Request for tourist visa refused<\/p>\n
In Indonesia there is corruption, collusion and nepotism. In
\nAustralia there is bureaucracy and the public service. My
\ngrievance is with the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. After
\ntraveling for two hours to Jakarta from Bogor, collecting a form,
\nreturning home after another two hours, paying Rp 320,000 for
\ntravel insurance, getting photos, obtaining proof of funds and
\nenrollment at a private school, we returned again to the embassy
\nand waited for four hours, paid a nonrefundable Rp 260,000 fee,
\nonly to be refused a three-week tourist visa to Australia for my
\nfiancee. We had already organized our wedding for June 26 in the
\nBlue Mountains, near Sydney. The church was booked, the reception
\narranged, invitations were nearly ready and the only thing that
\nneeded to be finalized was my fiancee's tourist visa.<\/p>\n
We were refused an interview, let alone an explanation from an
\nofficial. Michael Christopher, the principal migration officer,
\nwrote, \"Regrettably, requests to speak with an Australian based
\nofficer will therefore generally be refused.\" Being an Australian
\ncitizen by birth I was very disappointed in what I thought was my
\nrepresentative here. I thought that the embassy staff were here
\nto help Australians, but they refused to even talk with me or
\nexplain their devastating decision.<\/p>\n
Nancy Novita, the immigration officer, wrote \"No review of
\nthis decision is available.\" She also wrote \"You have not
\nprovided sufficient evidence that you have adequate funds, or
\naccess to adequate funds, to support your visit to Australia.\" I
\nprovided official statements of my Bankers Trust fund account of
\n$21,430.88 as well as my official Bank Bali account of Rp 10
\nmillion. This totals in excess of Rp 120 million.<\/p>\n
I find it preposterous that we need more than that. I suspect
\nthat there is either racism, corruption or downright lack of any
\nconcern among the embassy staff in the visa section. They refuse
\nto meet me, explain their decision or at least show their concern
\nover denying me, an Australian citizen, the right to return to my
\nhome country. In denying my fiancee from going to Australia they
\nhave denied me.<\/p>\n
The final word of advise from Nancy Novita, the immigration
\nofficer, is \"Visitor visa will be considered after you lodge
\npermanent resident application.\" Do Australians have to apply for
\nIndonesian residency if they wish to have a holiday in Bali? I
\nseriously doubt the professionalism and integrity of the
\nimmigration staff at the Australian Embassy. I do not in any way
\ncriticize the role or function of the embassy staff for their
\ndiplomatic role or the security efforts being made in these
\ncritical times, but I wish that the embassy would employ staff
\nwho have basic competence and concern.<\/p>\n
MARK OGILVIE<\/p>\n
Bogor, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/request-for-tourist-visa-refused-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }