Friday, December 26, 2008

Q&A Bebas Fiskal sebagai Backpacker

Berikut adalah bentuk Q&A tentang NPWP dan bebas fiskal dalam tema backpacking. Tema travel ke LN dan kondisi seseorang backpacker Indonesia dicoba dengan bahasa yang simple dan umum agar mudah dimengerti. Kondisinya adalah orang Indonesia, bekerja/non bekerja di Indonesia, dah punya paspor Indonesia, tinggal >183 hari di Indonesia, yang berarti subject pajak Indonesia.

A. Kenapa sih perlu NPWP dan fiskal?
Fiskal Luar Negeri (FLN) aka Fiskal adalah bentuk pajak penghasilan yang harus dibayar jika kita mau ke luar negeri. NPWP adalah nomor registrasi yang menunjukkan bahwa kita ini tercatat wajib pajak. So dengan punya NPWP berarti kita adalah wajib pajak terdaftar. En biar kantor pajak bisa ngontrol orang yang lari ke LN bawa duit (he he he..kidding).

B. Saya ngga kerja, tapi pengen bebas fiskal. Bisa ngga sih?
Bisa. Caranya adalah :

  1. daftar NPWP kekantor pajak dengan konsekuensi mulai sekarang kudu laporan per tahun dengan nilai nil
  2. jika umur dibawah 21th ikut ortu atau kepala keluarga dengan bukti kertu keluarga
  3. jika umur diatas 21th pake cara 1.
  4. jika istri tidak bekerja > ikut NPWP suami dengan bukti kertu keluarga
  5. lintas batas via darat tanpa NPWP.

C. Saya kerja tapi belum punya NPWP. Bisa ngga bebas fiskal?
Ngga bisa. Solusinya tanya boss (pihak HR) apakah mereka mendaptarkan karyawan kolektif NPWP ketika mencatat gaji. Jika enggak, urus sendiri.

D. Gimana sih prosedur dapet NPWP?
Dateng ke kantor pajak setempat, minta formulir dan diisi. Bisa secara onlen disini http://ereg.pajak.go.id/ereg/wp/Login.do

E. Trus gimana dung prosedur bebas fiskal pake NPWP sendiri?
Sebelum ke bandara bikin kopian NPWP dan bawa yang asli ke bagian bebas fiskal di dekat check in. Prosesnya ketika bebas fiskal di bandara :
  1. check in dulu ke airlines untuk dapet boarding card (ituloh seperti tiket tapi ada nomer kursinya dan letak pintu di airport)
  2. kalau dah punya e-boarding card tetep ke check in untuk ngedrop bagasi.
  3. Jangan lupa bayar handling fee untuk keluar negeri. Saat ini 100rebu.
  4. ke konter pajak (BEBAS FISKAL). Isi formulir sambil memberikan dokumen (boarding pass, kopian npwp, kopian paspor, kopian kertu keluarga, kopian kertu identitas etc) petugas akan cocokin data. Jika okeh ia akan memberikan lembar stiker bebas fiskal untuk diserahkan ke petugas imigrasi begitu kita menuju ruang tunggu boarding.
  5. isi formulir departure (warna putih, biasanya dikasih sama mbak2 di konter check in) berisi nama, no paspor, no pesawat dan pernyataan cukai (soal bawaan duit, bawaan non berbahaya, bawaan non organik)
  6. serahkan stiker bebas fiskal dari petugas Pajak tadi ke petugas Imigrasi bersama dengan paspor, boarding pass, formulir departure (diambil separoh, sisanya diisi kalau kita kembali), ketika menuju pesawat.
  7. simpan boarding pas dan formulir departure sebagai bukti kalau pulang nanti.
  8. enjoy...

F. Gimana kalau saya lupa fotokopi dokumen NPWP, paspor etc?
Well, salah sendiri. Kemungkinan petugas akan memaafkan terutama jika baru pertama kali ke LN (pura2 bloon gitu), tapi kalau terus2an petugas akan curiga. Ketauan kok di catatan paspor dan eletronik. (Catatan : selalu ada mesin kopian di kantor pajak & bea cukai di bandara tapi siap2 aja jika si petugas bilang rusak).

G. Gimana kalau saya ditanya soal udah berapa lama pegang NPWP?
Hanya petugas iseng yang akan kroscek begini. Karena begitu diinput data NPWP bakalan ketauan udah berapa lama punya. Jika dia ngotot karena kurang dari sebulan, minta bukti kenapa harus sebulan dengan meminta nomer UU yang berisi itu.

H. Saya belum pernah ke LN dan baru punya NPWP. Bisa bebas fiskalkah?
Dah jelas kan, siapapun yang punya NPWP akan bebas fiskal. Titik.

I. Tapi anak dan istri saya juga belum punya NPWP, bisa ngga bebas fiskal?
Coba deh baca lagi di pertanyaan B.

J. Saya ngga mu punya NPWP. Saat ini dah bekerja tapi ngga mau bayar fiskal. Gimana dung caranya?
Ya udah kelaut ajeee. Keliling Indonesia lebih asoy. Emangnya cuma
luar negeri aja yang asyik. Atoooo.... cari kerja dan tinggal di LN
ajah.

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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Mission (near) Impossible : Mengalahkan Frugal Traveller New York




Kota ini bagi saya punya magnet tersendiri. Sejarah panjang dari awal pendudukan suku India di lembah Hudson, aliran immigrant dari segala penjuru dunia –Irlandia, Italia, Jerman. Didudki imperialis Belanda, disusul Inggris hingga memerdekakan diri 1776 atas bantuan Perancis. New York adalah juga simbol moderinitas, ibukota kapitalisme di jagat ini. Kota yang mengalami tragedi keuangan dan tragedi kemanusiaan, yang meninggalkan gurat luka yang dalam di catatan sejarah.

Mungkin film seperti Gang of New York atau Sex and the City adalah inspirasi untuk menjelajah Big Apple. Tapi buat saya justru datang dari karakter Batman. Gotham City adalah refleksi langsung kejayaan era art deco dan art neuveu. Tapi juga menggambarkan kejahatan, kekotoran, korupsi, dan pembusukan urban.

Tapi reputasi itu yang membuat makin ingin kesana. Bukankah kota besar selalu memberikan dua muka? Cantik dan kusam. Kemegahan dan keterpurukan.

Persiapan saya tidak banyak. Diantaranya hanya membaca beberapa buku, salah satunya yang menarik adalah buku James Dean Died Here, sebuah buku katalog tentang landmark budaya pop di Amerika. Juga buku Lonely Planet New York City. Tadinya saya pilih Rough Guide terutama versi buku sakunya. Ternyata LP New York ini adalah terbitan paling baru (September 2008). Saya butuh buku ini terutama tentang peta dan transportasi serta perkembangan terakhir. Di buku LP ada peta kecil yang handy, sayangnya ngga ada kantong. Jadi terpaksa bikin sendiri.

Informasi lain saya baca dari koran NY Times Online dan versi cetak. Ada edisi yang menarik yakni artikel Frugal New York ditulis Matt Gross tentang strategi menikmati NY dengan murah. Lumayan memberikan info menarik. Selain itu adalah majalah lokal NY Magazine. Setidaknya saya harus memahami bagaimana bergerak menyusuri kota dan merencanakan agenda. Peta subway saya unduh dari MTA (Metropolitan Transport Authority) State of New York. Yang terpenting adalah bagaimana menuju kota ke bandara JFK (dan sebaliknya), juga system biayanya. Saya putuskan beli Metro Card begitu nyampe di stasiun kereta terdekat.

Membaca system alamat dan blok juga perlu dipelajari. Enaknya sih nama jalan New York mirip dengan San Francisco yaitu diurutkan dengan nomor, misalnya 77th St. Perencana kota membuat grid yang memudahkan pembagian area. Jadi jika nyari alamat cuma liat aja persilangan jalan antara A dan B. Saya melihat di Google Maps (non satellite) + Streetview untuk membangun peta imajinasi di ingatan, he he he sapa tau tersesat. Saya banyak dibantu petanya Pakde Google, terutama memilih lokasi hostel berdasar kedekatan dengan transport misalnya. Atau tempat yang saya mau disambangi. Kalau sempat buka Google Earth, bisa seperti berjalan di virtual NY. Soalnya bangunan tinggi udah dibangun secara 3dimensi. Dalam pelaksanaan di lapangan, saya masih konvesional alias mengandalkan peta kertas. Bukan henpon dilengkapi gps. Kenapa? He he he seperti ngisi teka-teki silang dibanding video games. Ngga bisa diadu deh.

Kostum juga ternyata harus saya perhitungkan. Bulan Desember di East Coast Amerika suhu bisa drop minus dengan cepat. Karena itu saya bawa ekstra fleece dan jaket tahan air (yang terbukti sangat berguna karena saya paling muaales bawa payung). Untuk ngecek cuaca di NY silakan disimak di Weather Channel. Cukup akurat memperkirakan besaran suhu dan cuaca hingga hitungan perbulan. Perlu diketahui Amerika make Fahrenheit jadi konversi dulu ke Celcius untuk bisa merasakan seberapa hangat/dingin.

Tiket pesawat saya beli langsung lewat Virgin America return San Francisco –JFK seharga US$271 ketimbang lewat travel agent online seperti Expedia atau Travelocity. Keuntungannya sih ngga ada fee tambahan. Penginapan saya perhitungkan berikutnya, setelah saya lihat hostel di NY berkisar antar US$19-30 permalam untuk dormitory/asrama (female only atau nyampur 4). Tidak perlu pesan, saya pede aja untuk go-show atau telpon. Ternyata saya ditawari tempat oleh seorang kawan Indobackpacker, mbak Nuki di daerah Upper East Side Manhattan. Jadi ngga perlu mikir lagi yaks..

Saya putuskan beli NY City Pass, yakni mengunjungi 6 tempat dengan harga US$74. Keputusan ini dirasa manfaat banget di waktu sibuk. Yups dengan City Pass kita ngga perlu antri untuk memasuki tempat2 tadi karena kita sudah pegang tiket di tangan. Saya tinggal print out voucher untuk ditukar segepok tiket di salah satu tempat dalam daftar.

Walau cuma empat hari, saya ngerasa siap. Saya juga bertekad untuk tidak terlalu ambisius mencobai semua tempat. Pertimbangan saya adalah tergantung pada cuaca, waktu dan stamina. Ketika musim dingin, matahari sudah tenggelam pukul 4 sore, jadi terbatas sekali untuk kmana-mana. Target saya adalah bisa mengalahkan Frugal Traveller NY Matt Ross yang menghabiskan $539.07 untuk weekend saja. Saya ingin buktikan New York tidak semahal yang diduga. Jika diberi kesempatan, saya bisa kembali.

Semoga saja…

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Monday, December 8, 2008

Tips for Solo traveling

"Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to...

- Frodo to Sam"
— J.R.R. Tolkien


1. Why solo traveling? and what drive you to do and enjoy the trip?

Well, it was a coincident actually. I had friend who plan to go Ireland together while we were in work back in UK, but it turned out she wasn't able to do for some reason. So I decided to have a go on myself. Yups do everything by myself; from research, planning, and action (booking hostel, route and find budget flight).

Then I discovered that when you travel solo it doesn't mean that you will go alone all along way. I met local who give more insight view about places and knowledge about culture. I met fellow backpacker who willing to share transport or accommodation. So why I never lonely when traveling on my own, because we can concentrate to learn what actually happen in our environment. Cultural changing, people speaking, how the local treat you and digging more information about the background of the travel itself. Places, foods, transportation, or simply the customs. As a traveller we absorb and study, looking the wisdom that can be missed when we travel in groups.

2. So what should we prepare to travel solo?
  • research about destination, make a point or themes that you are very keen to do/to see. For example : culinary travel to Luang Prabang, or Archeology adventure in Angkor Wat. Put this theme as the based of the goal and work based on that. Research can be with internet or books (guide books or travel books that inspire you).
  • decide what kind travel style you want to go. Quick, easy and no hassle or backpacking, more arduous and strenuous. This is relate to most of the other travel aspects. If you want to go backpacker style in tight budget, be prepare using public transport or walking with your backpack. If you want something more sophisticated, choose based from your convenience. Some people love challenges (that's why Amazing Race is so addicted), some people just want a quiet vacation. It's your style and you can change anytime you want.
  • then started looking for flight, bus, ferry or any kind transport that move you one to another places. Look at map, decide how you go, which country to start and so on. Create your own itinerary based on the other people, or tour agency or make on your own etc
  • make sure you know about travel document and foreign currency. Well this is why math can be useful in real life :) Travel Document like passport and visa (is VOA-visa on arrival or have to apply visa before hand?)
  • put the plan on the paper, you can do day by day, hour by hour or just putting grand idea what you want to do.
  • exchange with fellow traveller with any open suggestion. This is why forum and mailing list so important. You can rely on social networking (FaceBook, MySpace, Frendster etc) but everybody got their own opinion. Don't just walk off because someone try to scare you about destination :)

3. Places I have been solo, mainly UK, Ireland and some Asia

4. The overall preparation is depend on the length of the travel and the complexity of the tasks. Yeah, some area is remaining mystery but some place just so easy to walk in (big city or capital tend to better infrastructure than off beaten track). This is normal timeline for travel in 5 days somewhere in Laos (part-time not fully preparation)
  • Planning the route based on the map and current situation 3-4 days
  • Searching budget flight and accommodation 1-3 weeks, if possible get the advanced booking
  • Activity and things to in details. 3 days including booking 1 week
  • Read and learn local info 1-2 weeks (it's up to you, if you just want to jump to the sightseeing bus and off).

5. Tips to start solo travel :

First, ready for psychology barrier that sometimes put ourself in doubt. It's not material things but it's about how you build your own confidence. The challenge is knowing your ability to balance with so called unpredicted factors that could be occur during travel. Let's say : what should I do if someone rob my belonging or what I can do if I am getting lost. By realizing any possibility of problems and it's solution should bring peace in mind. You not have to planning everything in details, but using common sense and how-to attitude, I think everybody should be able to cope with fear or over-excitement. Once you passed this barrier, you will surprisingly easy to do next solo travel.

Second, grab the correct information. I said 'correct' can be translate as 'official information' above gossip or hear'nsay. So many online forum there that need to check and recheck, guide books that out of date or just miss match information. In this jungle of virtual information we have to have a lead to drive us in the right way. The destination information design to lure tourist. They can be full of persuasive language that their place is the best in the world. But all of those is up to your judgment. We're also have to prepare to bad side of travel and accept it as the part of travel itself. We never hope to have honeymoon trip all the time :)

Third, adjust quickly. I mean everything. From foods, time difference, language, cultural, or even behavior or daily customs. The key to survive hassle is try to get to know local, read about them or even learn the language just for the sake of easy conversation. The local people is your asset if something bad happen to you. Your attitude towards them reflects the relation itself.

Four, map map map. Sorry to say that but the key to better travel is knowing where you are. Map is the key to access many useful info such as : accommodation, transport, food etc. Most important is know HOW TO READ map, it can be paper based or GPS. All the planning stage always very useful with map on hand. How to prepare day tour, moving around or choosing places to stay.

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My dilemma : Photo for Promoting Indonesia Tourism

Someone asked me to give permission for using one of my photo at Flickr to promote Indonesia's Tourism. I did not answer it straight away as I felt this request bit odd. The reason is because she said that she is represent one of Government Department in Indonesia, but in fact she is acting as a contractor to design leaflet and brochure to produce flayer or sort of printing product.



Dear ,


Regarding your photos at flickr, we represent Department Kelautan dan Perikanan (non profit organization), would like to ask to use your photos for promoting Indonesia Tourism purpose (Brochure, Booklet, etc). Bellow is the photos we are interested at:

sirombu beach, pulau nias Indonesia -another side
Pulau Nias is a tiny island off Sumatra. It was badly damaged by earthquake in 2005 followed by tsunami. It seemed forgotten by world as every eyes goes to Aceh region where nearly 200,000 people died after the boxing day tsunami. Nias is world famous for surfing as it's shore facing Indian Ocean. Still remote but beauty.


We need photo with 3000 x 4000 pixel, 300 dpi, 8” x 12” (landscape or portrait) approx 5 MB.
Please inform how can we use your photos for above purpose.

Thanks with Best Regards,

N


Through intensive discussion with my other half, I refused those request based on :

  1. Since she is not working for government directly, I assumed she is only the third party that I can not trust anyway.
  2. If she is been contract (or works to produce the adverts material), she obliged to pay my photos (I will charge in minimum fees, really) albeit saying that come from non profit organization.
  3. I think she try to confuse me that Department of Marine and Fishery is non profit organization. In fact so called non profit is non government organization (NGOs) or grass root parties. Or she might just plain dumb?
  4. Permission of use means I have to give all the use which is I can not control the numbers (how many she will produce), scope (she said brochure etc but how on earth I will believe this), any sort of photos release (only one photo but she asked high resolution).

I am disappointing for this request that show lacked of understanding in terms of photography right. I suggest anyone who want cheap easy way to get free photos with high quality, please use proper ways. Such as : use format of paper release (usually come with simple contract).

Not because I did not support the Indonesia's effort to bring it's tourism potential to the world, but please use manner and common attitute to start with.


Note : some of my photo at Flickr been used Nowpublic to support their article, but mainly for internet quality with Creative Commons.

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