RI students visa extension rejected

RI students visa extension rejected

JAKARTA: Lebanese and Yemeni immigration offices have turned
down the applications of several Indonesian students for visa
extensions, even though they have yet to complete their studies,
Antara reported.

Journalist from Jakarta-based Kompas daily in Cairo, Mustafa
Abd. Rahman, said that the rejection of visa extensions for
Indonesian students in Lebanon and Yemen for unstated reasons was
probably related to the terrorism issue.

He said the suspended departure of dozens of Indonesian
students receiving scholarships from Egypt's Al-Azhar University
was strongly believed to be related to the terrorism issue.

As many as 94 Indonesian students were originally scheduled to
leave for Al-Azhar University on Sept. 18 under the auspices of
the Indonesian religious affairs ministry.

The ministry officially stated that the departure of the
Indonesian students to Egypt was suspended as the enrollment
procedure of the new students at Al-Azhar had not been completed. --Antara