Visa renewal in Bali

Visa renewal in Bali

I read the letter Pay tourists to come here by Ian Gregory
published in The Jakarta Post on May 31. It looks like a good
idea to me. Therefore, I will mention an idea that was introduced
some years ago.

In the United States or Canada, if a foreigner needs to renew
a visa, that individual does not have to exit the country. It can
all be done locally. It is my suggestion that the Indonesian
government should activate such policy, and put a visa renewal or
extension office in Denpasar, Bali.

Then foreigners could go to Bali to renew or extend their
tourist visa, visitors visa, work permit, etc.

This way the money now spent by visa holders to travel outside
of Indonesia to get renewals would instead be spent locally for
airfares, hotels, restaurants, going to Bali for the renewals,
instead of spending their money outside of Indonesia to do the
same thing.

The local airlines, hotels and businesses in Indonesia,
especially Bali would gain the benefit of the money spent locally
instead of money going overseas.

JIM SWANSON, Jakarta