Indonesian Visa - Price Increase

polkatta on 02/07/2015 - 18:17
Last edited 02/07/2015 - 18:25

Hi Guys,

I need some advice. I posted my travel documents in order to get a visa to travel to Indonesia on the 27th of June through registered post. I tracked the parcel and it was delivered on the 1st of July to the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne. Today I get a call from them saying that the price of the visa has increased by $10 (effective 1st of July and certainly not mentioned on the website at the time) and that I have to send another bank draft for the additional $10 over post in order to get my visa processed. I find this absurd as I had already adhered to all their guidelines mentioned online and sent all the necessary documents along with a $60 bank cheque. I did agree to getting it done earlier when I got the call (they wouldn't accept any other payment over mail) but now that I think about it, it seems really unfair. Any advice on how I can handle this?

Cheers

edit - I am a permanent resident and therefore need to organize my visa prior to leaving Melbourne. And I have not paid yet since I just got the call today.

Travel

Comments

  • PissLUR on 02/07/2015 - 18:18

    well, why don't you just get a visa on arrival? its only US$25.

    and since you have paid the additional $10, there is nothing else you can do.
    Enjoy your Indonesian trip.

    • polkatta on 02/07/2015 - 18:27

      Apologies I made an edit on my original post to be clear on this. I am a permanent resident so therefore need to have a visa organized prior to leaving Melbourne. Which is why it costed $60 (now $70 apparently). And no I haven't made the payment yet since I just got the call this arvo.

  • ozhunter on 02/07/2015 - 18:30
    +3

    Any advice on how I can handle this?

    Pay the extra $10.

    It doesn't matter when you send, but when they receive it.

    • whooah1979 on 02/07/2015 - 18:35
      +1

      the fee could even be at the time they process your visa application. it's $10, just pay it and get on with your trip and life.

  • Morien on 02/07/2015 - 19:16

    Yeah…. probably should pay it if you ever want to get there again, hey. I wouldn't make a pain of myself when it comes to immigration. I used to live overseas and recall a man once cracking the shits about wait times/process/something in immigration. They smiled, took his passport, but instead of a new visa stamp, he was blacklisted. Had 30 days to leave and not come back.

    • Lysander on 02/07/2015 - 21:01

      And in which country would that have been? I refuse to believe this could have been in any country with a solid legal system such as Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK etc. as those laws prevent arbitrary decisions by immigration officers being made.

      • Morien on 02/07/2015 - 21:19

        Rather not say. Similar country with similar workings to Indonesia though.

        • hashtagbargain on 02/07/2015 - 22:33

          Why wouldnt you say? Scared of the government knowing your opinion?

        • Morien on 03/07/2015 - 00:00
          -1

          @hashtagbargain:

          Because I'd rather not… Say, that is.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/07/2015 - 21:03

      Where was this?
      Sudan?

    • KaTst3R on 04/07/2015 - 10:56
      +1

      I heard about stories that people cannot talk at some ferry jetty immigration in Indonesia while queuing up. That is because if you do and disturb the officers there, they can basically ask you to go back and ban you from entering the country. Indonesias have a king of the world attitude dont they…

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-272884…

  • gimli on 02/07/2015 - 19:57
    +3

    when the price goes down again you post it as a bargain!

  • polkatta on 02/07/2015 - 23:07
    +2

    Thanks everyone! I only posted this because I thought there would be measures in place for these kinds of incidents and not because I wanted to save the $10. Its more the hassle of having to go to the bank getting another bank draft, and having to resend it by mail thats annoying! After reading the comments though I decided to just do it and not make a big deal out of it lol! Thanks again!

  • slewis69au on 03/07/2015 - 07:54
    +2

    Good Call - pissing off immigration officials is never a good idea. And fighting with them over the $10 would not have got you anywhere.

    BTW you can thank the current government for us still needing Visas on arrival - Australia was on the "soon you won't need visas" lists until our Government started wearing it's budgie smugglers and flexing it's muscles over all sorts of issues and then we got dropped off that list. Anyone who thinks multiple diplomatic spats wasn't connected to that decision is dreaming.

    • wako on 03/07/2015 - 08:27

      it did happen.
      But was reversed,
      Last time we went to bali, there was no visa. But it must have been a small window of lucky people.

  • pandabun on 03/07/2015 - 08:20

    Visa on arrival to Indonesia has increased. It's no longer usd25. We paid about aud50 per person in April

    Edit. I misunderstood your $60 comment. I kept on thinking you were talking $60 for 2 people.

  • josht on 11/07/2015 - 22:33

    Hi there,

    I saw your post earlier in regards to a visa into Bali with a travel Document.

    I am also in the same boat at the moment.

    I am a permanent resident but my question to you is did you use an Australian Travel Document? or a travel document from your place of citizenship?

    I am having trouble getting my passport done in time, could you kindly tell me how you went with getting the visa and how long it took?

    thank you kindly in advance.

    look forward to hearing from you soon.

    thanks,

    Josh

    • polkatta on 23/07/2015 - 22:07

      Hey bud,

      Sorry i just saw this post and I'm assuming this reply is coming just a bit too late. I did not use an Australian travel document, just followed the process outlined on the Indonesian consulate website and used my home country passport. That said I still am waiting on my visa (they said they posted it back to me) and I hope I get it soon as I travel in 6 days!

      my problem was just paying the extra $10 so I don't really have any issues with other travel docs. Hope you sorted your stuff in time though!

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