Tourist Admission Fees for Kitas/Kitap holders

[Puspawarna]

<-- so what do you do at immigration when entering the country and there's an "Indonesian only" line vs "Foreigner line"?

I could be wrong (it hasn't happened yet, but I'm open to the possibility)...but it seems to me like different immigration lines for different kinds of passports/visas is a very practical issue and has nothing to do, necessarily, with discrimination.

I have often traveled on an unusual type of visa, called a DINAS (not to be confused with a PemDah Dinas...same letters, totally different meaning). Most immigration officials are not familiar with it, and if I go through the "random foreigner" line, everyone - the clueless and embarrassed immigration official who giggles uncomfortably and looks around for someone to help him, me, the people in line behind me who have to wait longer because of the clown with the weirdo situation in front of them - is inconvenienced.

But, if I go through the line for diplomats - hey, no problem. Because even though most dip visas aren't like mine, at least they assign someone to that line who actually understands what a DINAS is. So, it's better for everyone.

One solution to the "discrimination" of different lines would be to ensure that every official, in every line, knows how to deal with every possible variation in people's visas. But c'mon. That's not happening. Until it does, differentiating lines for different types of passports and visas makes like easier and faster for everyone.

 

[Euc-]

So when I enter Europe through a “Schengen” only line those officials are all only trained to make sure I look like the picture in my passport, and all properly trained immigration officers are in the non-schengen lines?

Besides, the comment i quoted stated “I don't like any sort of segregation stuff so I refuse to subscribe”, it did not specify racial segregation. Even a KITAS line is segregation.

 

[Davita]

I agree with Puspa above...the specific lines at an airport are to expedite those who have specific clearance..i.e. vip, diplomats, crew, permanent residents, etc.

FWIW....... just last weekend we visited Australia on an ETA which I got over the internet. On arrival and departure all that's needed is to put the passport into the machine then stand in front of a camera while somebody checks the details and the process is complete...unless, I presume, something wrong. No more the "how long you stay?' "where you going?" "how much money you have?" ...it's all automated.

With regard to the discriminatory pricing I'd hope tourists would vote with their feet and tell those who over-charge (extreme) to shove-it and walk...then complain to the tourist minister. I did!

 

[Puspawarna]

So when I enter Europe through a “Schengen” only line those officials are all only trained to make sure I look like the picture in my passport, and all properly trained immigration officers are in the non-schengen lines?

Besides, the comment i quoted stated “I don't like any sort of segregation stuff so I refuse to subscribe”, it did not specify racial segregation. Even a KITAS line is segregation.

I'm not sure I understand your point. What's wrong with training some officials to be super-smart and fast on Schengen visas, and then letting them loose on that particular task...while training other officials to be extra-efficient on other types of visas, and assigning them to that?

"Segregation" can be a nasty word when it's applied to historical situations like "whites only" drinking fountains. But the word "segregate" is not inherently evil. There are plenty of situations - mathematical, public health, and no doubt others that I'm not thinking of off the top of my head - where segregating is nothing more than an efficiency measure, free of negative moral connotations.

 

[Bad_azz]

So when I enter Europe through a “Schengen” only line those officials are all only trained to make sure I look like the picture in my passport, and all properly trained immigration officers are in the non-schengen lines?

Besides, the comment i quoted stated “I don't like any sort of segregation stuff so I refuse to subscribe”, it did not specify racial segregation. Even a KITAS line is segregation.

Stop nit-picking.

 

[Burungkecil]

Having started this thread I should give some feedback about what actually happened ticketwise.
From memory we visited eight places that required tickets, six of which seemed to impose higher admission fees for foreigners. However, once my wife told them that I was her husband or I showed my KTP they were quite happy to admit me for the local ticket price.