Australian vacationers declare they’ve been left confused by web sites providing visas previous to arrival in Bali.
Some have found too late the web site they clicked on wasn’t the official visa web site run by the Indonesian authorities, and ended up paying a better price. It is because it turned out they’d unknowingly used an company which then assisted them to buy the visas by the official website.
Nonetheless, different travellers claimed they purchased visas solely to search out out they had been invalid on arrival in Bali. They had been then left with no different possibility than to purchase an official visa on the airport, making it a fair costlier ordeal.
Social media pages for the favored vacation vacation spot are flooded with posts from travellers who left confused by these web sites.
The Indonesian Authorities is beginning to take discover. In December the Immigration Directorate Basic on the Ministry of Regulation and Human Rights in Indonesia introduced it was probing an internet site which will have befuddled vacationers by way of their digital visa on arrival (e-VOA) software platform.
Interim Immigration Director Basic Widodo Ekatjahjana cautioned travellers the web site Indonesia eVOA appeared within the high searches on Google, however is way extra expensive than going by the official authorities web site.
“Foreigners are requested to be cautious,” Mr Ekatjahjana stated.
“Just like the fee mechanism for the true e-VOA, on this … web site foreigners may make funds utilizing a fee gateway mechanism. We remind you, the one official web site for e-VOA software is molina.imigrasi.go.id.”
There isn’t any suggestion that this specific web site supplied invalid visas or scammed individuals.
There have been additionally many feedback on a Reddit thread in regards to the web site www.indonesia-evoa.com, together with from a traveller whose kin used its service.
“I haven’t slept all evening as a member of the family despatched us the hyperlink and we processed a number of purposes and therefore misplaced a number of [money],” he wrote.
“Their e mail again raised my suspicions, as clicking the URL from the e-mail takes you to a completely completely different ‘Journey Excursions’ web page the place you may’t click on on something. Checked my financial institution and the service provider particulars weren’t traceable.
“I really feel ashamed, anxious and alone in all this.”
The vacationer later stated he contacted his financial institution in Australia to have a block positioned on his bank card. He was relieved nevertheless when the visas ultimately arrived however they took a very long time and value extra cash.
Whereas there are different web sites on Google that will not be on the Indonesian authorities’s radar, they’re allegedly stinging unsuspecting travellers with hefty additional charges to help in acquiring the visas.
Some travellers who’ve discovered this out the arduous method are scrambling to aim to get refunds from their banks, arguing the transactions had been dishonest. Many say they haven’t been profitable.
A traveller from Perth wrote on the Bali Bogans Fb web page of their expertise attempting to get a visa on-line by an unidentified web site.
“Folks beware e-VOA (visa on arrival), I simply acquired on-line and paid for my VOA considering I used to be paying round $A50, seems I simply paid $204 every. I can’t be refunded, costly mistake.”
One other commented: “I’m going to Bali for 60 days and I’ve bought a visa on-line known as B213 visa and it has value $150, can anybody please inform if it is a legit visa sort or is a rip-off as a result of different web sites are saying it needs to be solely $A50 on the airport, am a bit pressured that it’s not an actual visa.”
And a 3rd stated: “Can somebody inform me learn how to do (sic) on-line visa as I feel I simply acquired scammed as I had $148.57 taken out for one!”
In the meantime another person wrote: “We arrived in Bali Airport and my two pals paid $82 every on-line for supposed visa. Once they went by the visa level they had been advised it was not legitimate and needed to pay one other $50 every. Remember.”
And one other flyer was additionally amazed at how a lot she was charged.
“Visa on arrival query – I googled it and went on to this web site to use for the visas for my household and it charged us $149 every … They haven’t despatched me an e mail affirmation both. Getting nervous my cash has gone and a visa isn’t gonna come by.”
Some commenters beneficial simply paying for the visa on the airport.
“Pay there, two minutes, not ripped off,” one stated.
One other agreed, writing: “Simply pay on the airport individuals.”
Visa recommendation
Smartraveller stated: “You’ll be able to apply for an e-Visa on Arrival (e-VOA) no later than 48 hours previous to travelling to Indonesia, test the e-VOA necessities from Indonesian Immigration earlier than making use of.
“You’ll be able to nonetheless apply for an everyday Visa on Arrival (VOA) at sure worldwide airports, seaports and land crossings, together with Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Makassar, Lombok, Batam, Medan, Manado, Tanjung Pinang and Yogyakarta, if you don’t apply for an e-VOA not less than 48 hours prematurely of your journey to Indonesia,” it stated.
“The e-VOA and VOA value IDR 500,000 (roughly $A50), with the e-VOA charging a small on-line processing price.”
Smartraveller additionally explains what to do if you happen to’re the sufferer of a rip-off abroad.
