TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Letter: Visa on arrival not a hassle

With mounting surprise I have been reading letters from your readers for the past few months regarding the ongoing saga of the visa-on-arrival regulations

The Jakarta Post
Fri, December 5, 2008

Share This Article

Change Size

Letter: Visa on arrival not a hassle

With mounting surprise I have been reading letters from your readers for the past few months regarding the ongoing saga of the visa-on-arrival regulations.

I wonder if those readers ever looked at the regulations for Indonesians to obtain a visa to get into one of their countries?

Let me give you an example: To obtain a visa to go to my country, The Netherlands, Indonesians have to face two hours of traffic jams to go to the embassy in Kuningan, South Jakarta, to pick up a form, consisting of four or five pages.

That form has to be submitted with a copy of the passport, birth certificate, a letter from the current employer stating the person still works with them and is expected back after their holiday and original bank statements from at least the past three months.

Sometimes the embassy requires a letter of guarantee from the person who invites the Indonesian and proof that the Indonesian has at least 35 euros in spending money per day for living costs on their bank account, plus proof of a hotel booking in the country to be visited and a reservation for the flight.

The applicant is also required to pay 60 euros to process the visa request (nonrefundable) and, to top it off, make an appointment during office hours (meaning taking at least a half-day off) for a face-to-face interview at the embassy to determine (I guess) the sincerity of the applicant.

So if, for instance, Michael Johnsey in his letter to the Readers Forum of Nov. 29 writes, "With overwhelming sadness, frustration and bewilderment, forward-thinking citizens of Indonesia must again face another example of this government doing just about everything possible to discourage visitors to this country," I really can't understand what he is complaining about. After all, a visa on arrival has you waiting in line for what? An hour?

And are you going to be asked to show how much money you have with you? Or do we have different standards for Asians and Westerners? Not to mention, if you have a Muslim name and try to enter the United States. Also, other readers mentioned the "chaotic airport" I suggest they try Heathrow during peak season or maybe, in his case, JFK New York. That will give him some idea of what a really chaotic airport is.

I am a Dutch citizen living in Jakarta and the procedures I've just described is just a shortened version of what my girlfriend and I had to endure when we applied for a visa so she could come for a three-week visit to Holland.

ROBERT REIJMAN

Jakarta

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.