Ten years ago when my husband was in the Navy, he was stationed in Indonesia for two years. The processes of obtaining proper documentation to live and work in Indonesia can seem like an endless maze of bureaucracy. Lack of posted regulations, irregular application of existing regulations, vested interests and other  matters complicate what one would think would be a relatively smooth processing of paperwork for foreigners to live and work in Indonesia.

This review of the necessary documents should help to clarify some of the questions newcomers may have about the various documents required.Passports for your family members are issued by a passport office from your own country. While your government may allow children to follow on their mother's passports, it is better to have separate passports for every family member, just in case separate travel is required.

In order to apply for any visa to Indonesia, your passport must be valid for at least six months. If your passport is nearing expiration, It is recommend you renew it to the maximum time allowable before you begin procedures to apply for an Indonesian work permit and visa. You do not want to have your sponsoring office go through all the paperwork of getting your visa and work permit, only to have to repeat the procedure after six months because your