Before you leave home you must obtain a separate visa for each member of the family. Visas fall into several categories: tourist, business or social/cultural visit, dinas and temporary stay. Tourist visas are available on arrival to citizens of 23 countries, providing you have an ongoing ticket and proof of financial means to stay in Indonesia for the duration of the visa. Contact the nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate to find out if you have to make an application for a tourist visa before departure. It is very difficult to change a tourist visa to another visa category without leaving Indonesia.

Social/cultural visit visas are issued at overseas consular offices for visitors attending conferences or cultural meetings, sports events, etc. for up to two months.

Passports, visas and inoculations

For all official travel CIFOR pays the costs incurred in respect of passports, visas and inoculations for staff members, spouse and accompanying dependants.

Please refer to Visa Policy for further information.

Packing and shipping

General

CIFOR policy is to provide Internationally Recruited Staff a transportation of household and personal effects. New staff members must make their own arrangements concerning what they will ship and how they choose to bring their goods. The staff member shall normally submit for approval three estimates of the costs (door to port) prior to proceeding with the shipment of their household and personal effects. This may be waived by CIFOR if not feasible. It is suggested that shippers can be contacted early to allow time for decision making.

It is recommended that you use your own discretion in bringing to Indonesia the things that might be needed to help make you feel at home as well as make your adjustment easier. You should pay particularly attention to those goods which are expensive locally or hard to find. Check with your airline for details of your baggage allowance. Usually, when leaving the USA and coming to Jakarta directly, you may bring two large suitcase for each person. If you come from other countries or if you have a stopover en route, the allowance is limited to 20 kg for economy class or 30 kg for business class per person from the first stop onward. It is definitely worthwhile to pack your suitcases carefully and to weigh them in advance to take full advantage to take full advantage of your baggage allowance (including carry-on luggage). It is also suggested that you check with you airline to see whether they will authorize any excess luggage and what costs this will entail. Do not send “unaccompanied baggage” (luggage you send via passenger airline but don’t travel with)!

In order to clear local customs, Indonesian government authorities require the staff member’s passport and residence permits. Therefore, the shipment should be delivered to Indonesia after securing the accreditation letter. The cost of shipment and reasonable insurance may be charged directly to CIFOR. The staff member shall reimburse CIFOR any shipping costs over the CIFOR entitlement within thirty days after reception of the household and personal effects. CIFOR does not pay storage allowances for effects left behind at the staff member home base or the cost of transporting effects to or from storage points.

It is essential to establish that the shipper you use has an agent in Jakarta (Indonesia) who can receive your goods and take care of the necessary clearance procedures. There may be lengthy delays in getting a shipment through Customs (particularly if it comes by sea) and you may have to pay some “additional charges” to retrieve your goods. Ultimately, each person must weigh the advantages and disadvantages and make an individual judgement about what to bring and how much.

Shipping

All expatriates (internationally recruited staff members) coming to work under contract in Indonesia are allowed to one shipment of personal belongings and household goods duty free within the first months of taking up residence in Indonesia, provided the following conditions are met:

• Their personal belongings and household goods have been used (in theory, only those items which have been in your possession for at least 12 months)
• They possess adequate bills of lading, invoices and specific itemized packing list for all unaccompanied freight.
• The duty free shipment is only valid from one location. Shipments arriving from two locations, even if they arrive at the same time and through the same shipper, will not be granted the status of “one” shipment and will be charged accordingly.

A reputable company in Jakarta should handle all shipments. Contact one or more, by fax, requesting their nearest agent in your home country. All prices are competitive, and all of those listed below are recommended. However, CIFOR bears no responsibility for your shipment whatsoever. You may also with to contact companies in your own area.
All goods are to be listed as personal or household only. Everything should be packed in large, rigid containers (cardboard does not always hold up). It is recommended that you request the shipper to place everything in wooden crates if shipping by surface. The larger box, the better chance you have of receive it in good condition. Remove wrappings from “new” items as it is better that they appear used.

To minimize storage charges here, AIR FREIGHT SHOULD NOT LEAVE YOUR HOME BEFORE YOU HAVE YOUR “SURAT DINAS” /ACCREDITITATION LETTER, or you will be required to pay for “landing” and “storage” costs in Jakarta following the arrival of your goods. It is suggested that your shipping arrangements be made door-to-port.

How to select what to ship

It is important to remember that Jakarta is a metropolitan center which has supermarkets and department stores. Some household appliances and “gadgets” may be more expensive here, but these are balanced in your home budget by cheaper rattan, teak furniture, and a wealth of items to decorate your house. To make your house here a home, you may want some of your personal possessions. Framing of prints and pictures is inexpensive here. Most people now agree that bringing what you absolutely need and paying the excess baggage charge is efficient and convenient.

Some shipper’s phone/fax numbers available in Jakarta:

• Move Well
  Ph. +62 (0)21 527 7928
  Fax +62 (0)21 527 7927
• Allied Pickfords
  Ph. +62 (0)21 780 7851
  Fax: +62 (0)21 782 4205
• Crown Worldwide Group
  Ph. +62 (0)21 780 0556
  Fax +62 (0)21 780 2269
• Asian Tigers Lane
  Ph. +62 (0)21 780 0747
  Fax. +62 (0)21 780 0013