Embassy runaround<\/p>\n
In the last week of October, 1996 I rang the Australian
\nEmbassy to find out what my Indonesian in-laws would need to
\napply for an Australian tourist visa.<\/p>\n
After listening to the computerized instructions and getting
\nthrough to immigration I asked the girl what exactly they would
\nneed.<\/p>\n
She told me they would need their passports and a photocopy of
\nthe last three months of their bank statement. I asked her: \"Do
\nthey need to bring their tickets?\" \"No,\" she said. Then I asked:
\n\"Do they need sponsor letters? There are housewives traveling
\nwithout their husbands going with me.\" \"No,\" she said. \"So, they
\ndon't need sponsor letters, even though they're traveling without
\ntheir husbands?\" \"No,\" she said again.<\/p>\n
So, Monday, Nov. 4, I went to the Australian embassy with two
\nof my sisters-in-law. They fill in their forms and wait. I had
\nanother appointment so, thinking everything was okay, I left
\nthem.<\/p>\n
About midday I got a call from one of my sister-in-laws
\ntelling me they have to return the next day because they didn't
\nhave sponsor letters.<\/p>\n
I straight away rang up the embassy to complain. I asked why
\nwasn't I given the right information when I rang up last week;
\nespecially since I specifically asked if they needed sponsor
\nletters.<\/p>\n
The girl said to me that the person who spoke to me probably
\ndidn't know. Well, I'm afraid that's not good enough. I'm an
\nAustralian and I spoke to a person there who spoke very good
\nEnglish. If she is working in the immigration department of the
\nAustralian Embassy she must know what she is doing.<\/p>\n
For a tourist visit (one year) you need: for a housewife -- a
\nletter from her husband; for a male -- a letter from their place
\nof employment; for a retired male -- a letter from their child
\n(?); and if you're over 60 years old -- you need a letter from
\nyour doctor to say you are healthy. And of course you need your
\npassport and a copy of your bank statement for the last three
\nmonths.<\/p>\n
M. ZAINAL<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/embassy-runaround-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }