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Post by bear on Jul 11, 2023 6:25:26 GMT 7
Aussie traveller cops $1500 fee at Bali airport over passport detail
Excerpts:-
“While at the Batik Air counter at Tullamarine airport I was made to sign an additional blue form which I was told I had to show whenever I showed my passport,” Monique explained to 7NEWS.com.au
“This was because my passport was slightly dirty as it is seven years old.”
"But Monique claims she has since been in touch with border security officials in Melbourne, who advised her they believe the ordeal was likely a set-up.*
“My passport was never the real issue,” she said. “It was an easy way to get some money from inexperienced tourists. “I really didn’t expect this ... so very traumatic.” 7NEWS.com.au has been unable to confirm whether the official intervention was legitimately based or otherwise."
Travel advice
When it comes to passport damage, the Department of Foreign Affairs told 7NEWS.com.au normal “wear and tear” shouldn’t be an issue.
“More serious damage can stop you from travelling,” it warns.
DFAT says it is important:
there are no tears or cuts in the passport pages, especially the photo page everything on the photo page is legible and clear there are no marks across your photo or in the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) on the photo page no pages have been removed there is no alteration or tampering Any travellers who are unsure about the condition of their passport, are urged to call the Australian Passport Office on 131 232 or contact your nearest Australian embassy or consulate overseas.
You can also learn more about passports and visa rules by visiting the Department of Home Affairs.
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Post by JJJ88 on Jul 12, 2023 10:18:06 GMT 7
Never ever had any problem like that in airports in the Philippines (here they help you if anything else) Once I even had a water logged Aussie passport that I had to dry out and use when flying out the following week no dramas or questions asked. Was sure to get a new one though when I got back home.
I remember years ago when I flew into MNL from BNE, on arrival the kind Immigration officer said if I flew here with my mother I could stay for 1 year visa free (mother is a dual national) then they asked me if I wanted a 6 month visa straight up which took about only about 10 minutes. They essentially saved me a taxi ride going to the main Immigration office which is a really busy place.
Thankyou Immigration at NAIA
What a great International Airport.
Cheers
J
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Post by bear on Jul 12, 2023 17:11:51 GMT 7
I was supposed to transit at DPS on the way to BNE last year but due to circumstances beyond my control had to enter the country in order to catch my connecting flight.
Long story short... The whole experience left me with no love for the place, a question of what Ozzies see in it, with a determination never to go there again. Why?
Being told the only way to check in due to my booking agent's failure to email a boarding pass was to buy a VOA. Okay, done; connection made.
The kicker though, was at the time Ozzies were visa exempt for 30 days but the Indos were having none of it.... It was purchase the visa or be stuck airside incoming.
Bali; not worth a cracker imho!! Cheers 🐻
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Post by scuzzy on Jul 12, 2023 22:58:39 GMT 7
Let me tell you why this is happening.
The officials at Bali Airport are taking advantage of a clause that says an airline can be fined for letting a passenger board a flight without a valid passport (by memory the fine is a couple of grand). A 'valid passport' mostly means that it has at least 6 months of validity on it. But then someone had the bright idea that if they started pinging people with minor damage to their passports, they could declare it an 'invalid passport' and fine the airline that carried the passenger. They didn't go overboard though; they knew if they got greedy the airlines would push back instead of just absorbing the cost. So they kept it to a few a week and spread it out across the various airlines.
However, sometimes they couldn't find anyone with minor damage to their passport so they'd hit someone with the slightest of scuffs/ tears. That's when the cases started making it into the media.
Then recently, someone had the great idea to not only fine the airline, but to also shake down the passenger/ passport holder for a 'fine' also.
But, they've pushed it too far now because the Indonesian authorities have been highly embarrassed by this latest story, especially the aspect of the officials leaning heavily on the woman's frail and aged mother, and have initiated an anti-corruption investigation into the officials at Bali Airport. Whether it puts a stop to it, or whether it just means that the anti-corruption guys will insist on getting a cut in the future, we'll just have to wait and see.
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Post by genx on Jul 13, 2023 9:34:57 GMT 7
However, sometimes they couldn't find anyone with minor damage to their passport so they'd hit someone with the slightest of scuffs/ tears. That's when the cases started making it into the media. Then recently, someone had the great idea to not only fine the airline, but to also shake down the passenger/ passport holder for a 'fine' also. I was wondering about the flood of this in the media. Initially I thought it was the same person/story getting traction, but then I realised that it was all different people getting stung by the same modus operandi. Also, there seems to be a general hostility to tourism if going by the messaging coming out from the Bali governor. They say that they want "high quality" tourism. They don't define it, so I assume its targeting backpackers. If they wanted to ensure a minimum spend, they could set the floor on hotel prices at $20 a night, for example. That would create pressure to improve locally as well. |
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Post by bear on Jul 13, 2023 17:15:21 GMT 7
My two bob's worth..... I think they are just fed up with the out of control bogan behaviour i.e. public drunkenness & nudity with hard working Balinese getting beaten senseless for a laugh.... Just an overall lack of respect in general!!
There's certainly no lack of Australian media articles in the above vein..... Cheers 🐻
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Post by genx on Jul 13, 2023 18:47:15 GMT 7
My two bob's worth..... I think they are just fed up with the out of control bogan behaviour i.e. public drunkenness & nudity with hard working Balinese getting beaten senseless for a laugh.... Just an overall lack of respect in general!! There's certainly no lack of Australian media articles in the above vein..... Cheers 🐻 I'd say that it is the Aussie tourists that are more likely to be beaten whether they started the fight or not. Balinese have strong solidarity. They don't standby, they jump in. As for bad tourists, I recall that the police in Bali were shaking down tourists due to posession of marijuana, when I could not get Balinese drug pushers to leave me alone. Literally someone offering dope every 20 meters walk. |
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Post by itsmylife08 on Jul 13, 2023 21:29:26 GMT 7
My two bob's worth..... I think they are just fed up with the out of control bogan behaviour i.e. public drunkenness & nudity with hard working Balinese getting beaten senseless for a laugh.... Just an overall lack of respect in general!! There's certainly no lack of Australian media articles in the above vein..... Cheers 🐻 I'd say that it is the Aussie tourists that are more likely to be beaten whether they started the fight or not. Balinese have strong solidarity. They don't standby, they jump in. As for bad tourists, I recall that the police in Bali were shaking down tourists due to posession of marijuana, when I could not get Balinese drug pushers to leave me alone. Literally someone offering dope every 20 meters walk. My two bob's worth..... I think they are just fed up with the out of control bogan behaviour i.e. public drunkenness & nudity with hard working Balinese getting beaten senseless for a laugh.... Just an overall lack of respect in gene There's certainly no lack of Australian media articles in the above vein..... Cheers ____________________________________________________________________________ I have no real sympathy for them at all, most Aussies would be aware of their customs and the consequences of drug trafficking in Indonesia. Ask Schappell Corby and the Bali nine... Cheers Itsa |
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Post by genx on Jul 14, 2023 13:57:56 GMT 7
I have no real sympathy for them at all, most Aussies would be aware of their customs and the consequences of drug trafficking in Indonesia. Ask Schappell Corby and the Bali nine... Cheers Itsa I am not talking about drug trafficking. I am talking about drugs being sold on the streets of Kuta, in coordination with the cops in order to entrap tourists to get bribes. |
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Post by itsmylife08 on Jul 14, 2023 17:20:47 GMT 7
I am not talking about drug trafficking. I am talking about drugs being sold on the streets of Kuta, in coordination with the cops in order to entrap tourists to get bribes. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ genx I'm not casting aspersions on anyone in particular, but what I'm saying is that drugs in any shape or form are WRONG!!! It doesn't matter whether or not it's just the average user, getting a bit of the gange off one of the parasites selling it on the streets it's wrong period!!! That is usually the first step, after which it escalates from there, onto being a pusher themselves basically, thinking this is easy I can do that. "Now that is a big mistake" How do I know all of this, my Nephew has been missing overseas for almost a year now and is not expected back anytime soon... Cheers Itsa  |
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Post by ann on Jul 14, 2023 17:43:13 GMT 7
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Post by thebruce on Jul 14, 2023 18:23:51 GMT 7
but what I'm saying is that drugs in any shape or form are WRONG!!! Cheers Itsa The only thing wrong with drugs is the law that makes them illegal. Your username is "itsmylife" yet you label drugs wrong. How and why dictate to others about their lives? I don't take drugs other than the occasional thing the Dr prescribes, I don't drink but heck, what another adult wants to do with their own body is entirely their business if you ask me. |
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Post by bear on Jul 14, 2023 19:27:13 GMT 7
Well that escalated and went pear shaped quickly; so without further ado
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