Fees help things happen

Fees help things happen

With regard to Yutta Holler's letter of Nov. 28, detailing her
daughter's unfortunate experience of being denied entry into
Indonesia because her passport had less than six months remaining
before expiration, one must consider that each country has its
own immigration rules and regulations for this activity.

Almost all countries, including Indonesia, now have easy to
read websites detailing the basic requirements for entering each
different country. The requirements are easy to find out about
and comply with. It is difficult for Indonesia's immigration to
get around this one on passport requirements, because the
passport would again be examined by immigration upon departure
from the country and they would probably raise a fuss about why
the regulations weren't followed allowing your daughter to enter
the country illegally.

Considering the above, let me just say that it's common
knowledge among expats who have lived here a while (and through
similar bad experiences) that you could have made arrangements
with immigration in this case by paying an appropriate "fee".

RAYMOND YETLAND

Surabaya