Penguinmoon

Just had a colleague return to Jakarta on a Garuda flight from Sydney. He stated that there were immigration officers ONBOARD the flight that cleared them into Indonesia using portable handheld units. They were given a slip of paper to bypass immigration upon landing.

For anyone who has ever gone thru Jakarta immigration, this is a godsend; a real time saver. Does anyone know anything about this? Is it now on all AUS-INDO flights? Wonder if it will take any business away from Qantas

Sam Bee

It's not on all flights - it's been offered by Garuda on some flights.

Shame it's necessary at all, but, yep, a god send if they get it right!

http://www.balidiscovery.com/message...ge.asp?Id=6405

kpc

What a waste of resources!! Have more Visa processing / immigration officers on the ground at DPS, or waive the visa requirement on arrival in DPS, or have it included in the airfare, freeing up more officers to man the immigration desks at DPS!

Penguinmoon

That is just crazy! It would make to much sense, and this, after all, is Indonesia

Sam Bee

The VOA is one of the most tragic and ill-thought out ideas to have come out of Indo in the last xx years. Likewise limiting it to 30 days.

I've zillions of 60 day free (and easily extendable) visas in my old passports - which allowed me and thousands of others in their youths to tread a tourist trail through Sumatra / Java / Sulawesi and far flung parts of the archipelago. Lake Toba used to be the 2nd biggest tourist attraction after Bali. However, a couple of recent visits has shown how much tourism has been drained and local villages are suffering badly as travellers (with more than a 2 week Bali holiday on their mind) turn to more friendly countries.

30 days in Indo? Barely scratch the surface. US$25? Actually, I might go to Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines ad nauseum.

Sorry, pet rant of mine

Wiirachay

Huh? That seems like a waste of time of the immigration officers! They have to fly down to SYD doing nothing!

TerryK

It is their fringe benefit. They probably also need to overnight in SYD to recuperate.

UMD

I actually welcome this move and applaud GA to improve its service to its passengers despite the challenge of operating in highly bureaucratic Indonesia.

The truth is that GA can't get the Indonesian immigration and airports to fix the problem of long queues at both CGK and DPS, thus it innovates to spare its medium to long haul passengers the horror of entering through CGK and DPS.

Immigration on Board (and not just VOA on board) is now available on GA's AMS-DSB-CGK, NRT-DPS, NRT-CGK, KIX-DPS, NGO-DPS, SYD-CGK flights. The same service will also be available on MEL-CGK and all flights from SYD and MEL to DPS soon.

The new VOA is now US$25 for 30 days and can be extended in Indonesia. The previous one is only for 30 days and one has to leave the country after 30 days. The process for the new VOA at the arrival airports has also been simplified. Now one only has to pay US$ 25 or its equivalent in any currency and head straight to the immigration counter to clear. There is no longer a visa sticker on your passport which used to take up the entire page.

KLflyerRalph

Service also on (AMS)-DXB-CGK but you can buy the vouchers at check-in. Great way to bypass a 747 full of pax at the VOA counter!

jetfan

Agree with all that this is only addressing the symptoms, not the problem (a badly run process at the airport).
And one could argue it gives Garuda an unfair advantage over other international carriers operating into Indonesia.
But in the end this Visa thing is there only for 1 important reason: getting hard currency into the country.
Very shortsighted indeed.

KLflyerRalph

I agree the process in Indonesia's airports is bad, very bad. I don't look forward to (possibly) arrive on a full KLM B777-300 from AMS/SIN in DPS, to stand in line for a visa for ages in the hot arrival hall of Denpasar!!!

TPJ

I recently saw an advert at GA check-in counters at ICN, that Immigration on Board is also available on flights ex ICN (I am not sure if only to DPS or also to CGK).

toyotaboy95

GA is state-owned, so obviously they would get advantages over other airlines.

Penguinmoon

Kudos to Indonesia, another change has been made to immigration! Have done BKK-CGK the past two Sundays. On the last trip, immigration has made some changes from the same trip the week before. It seems as if arriving passengers will now be sorted. Indonesian and permanent residents were directed to one arrival hall, and all others (I assume those who need visa on arrival) were directed to another arrival hall. It was HEAVEN! From plane to car in 20 minutes (yes, had checked a bag). The arrival hall I was went to had only Indo passport and PR passport lines set up. Heard immigration officials directing those who went to the wrong hall to leave, actually get out of line, and go to the other hall. Hope it stays; might make arriving into JKT a bit easier.

FlyerInCmh

I have some questions about this new change. When you say separate halls, did you mean that the Indonesians won't see the foreigners and vice versa until baggage claim or are they all in the same area but different lines? What if you arrive as a couple, one Indonesian and one foreigner (not PR)? Do you have to go separately? Also, where in the arrival hall do the people get directed/sorted?

Thanks for the info.