gpeso8

Interesting, I guess it was not an isolated case then. I think what did my friend in was that he has five previous VOA's from the past two years and my address.

However, it does contradict the experience another friend had few days after the visa-free policy was implemented for US citizens. He is a US citizen who visited for a long weekend from SIN. Landed in SUB with no issues obtaining a Visa on arrival, and stayed with me, his first time in Indonesia.

My next guest is coming in October and is flying into CGK. I guess i'll tell her to get the VOA to avoid any hassle.

ryandelmundo

One more trick with the free VOA. You can only depart from the five airports that issue the free VOA. Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, etc. So if you fly into Bali and then try to leave from Lombok or Yogja, you won't be able to because they can't stamp the free VOA. You'll then be told to fly to Bali or Jakarta to leave.

So be careful if not flying from one of the big airports.

Jaimito Cartero

If you're departing from one of the other airports not on the free VOA list, just buy a VOA for $35, when you arrive.

manneca

I just found the restriction on flying from the five airports tonight. I'm off to Jakarta on the 26th and am flying back to Singapore on the Sept 23 through Manado. The restriction isn't listed on anything I've seen including the announcement by the Indonesian government.

chavala

I'm in the same boat. Imagine if we didn't read it on FT and had to fly back to a domestic airport at the last minute? Its completely insane!
Has anyone figured out WHY these airports aren't included ?

Assimilated Cajun

From a couple of the recent posts it appears that tourists with US passports now need to wait in only one line, not two, but since one of the posts says you still must wait in "the VOA line" I wonder if someone might clarify. You don't wait in the line to buy the VOA (which is what I have always thought of as the VOA line), but you go directly to one of the lines that leads to an immigration inspector, presenting just your passport, and the inspector gives you the visa? Even if this is correct, I do understand that one must still wait in one of the immigration lines that says "Visa on Arrival", which in my experience at CGK and DPS are usually very long. But I just want to make sure it's now only the one line. Traveling tomorrow. Thanks so much.

Penguinmoon

Are you flying into CGK? If you qualify for a free visa, yes, you only need to get into one line. It will say VISA ON Arrival
(feed right into agents). Do not get into the line that people are paying for a visa, then moving on to the immigration agents.

ClimbingCook

I flew in and out of CGK last week, if you're there as a tourist you just go straight to the immigration line, if you're there for work you go to the VOA line and hand over $35.

Jaimito Cartero

I don't think so.

If you are there to work you need a very specific work visa. It is illegal to work on a VOA.

If you need to leave another airport, or want to renew for up to 60 days, a $35 voa is appropriate.

9Benua

Is any of your guest Indonesian born?

gpeso8

My guest who was denied the tourist visa at CGK was not born in Indonesia. Multiple VOAs from previous trips, US citizen, Caucasian, casual appearance.

This week a friend of a co-worker was also hassled for hotel reservations when trying to go the Visa Free route at CGK. Penguinmoon has reported that a friend was asked if he was visiting friends.

It might just be bad luck, but judging from what's been reported here and on the TripAdvisor forums it seems that some immigration officials are asking for a hotel reservation if attempting to go the Visa-Free route at CGK. It appears that people coming into Indonesia and staying with friends are deemed here for "Social" purposes and not for "Tourism" purposes.

9Benua

My friend (Indonesian born, US Citizen) recently went back to Surabaya for 2 months. Arrived DPS, 29 days later depart SUB - SIN, come into Indo again via Batam & depart from DPS 25 days later.

Both DPS & Batam has no problem issuing him & his family the free visa.

Penguinmoon

So what the take away is here, Immigration is like all things Indonesia, unpredictable. If you have friends coming to visit you (I live here), have then make refundable/cancellable hotel reservations to show an agent if asked.

gpeso8

That doesn't surprise me. How the rules are interpreted will unfortunately vary by immigration official.

Since the the visa-free policy has been extended to US Citizens I have had two guest come stay with me, one entered the country at SUB and had no issues with obtaining the free visa and the other entered the country at CGK and had to deal with the very minor headache of having to purchase a VOA.

Great advice. Having lived here for the past 8 years nothing surprises me anymore.

chavala

Why not just have them print something -- anything. I don't think you have to actually make a hotel reservation.