All About Maid's passport renewal

[tigger88]

newmorning:

30plus, thanks for your reply. Anyone knows?

Are you still thinking about renewing the maid's passport on your own? I get an agency to do it for me. They charge me $450. My maid is being asked to go to the embassy this morning to get a queue no. for her to take her passport photo and she is to meet the middleman (arranged by agency) there to bring her in. I heard the embassy reduced the daily quota for passport renewal to 120.

You know what time my maid had to leave home this morning to get the queue number? At 5am...when she arrived, she took queue no. 79. She just smsed me...she is still waiting for her turn. The embassy opens at 9am and she told me that she may have to wait till 3pm to finish what she needs to do today.

I am not sure how difficult it is if you're going to DIY.

[newmorning]

Wah how come your maid has to do the queuing when you got an agency to do it? I thought the agency will apply for her? That was what I thought to skip, if go by an agency.

[tigger88]

I heard that the maid has to personally go down to get queue #. Even if have to go through agency, this is required. She has to be there at the embassy to take the passport photo.


Anyway…my maid just smsed me…there are still 15 people in the queue before her turn to take photo. Aiyo…so slow…

[newmorning]

Wow. And it almost 3pm!

[tigger88]

Yup, it took so long for her turn. She told me that the maid that got queue #1 went to take her queue # at 1am!!! That was after she did not managed to get any queue nos. after 3 tries…

[jtoh]

Crazy!

[UncleLim]

Hi fellow employers… I just went through the process so I might as well document it here for your future reference.


- Have photocopies of the following:
1. Helper’s exisiting passport
2. Helper’s passport sized photographs
3. Helper’s work permit (both sides)
4. Employer’s NRIC (both sides)

** Bring all the original documents there as well. To enter the Indonesian embassy you might be asked for another ID such as driving license to be kept at the security booth. You will need your NRIC inside for the passport renewal process.

- First thing you do is to get a queue number from the machine
- Get your helper to fill in the Green passport renewal form
- Once your number is flashed at counter 1 or 2, go submit your form and documents
- Pay S$35 at the cashier
- Bring your payment receipt to counter 3 and wait to be called for an interview
- The interview room is on level 2
- Collection is usually 3 days after submission

[annkarin72]

Hi Uncle Lim


Thanks for your above post.

Can I check with you the following:-

1) Can I check when collecting the passport, does the helper need to be present or the employer can collect on behalf of the helper?

2) What are the questions asked during the interview?

3) And lastly how long needed on the day when apply the passport?

I appreciate your reply.

Thanks & Best Regards
Karin

[UncleLim]

annkarin72:

Hi Uncle Lim


Thanks for your above post.

Can I check with you the following:-

1) Can I check when collecting the passport, does the helper need to be present or the employer can collect on behalf of the helper?

2) What are the questions asked during the interview?

3) And lastly how long needed on the day when apply the passport?

I appreciate your reply.

Thanks & Best Regards
Karin

Hi Karin,

The passport can be collected by either the helper or the employer. I drove my helper to the embassy but waited outside in my car. The collection process is a lot faster, all in all about 15 minutes.

At the interview, they will ask you about the helper's salary and off days. This information will be put into a document for you and your helper to sign, to agree that you abide by certain rules such as not abusing her and providing her with decent meals etc. Some questions were asked in bahasa so I did not understand.

I took about 2 hours but it was because we forgot to get the queue number first before standing in line to submit the form and documents. So make sure you get your queue number at the machine next to counter 2 before you do other things.

Hope this helps!

[annkarin72]

Hi Uncle Lim,


Thanks for your reply.

Appeciate it.

Thks

Karin