U.S. Embassy's cowboy tactics<\/p>\n
It is really hard to understand that a country as big and
\nadvanced as U.S. still resorts to cowboy-style culture in the
\nprovision of immigration services, particularly with respect to
\nyoung Indonesian citizens.<\/p>\n
Two of my nephews recently experienced this unpleasant
\nattitude when they applied for visas at the U.S. Embassy in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
In April one of my nephews applied for a tourist visa, along
\nwith about 60 other students from JIMS, for an MBA graduation
\nceremony at AIMS Hawaii.<\/p>\n
All documents had been prepared and a letter of reference from
\nAIMS Hawaii was also enclosed. However, the application for a
\nvisa was rejected on the grounds that the situation was not
\nconducive to the issuance of a visa and the embassy recommended
\nthat the departure be postponed until after the June 7 polls.<\/p>\n
Then in July another nephew, already employed and wishing to
\nspend his three-week leave in California (July 28 until Aug. 17,
\naccording to the tour schedule arranged by RCI-Travel Singapore),
\nhad to face bitter reality when his visa application was rejected
\nunder the same old pretext. The embassy recommended that he leave
\nfor the U.S. in December 1999.<\/p>\n
Well, these two applications have been rejected flatly by
\nAmerican officers and two application fees of Rp 400,000 have
\nsimply gone with the wind. Almost every day about 100 people form
\na queue to apply for visas from the embassy, but only 10 percent
\nto 20 percent of applications are granted (usually for old
\npeople). Very often the reasons for rejection are hard to
\nunderstand and seem illogical.<\/p>\n
If each applicant has to pay Rp 400,000, you can imagine how
\nmuch money can be collected from rejected applications in a
\nmonth, and then a year. It appears very easy to collect money in
\nIndonesia, which is ironic, as it is said to be in a deep
\neconomic crisis.<\/p>\n
Such practices may be labeled \"fishing in troubled waters\", or
\nmore aptly, refined and hidden fraud.<\/p>\n
It would be wiser and more respectable for the U.S. Embassy to
\nprovide a written explanation every time a visa application filed
\nby an Indonesian citizen is rejected. It would be better still if
\nthe embassy could provide a transparent and detailed explanation
\nabout the provisions for the granting of visas to Indonesian
\ncitizens so that this matter would no longer puzzle and
\ndisappoint so many people.<\/p>\n
Allow me, therefore, to propose that the immigration section
\nat the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta announce immediately, through the
\nmedia or on the information board at the office, criteria for the
\napproval and rejection of visa applications (for tourists and
\nstudents) so that everything is transparent and clear to all.<\/p>\n
YOSEF GUNAWAN<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-embassys-cowboy-tactics-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }