Singapore Expats

When i went to batam for a day in 2010, as a US passport holder they would only let me do a 30 day US$25 visa in Batam (although indonesia has a 7 day, $10 visa)

Are they still pulling this swindle?

David

The 7-Day visa has been discontinued.

Nobody is forcing you to go.

I'm still getting a 7 day VOA for US$10

As Carteki wrote on a concurrent thread...

'Counting down to posts from people who've only paid a $10 visa fee to Bintan / Batam ... This has been subsidised by the operator as they have realised that people who are subject to the visa fee would rather visit Thailand and Malaysia who don't charge anything.'
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic ... nesia+visa

JR8 wrote:As Carteki wrote on a concurrent thread...

'Counting down to posts from people who've only paid a $10 visa fee to Bintan / Batam ... This has been subsidised by the operator as they have realised that people who are subject to the visa fee would rather visit Thailand and Malaysia who don't charge anything.'
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic ... nesia+visa

Also been a few times recently with and without an operator and everytime US$10

Hmmm! Well maybe you and Carteki need to have a chat about this and post the definitive resolution here!

The plot thickens? That is about as definitive as you're going to get isn't it.

I wonder if it a case of what immigration, at the point of arrival, say is available?

My last trip to Indonesia was via Manado in Sulawesi. The visa fee was flagged as US$25 (it also quoted the price in euro, Yen, others?). There was no mention of 7 day visas, despite the fact I'm sure it would be ideal for week-enders.

And here are two Manado area scuba club sites. One says the visa is 30 days, and the other that you can get 7 or 30 days.

'Citizens of these countries will be able to apply for a VoA valid for 30 days upon arrival by air in Manado. A 30-day visa costs US$25'
http://bunakenchacha.com/manado_bunaken_visa.html

'Effective May 28, 2007, visitors holding valid passports from certain countries can obtain either a 7 day or 30 day non-extendable visa at any of the 15 airports and 21 seaports designated as “international gateways”

I went just 2 weeks ago to Bintan and paying 10 USD for 7 days visa

Saint wrote:http://www.kemlu.go.id/Pages/ServiceDis ... rvice&l=en

Thank you for this will gladly admit I am wrong and will definitely be packing a copy of this in my passport when returning to Indonesia next Fri (although I did land up extending my current trip beyond 7 days, so I didn't waste any funds there)

went to an immigration meeting in Batam a couple of months ago
the deal now should be as follows:
only one type of visa-on-arrival for Indonesia, US$25.- for 30 days, can be extended once

with one special exception for the Riau Islands only:
additional option of short visa US$10.- for 7 days/6nights
note: tourist must enter Indonesia and leave Indonesia from any Riau Islands port
so, you can enter via Batam and leave via Bintan, but not through Jakarta

this is a result of intensive lobbying by tourism operators in Batam & Bintan
... working hand in hand with the local Tourism Boards
btw, am a member of the Bintan Tourism Board

Thank you Island Guru for clarifying. Nice to get an "official" answer (and very timely as I go to Bintan on Fri!)
Could you please share the link where the $10 visa has been discontinued? Based on the link above (from 2010) the $10 visa is still legally available.

hi Carteki
long story... not sure about the timeline, can only give you an approximation
it is Saturday, and i have not had my siesta yet...

the Indonesian visa-on-arrival started a few years ago, with the 2 options 7 or 30 days
then the immigration officials in Bali got caught cheating, mixing up the cash amounts
so the minister decided to have only the 30 days @ US$25.-

the Riau Islands got up in arms, and obtained a dispensation about 2 years ago
the cheaper 7 days visa was back on, with very special conditions:
for a minimum of 4 pax travelling on the same ferries, with prior written application

this special deal turned out to be not very practical, a you can well imagine
so the Riau Islands governor appealed to the Jakarta bureaucracy
... successfully, as the regular 7 days visa was back on a few months ago

enjoy your trip to Bintan!
[/b]

The S$10 visa still valid in batam
visa on arrival charges are as follows

* USD $10 valid for 7 days and 6 nights only
* USD $25 valid for 7 to 30 days
* USD $20 per day for overstay