DIY: Renew your Indonesian Maid's Work Permit (for Singaporeans)

Update 12 May 2016: I didn't realized how popular this post has gotten :)  Thank you all for the support. It's been 3 years since I have written this article. The procedures might have changed slightly and I might not be aware of the new changes - as I have no maid now. 

Update 25 Feb 2015: Amended Step 7 for KTKLN application. Your FDW needs a health certificate for KTKLN application now. 

Now that I have gone through it, here's a chronological display of documents and events to complete and do.

Process Summary:

1. Negotiate her salary and benefits for the next contract and Decide Duration of her Home Leave
2. Go to the Indonesia Embassy to renew her passport (OPTIONAL) and get the work agreement done (COMPULSORY)
3. Buy maid insurance (COMPULSORY)
4. Renew her work permit (COMPULSORY)
5. Get her new Passport from the embassy (COMPULSORY)
6. Buy her air tickets (COMPULSORY)
7. Apply for the KTKLN card in Indonesia (COMPULSORY): The new Indonesia president has made some comments on removing the need to apply for KTKLN card, but as we know, a change like this will not happen overnight in Indonesia. So just make sure your maid's KTKLN card is valid when she returns to Singapore. 

Summary of Cost Involved:

1. Renew Passport = $35
2. Maid insurance = $308.16
3. Renew Work Permit = $20
4. Air Tickets = $247 (AirAsia)
5. Worker Insurance (in Indonesia) = $38

Total cost to DIY maid renewal is SGD648.16

Step 1) Negotiate her Salary and Benefits for the Next 2 Years and Decide Duration of her Home Leave

This is needed when you are at the Indonesia Embassy to do up her work agreement. You should try to match her pay to the current basic pay. The basic pay for year 2013 is SGD450 a month, with a compensation of SGD17.50 per Sunday where she worked.

Though, the Indonesia government do not enforced the SGD450 wages requirement very strictly, you might want to offer an attractive incentive for her to continue with the contract. Otherwise she will opt not to return from her home leave (like my maid).

You should be able to find the minimum duration of her home leave in her contract with the maid agency. It is usually 2 weeks.


Step 2) Go to the Indonesia Embassy to 
(A) Renew her Passport (OPTIONAL) and 
(B) Get the Work Agreement Done (COMPULSORY)

Bring the following:

1. For registering at the embassy: Your driver's license or anything with your name and IC on it. Try not to use your IC as you might need it later.
2. For renewing her passport:
1. A completed PERDIM 11 form: required for passport renewal
2. Her current passport 
3. 1 copy of her current passport 
4. 1 copy of your NRIC
5. 2 copies of recently taken passport size photograph with white background: you can also take passport photos at the embassy. 
6. SGD35 in cash: payment for the new passport is in CASH only
3. For crafting the Work Agreement:
1. Domestic worker’s current Work Permit (minimum 2 weeks validity)
2. Employer’s NRIC
3. Authorization letter and the ID card of the person signing the agreement on behalf of the employer (if needed). You can authorize your spouse or immediate relative to do the interview and sign the work agreement on behalf of the employer.
4. Slip of passport payment from Immigration

Photo requirements for passport renewal:

• Size of the photo is 3.5cm x 4.5cm
• The person must wear proper attire
• The face must be straight facing the front
• The person must not wear spectacles
• Teeth must not be visible
• Eyes must not be covered
• Must be recently taken

Beat the queue by arriving early. My husband reached there about 9.30am and there's already a queue. Their operating hours for passport renewal is from 9.00am to 12 noon (Monday - Friday, excluding Public Holiday). 

Make sure your attire is decent - no shorts or spaghetti straps or sleeveless or flip flops. My husband told me that a lady was provided with a sarong to cover her legs. 

Address: 7 Chatsworth Road, Singapore 249761

Tel: 6737 7422

Passport renewal is optional if her passport is not expiring within the next 6 months. But the duration of the maid insurance will be shorten if the passport validity dates is shorter than the usual contract period of 26 months. You might have to buy a 14 month insurance which costs more in terms of monthly premiums. My advice is to renew the passport and save yourself the trouble of queuing up at the embassy or renewing the maid insurance again. Her new passport will be ready for collection in 3 days time.

Next, proceed to the Consular Affairs at 2nd Floor to sign a standard Work Agreement. It is compulsory to do the Work Agreement. The embassy will do this for you for FREE. An officer in charge will conduct an interview with you and your helper. During the interview, you will be asked about her pay, day off or day off compensation. The officer will usually try to negotiate for more pay and off day for your worker.

This Work Agreement is a document needed for the application of the KTKLN (Overseas Worker ID Card) for your helper. Most details on this at Step 7.

Step 3) Buy Maid Insurance (COMPULSORY)

I've searched the web for some options and decided to settle for NTUC. My plan is MI3E with waiver of counter indemnity. Waiver of counter indemnity is important. It will limit your liability on the $5,000 Security Bond to $250 instead. This is provided that the breach of the $5,000 Security Bond is not due to your negligence or fault.

Other things that I consider important are wages compensation and expenses benefit if I have to stop her employment.

The NTUC MI3E plan costs SGD308.16 inclusive of 7% GST. Read this if you have more questions on NTUC maid plans.

For your benefit, I have also compiled a list of maid insurances with similar benefits for you to consider. Click on the link to see the policy details.

• NTUC Foreign Maid Insurance: either SGD308.16 or SGD418.41
• AIA Maid Guard: either SGD281.43 or SGD324.21
• AXA Smart Helper: SGD267.50 + waiver SGD53.50 = SGD321
• Great Eastern Life Maid Supreme Plus: SGD321
• MSIG maid plus: SGD246.10 + waiver SGD53.50 = SGD299.60
• TM Asia Maid Delight: SGD320

*Whichever policy you are considering, please REMEMBER to include the waiver of counter indemnity.


Step 4) Renew her Work Permit (COMPULSORY)

Do this via Ministry of Manpower site for foreign domestic worker. Ensure that the Work Permit is still valid at the time of application. 

The procedure is dead easy as the instructions (PDF), though lengthy, are straight forward. The employer can complete it by logging in with his/her SINGPASS.

Submission of renewal requests online is only available from 8am - 8pm (Monday to Friday), 8am - 2pm (Saturday), excluding public holidays. You can view the outcome of your request immediately after submission.

It costs SGD20 and can be paid using GIRO (for existing GIRO user), eNETS Credit or Debit.


Step 5) Get her New Passport from the Embassy (COMPULSORY)

The embassy will take 3 days to process the new passport application.

You can collect it between 3.00pm to 5.00pm (Monday - Friday, excluding Public Holiday). Please bring your NRIC and her Work Agreement for identifications.


Step 6) Buy her Air Tickets (COMPULSORY)
You will have to pay for her air tickets home. I'm considering AirAsia and Garuda Indonesia.


Step 7) Apply for the KTKLN card (COMPULSORY)

Update 25 Feb 2015: The new Indonesia president has made some comments on removing the need to apply for KTKLN card, but as we know, a change like this will not happen overnight in Indonesia. So just make sure your maid's KTKLN card is valid when she returns to Singapore. 

The Indonesian Embassy is not authorised to process KTKLN application. Your helper has to do this in Indonesia at designated offices (BP3TKI, P4TKI or issuing counters at selected airports).

KTKLN is Kartu Tenaga Kerja Luar Negeri. Translated to English, it means Card of Overseas Worker. This card is issued to an Indonesian who has passed the qualification for working abroad. The card is valid for 2 years as it is tied to a 2 years worker insurance to be purchased in Indonesia. From the embassy's site, it is stated that the worker's insurance cost Rp. 290,000 (approximately SGD37) for 2 years or Rp. 170,000 (approximately SGD22) for 1 year. But please make sure she has brought more money - just read from somewhere that the recommended amount to bring is IDR400,000 - in case she needs to pay some 'special' fees.

Your helper can also apply for it via the online portal. The site requires a login ID and a password. Sadly, the site is only in Bahasa Indonesia. After the online application, she can only collect the KTKLN card at the nearest BP3TKI located in Indonesia.

Your helper will need the following documents for KTKLN card application:

1. Passport
2. Work Permit
3. Work Agreement, issued and endorsed by the Embassy
4. Insurance Payment Slip (premiums to be purchased in Indonesia’s insurance office)
   Rp 290.000 for 2 years or Rp 170.000 for 1 year.
5. ‘Surat keterangan sehat’ (health certificate). Some application offices will ask for this certificate. Though some offices have a stand-by doctor to check the maid, it’s better to have a copy of the health certificate. Your maid can get one from the nearest Public Health Center or hospital in Indonesia.

*I have seen stories where you can pay a 'special' fee to the Indonesian customs into re-entering SG without the KTKLN cards.

Useful Links:

1. Indonesia Embassy Site in English
2. About Passport Renewal
3. About Work Agreement
4. About KTKLN card
5. Online application for KTKLN card
6. WP Online for Employers of Foreign Domestic Workers
7. Guide on e-Renewal of Foreign Worker's Work Permit

Hope this site has been informative and helpful to all who needs it. Do let me know if any information is presented wrongly.