buddyboy@idcomm.com (rod) wrote in message news:<60a4b0f4.0404121017.5bc83661@posting.google.com>...
> Hi,
>
> I have visited Indonesia several times before, the last time about two
> years ago. For US citizens they just stamped the passport with a
> 60-day visa and gave a card to return when we left. I always had a
> return ticket but it was never checked.
>
> I have read on some websites about the new policy which went into
> effect Feb. 1 this year.
The policy is that, the citizen of a country that don't grant an
Indonesian a free visa to enter that particular country will have to
get a visa with a 25 USD fee to enter Indonesia.
Countries that granted an Indonesian a free visa to visit to their
countries (and by therefore the citizens of these countries are
granted a free visa to enter Indonesia) are:
- Brunei
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Hong Kong
- Macao
- Morocco
- Chile
- Peru
The citizens of the following countries can get their visa once they
arrived at some of the major ports of entry in Indonesia:
- Australia
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Italy
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America
The citizens of the countries not listed above will need to arrange a
visa at the nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate.
http://www.indonesia.nl/articles.php?rank=4&art_cat_id=29
> They basically say I would go to a counter
> and pay $25. It's unclear whether I could pay this in USD or must
> change money at the unfavorable rates at the airport.
The payment is in USD currency, and NOT in any other currency.
If you got 25 USD, you basically can use that at the visa counter at
some of the major ports of entry.
Of course, if you don't wish to paid at the visa counter once you
arrive in Indonesia, you could always arrange the visa at the embassy
or consulate before you arrive in Indonesia.
> I want to go again soon, but in recent weeks I have heard of a couple
> horror stories that a US citizen went there and was shaken down. In
> both cases the immigration person made the US citizen pay $100 instead
> of $25, and he was forced to agree to pay to stay in an expensive
> hotel on a list of hotels phoned-to by the immigration person, because
> he didn't have a hotel confirmation prior to arrival.
Err... If one want to harass someone, someone surely will think first.
If you look like a rich person, someone will want a share of your
money.
If you look like a person easily fooled, someone will want to fool
you.
If you look like a person that can be easily harassed, someone will
want to harass you.
Then of course, if someone want to harass someone, they need to find
the right situation for it.
> I have searched the newsgroups and cannot find any posting of a horror
> story like this. I would think if it was happening a lot then by now
> someone would have posted the experience. When I heard the first
> story I was skeptical, but then I heard a second story so now I'm very
> worried.
Now you know on how terrorists and terrorism work, it's not through
the incidents, but instead it's through the stories (that sometimes
labeled as 'news'). See? One can be terrorized everywhere.
> Would it do any good to print out the new rules showing the fee is
> only $25, and showing the absence of any requirement to have a prior
> hotel reservation, to take with me to show the immigration person?
Contact the nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate, they will provide
you with enough information to satify you about the new rules. They
also can arrange a visa for you.
> Thanks in advance for any advice,
>
> Rod |