Investment and RI laws

I am an Italian citizen married to an Indonesian woman. We have a seven-year-old daughter.

On Feb. 12 we went to the airport to take a Malaysian Air flight to Italy. Me and my daughter both have residence visas that expire on Feb. 13.

At the immigration counter, our daughter was prevented from departing by an immigration officer because she did not have an exit visa.

We did not know about this requirement because we appointed a local consultant specializing in acquiring visas. All of our luggage was already aboard the flight. We went to immigration chief on duty to try to explain ourselves. No way. We were obliged to stay until Feb. 14 and get an exit visa for our daughter.

How can a child of that age be prevented from departing with her parents even though she has a regular one-year residence visa expiring on Feb. 13. What a nonsensical law? Why does the law allow foreigners to get an "entry visa" at the airport but not an "exit visa?" A child does not have to pay taxes!

How can foreigners be attracted to come to Indonesia to invest money or to work? I would very like to see your government improve the climate to attract foreign investment. And furthermore, I retired last year so I can no longer stay in Indonesia with my Indonesian wife, even though I have a very good pension of more than Rp 20 million a month.

Neither can my daughter stay. She cannot live with her mother because she has an Italian passport. It is a real pity.

I like your country and people. The parents of my wife and all her relatives are all so kind and nice, but we have to forget about it and go back to Italy.

MARIO MASCALCHI, Cagliary, Italy