Foreigners in Aceh face questions about visas
Foreigners in Aceh face questions about visas
Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
Just days after the government extended the deadline for all
foreigners to leave Aceh by March 26, an immigration official
said on Tuesday some 1,175 foreigners have to leave the province
to get their visas-on-arrival renewed.
Head of Banda Aceh Immigration Office Amirullah said the
foreigners have to leave Aceh before March 26 since their visas-
on-arrival could no longer be renewed within the province.
"Those foreigners have extended their visas-on-arrival twice,
so we can't do it anymore," Amirullah said.
He said there are currently 1,338 foreigners in Aceh, but only
163 of them entered using social/cultural visas, while the
remainder, or 1,175, used visas-on-arrival.
"Those using visas-on-arrival have to get out of Aceh to apply
for a visa at the Indonesian Embassy in their respective
countries. Those who came using social/cultural visas can extend
their visas here in Indonesia," Amirullah said.
Of the foreigners, many are humanitarian workers and UN
workers, who were granted visas following the emergency situation
after the tsunami hit the province on Dec. 26.
On Tuesday, the government also announced in a statement that
foreign aid workers working for humanitarian organizations and
agencies in Aceh would be able to renew their visas for a further
month after March 26 in Banda Aceh upon their visa's expiry.
However, Amirullah said his office had not been made aware of
a new policy on visas-on-arrival from the central immigration
office in Jakarta.
"Up until now, there's been no change of policy," he said,
adding that if the foreigners were still staying, they would be
considered illegal visitors and deported.
However, he was confident that foreigners in Aceh already knew
about the policy, considering that many of them had sought
information from Banda Aceh Immigration Office over the last few
days.
The government also announced that it would gather information
on the future plans and activities of organizations operating in
Aceh to determine how they can best meet reconstruction needs,
setting the deadline for between March 27 and April 27.
"The Indonesian government would like to confirm that it
continues to hold open the door for foreign humanitarian
organizations and agencies to participate in the reconstruction
and rehabilitation process in Aceh," Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Alwi Shihab, who is in charge of reconstruction,
said in a statement.
Organizations that wish to continue operating in Aceh are
requested to fill out a form on their planned activities and
funding sources by April 27. The government will then determine
which humanitarian organizations are essential in the rebuilding
process.
After April 27, a mechanism to allow those organizations that
are qualified for long-term reconstruction efforts to remain in
Aceh will be established.
"The government does not intend to stop or limit the
activities of legitimate humanitarian organizations, particularly
those associated with the United Nations or accredited by donor
countries, but asks that all organizations be transparent about
their qualifications, their activities in the reconstruction
phase and their financial sources," Alwi said.