Embassy Letter
What is an Embassy Letter?
The Embassy Letter is document prepared by an Indonesian university, which is required for a Social Visit visa. The Embassy Letter is addressed to the Indonesian embassy in your home country by default. If you plan to apply for the Social Visit Visa at an embassy located outside of your home country, you will need to request for an embassy letter that is addressed to that embassy in question.
If you apply for the visa in your home country, you are required to take no extra action.
Example: You live in the Netherlands but you are doing and internship in Malaysia before your semester starts in Indonesia. Therefore it is more convenient for you to apply for the Social Visit Visa at the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur. You need to request the host university (Udayana / Warmadewa University) for a letter addressed at the embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
For students participating in the BIPAS program of Udayana University or the WIP program of Warmadewa University there are certain restrictions concerning when and how a new Embassy Letter can be requested. As a rule, the Embassy Letter can be addressed to another country’s Indonesian embassy* only under the following special conditions:
- If you are studying in a country other than your home country
- If you are doing an internship in a country other than your home country, and are unable to apply for a visa in your home country prior to traveling to Bali
- If you are continuing to study for a second semester in the BIPAS/WIP program
Udayana University
If you fulfill one of the above conditions, you need to inform us about it as soon as possible. An electronic application form for the Embassy Letter will also be sent to you before the application deadline, which you will need to fill out by a specific deadline. In conditions 1 and 2, a letter from the university or from the employer/internship supervisor in English should be attached to the application as a proof of studies/internship.
Warmadewa University
If you fulfill one of the above conditions, you need to inform us about it after the application deadline has closed at the latest. An electronic application form for the Embassy Letter will also be sent to you before the application deadline, which you will need to fill out by a specific deadline. In conditions 1 and 2, a letter from the university or from the employer/internship supervisor in English should be attached to the application as a proof of studies/internship.
Applications for Embassy Letters will not be approved in any other circumstances than the ones mentioned above. Additionally, both Udayana University and Warmadewa University prepare only one letter per student: after the letter has been prepared, it is not possible to request a further letter to be made.
The BIPAS and the WIP programs encourage all students to start their visa application procedure early enough so they will be able to receive the social visa on time even if they plan on traveling prior the start of the semester.
What if I’m unable to get a student visa on time?
In case you for any reason are unable to apply for a Social Visit Visa on time, there are three alternatives which allow you to arrive in Indonesia without it:
A) Citizens of certain countries are subject to visa exemption rule and may stay in Indonesia for a total of 30 days without a visa (see the list of exempted nationalities here). However, the visa-free stay applies only to leisure activities, and does not grant the right to study or work, for example. You must apply for a student visa within the next 4 weeks. This requires you to visit a neighboring country.
B) Visa on Arrival (VoA): Certain nationalities are eligible for purchasing a Visa on Arrival for ca. 35 USD at designated airports (e.g. Jakarta, Lombok and Denpasar) upon arriving in Indonesia. Onward or return ticket is compulsory (can be to a nearby country, such as Singapore). The VoA does not grant you the right to study in Indonesia. You must apply for a student visa within the next 4 weeks. This requires you to visit a neighboring country.
C) At some Indonesian embassies (e.g. Finland, Austria) it has been possible to apply for the Visa Type 211 (Tourist Visa) without a sponsor; in other words, no Embassy Letter or Official Acceptance Letter is required. This visa can be converted into a sponsored Social Visit Visa upon arriving in Indonesia with the help of an agent appointed by the university. This must be done within the first 60 days. Please confirm with your local Indonesian embassy whether it’s possible to apply for this type of visa.
*Note! Not all countries grant an Indonesian visa to a non-resident (e.g. United States, Hong Kong). Please contact the Indonesian embassy in the country you are applying your visa from and find out about their regulations.
