Job Discussion Forums

[PlasticPill]

First off, sorry if I'm posting in the wrong forum, but I figured you all would know best on this issue...

I'm planning on traveling to Indonesia to visit someone for 30 days. I'm a US citizen, with a passport. I know that a visa is required, but it seems I can get this visa upon arrival into Indonesia (Surabaya).

I have no criminal record, no debts, nor am I looking to stay beyond 30 days, so I think I should be approved for the visa without any problems, right? This is my first time traveling internationaly, so I'm trying to do as much research as I can.

My main question is this....My friend ((who is Indonesian, living in Surabaya)) told me that they charge a SEPERATE fee, on TOP of the visa, for foreigners like Europeans, Americans, and even Japanese...apparently it's a $50 usd foreigner tax (bule tax?). I'm not sure if this is from the Indonesian government...or the airport....but it seems rather lame.

Can anyone confirm this? I'll be arriving in Surabaya on August 7, 2006. I called the Indonesian embassy in my own country to ask, and one guy told me it was "utter bs" and another told me "I have no idea." Sadly...the later also had "no idea" about visas either, so I find it hard to believe her...I already know a visa is required for a 30 day stay.

Anyways....any help on this "foreigner tax" would be real helpful....if it's true, I'll end up paying it regardless, but thats so pathetic! I'm already paying for a visa, and I don't think that extra tax will go to helping the country, I think it will just end up in some greedy bule-hating pocket.

Again, sorry if I'm posting in the wrong forum, I just thought this would be a good place to ask. If there is a better forum, then just point the way. Terima kasih.

[gugelhupf]

Never heard of such a thing, thankfully. You will be charged USD25 for a 30 day visa on arrival and that's all. You go first to the visa payment desk where they give you a receipt. Then you go to the adjacent window which is where the visa is pasted into your passport. After that you join the inevitable queue for immigration but there will be no further charge or 'tax'.

Just remember that you will also have to pay airport tax on leaving Indonesia of 100000Rp (about USD10) so do keep a few spare Rupiah for this.

[guruengerish]

Maybe this guy has heard or read about FISKAL. However, as we all know, this Rp1million burden is not for tourists - only for those working in the country and wanting to leave for holidays or visa run or just leaving.

It's supposed to be a form of tax in case you or your employer didn't pay salary tax.

Teachers are part of the one per cent who regularly pay any form of salary tax.

[PlasticPill]

Mmm, more fun taxes. Well I'm just a tourist this time, though I wish I could stay longer.

Seems though that there isn't such a tax after all, which is good. I'll just bring the money in case there is.

On a side note, anyone have any good advice for places to see/not see in Surabaya or Bali? I'll be staying in Surabaya mostly, with plans of taking a trip to Bali. Maybe I'll visit Jakarta too, although from these forums it sounds like I'm better off avoiding it. The buddhist temple near central Java also tempted me.

[clandestine782]

There are also two sets of prices at many hotels. One for local foreigners and the other for "bumiputras" (Local Indonesian People).

[PlasticPill]

[Chancellor]