On visa

At the beginning of this year I visited Indonesia for the first time and stayed in Bali for two months.

I liked the people and the country, and I am both an art lover and collector. I am going to spend most of the year in Bali in the future.

I bought some nice pieces of old furniture, an English- Indonesian dictionary.

I went back to my country and applied for a six-month visa. I visited the Indonesian Embassy in my country four times: the first time to get information, the second time the embassy was closed, the third time to submit the documents required, and the fourth time to collect my passport with the visa. Then I went back to Bali. In Bali I looked at the visa more carefully and to my surprise I found that the visa was valid for three months only.

I felt that I was not really welcome in Indonesia. If I want to stay longer in Indonesia I am obliged to go abroad every two months by plane. How can I feel at home under these conditions?

In the West millions of retired people escape winter by going to milder climates such as in Spain, Bermuda, Caribbean, etc. How many come to Indonesia? Why not simplify the condition? Problems with retired people are almost nonexistent. Moreover, as they stay longer they will spend more of their money in this country.

Name and address

known to the editor