Sponsor for Indonesian visa
 

Hi everyone,

I'm in Dili, East Timor at the moment and I'm planning to head across Indonesia and then then across to Malaysia and eventually make my way to Europe. But the embassy is stubbornly refusing to grant me a 30 day tourist visa (which can be extended to 60 days), which leaves me with 30 days with a non-extendable visa free stamp to get across Indo - a little tight for what I'd planned to do. The only other option they gave me is a social visa, which requires a sponsor in indonesia to write a letter stating my intentions for a visit. Are there any Indonesians out there that might be able to lend a helpless traveler a hand and write such a letter - there may be a bit more red tape and forms to fill out as well. Or can anyone think of another method to get a tourist visa or some way to get my visa-free stamp renewed somewhere in Indonesia?

Cheers,
Jason

Enter as they're letting you and at the end of 30 days get a cheap return flight to Kuala Lumpur? Another 30 days then. Loads of cheap flights to KL. Are you using a carnet for Indo? Could be a bit more complicated if you are.

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Thanks for the advice. It looks like that is going to be my only option. Its frustrating because tourist visas are definitely offered by other embassies. I guess there's a lesson there in just getting visas organised before you leave. Yes, I am travelling on a Carnet. How do you think the carnet will affect the bike? I though carnet was for customs and the visa was for me, kind of separate problems.

Jason

When applying for a Indo visa in Penang last year I was given a socalled "social visa" which gave me a 60 day initial stay and it could be extended 4 x 30 days.

Strange that different embassies/consulates for the same country has such a different policy of handibg out visas.

I not sure but I remember seeing some threads on people having to leave the country while leaving the bike behind. Would vary country to country. Technically I don't think it's supposed to be done but but I can't see how they'd know that you were doing that anyway. Don't take my word for it though, my memory is a bit sketchy!

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preachan is spot-on. It seems to vary from country to country. In addition, it might depend on how strictly the Carnet issuer interprets the rules.

Please refer to the penultimate paragraph of the attached .pdf file below, which is an extract from the New Zealand Automobile Association regulatory instructions. NZAA issue Carnets for NZ-registered vehicles and make it quite clear that you are not permitted to leave your vehicle unattended unless there are exceptionally circumstances - and only then if it is left in a secured - read: 'bonded' perhaps[?] - area.

Fact is, how are the authorities going to know if you leave your vehicle parked-up somewhere whilst you temporarily depart from the country in question, and subsequently return shortly afterwards?

Remember, your Carnet is not linked to your passport in any way - with the exception of a few countries like Turkey [I think?], plus maybe a handful of others.
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