.
Port Captain. Their office is next to the Ferry Terminal. Ask for the Syahbandar (“si-ban-dar”), but the sign outside the office is “Kementerian Perhubungan”. They simply stamp the back of the Port Clearance document issued in Nongsa. We believe that this clears the yacht into the Anambas and give clearance back to Nongsa.
Customs. Their office is on the main street. Turn left at the end of the boardwalk from the floating dinghy dock (there’s a model of a customs boat outside). The sign outside the office is Kanto Bea Cukai Tarempa. They took a photocopy of the clearance documents, we don’t think that we have to go back before we leave the Anambas.
Quarantine. Their office is behind two government buildings across the street from the hospital, next to the Tarempa Beach hotel. Turn left at the end of the boardwalk from the floating dinghy dock and at the T-junction turn left then the building is immediately across the road on the right. The sign outside the office is “Departemen Kesehatan”. They wanted a new crew list which they stamped and signed and gave back to us, we don’t think that we have to go back before we leave the Anambas.
Immigration. Their office is on a road parallel to the main street. Turn right at the end of the boardwalk from the floating dinghy dock and after 200 metres take the road to the left that goes over a small bridge. Before the bridge, turn left and the immigration office is on the left. The sign outside the office is “Kantor Immigrasi”. They disappeared with our passports and clearance papers for ten minutes, presumably they just recorded our details.
It sounds a bit complicated, but it’s all very easy. The offices are all within 400 metres of each other and everyone is friendly and laid back - you might find that the officers aren’t there or may be asleep - it’s an island, dude…
4.5 Visa Extension in Tarempa
It’s possible to do a 30 day visa extension in Tarempa. It took Immigration two days to process our application - the major delay was that their internet connection back to headquarters was not working and they couldn’t use the on-line system on the first day.
We extended our 60 day tourist visas by 30 days. We’re not certain if it’s possible to extend a 30 day on-arrival visa, but I don’t see any reason why not.
When we asked for an extension, they initially told us to come back a week before our current visas expire, because the visa extension would run for 30 days from the date that it was issued. We argued that we’d extended last year and the extension had run from the end of the initial visa for a further 30 days. We showed them the stamps in our passports, which convinced them that they could do the same.
So, we entered Indonesia on the 29th June and were given 60 days until the 27th August. We then had 30 day extensions issued on the 26th July and they gave us an exit date of 24th September. The number of days doesn’t quite add up, but it’s nearly 90 days.
The process was as follows:
1. Write a letter to the Kantor Immigrasi, requesting 30 day visa extensions for your crew, put the crew names and passport details in the letter - an official boat stamp would go down well.
2. Fill in an official visa extension form which they will provide.
3. Give them your Boat clearance papers, which they keep hold of for the duration of the process (It would be prudent to get photocopies of the documents before you hand them over.)
4. Pay a fee of 300,000 Rupiah each. Immigration will give you a bill that you have to pay at the BNI Bank on the main street. The teller is upstairs and it was a very fast process.
5. They enter your details into their on-line system - this took 24 hours…
6. They then take your biometric data - photograph, finger prints and signature.
7. Pay a fee of 55,000 Rupiah each. Again, they give you a bill which you pay at the BNI Bank.
8. Wait half an hour for your passports to be stamped with the extension details. (They will give you back your Boat clearance papers.)