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