VOA fee_550,000?

[ms_piaano]

Dear All,

Monday, Sept 30th, I entered Indonesia thru Kualanamu Airport, Medan. When I needed to pay for the VOA, the immigration officer handed me the receipt - "$35" -. I wasn't sure how much it was in rupiah so I calculated it on my phone using the current rate and it was almost Rp500,000.

I handed her the Rp500,000 but she said, "Oh no, it is Rp550,000, Sir."
I was surprised and showed her the amount said on my phone then she said, "It's been raised up to 550,000."

Is it really extra 50 thousand more now?

 

[snpark]

Depends on the rate. Since it is mostly above 14 these days maybe they increased it accordingly. So better to pay it in $ until it goes back to 13 one day and then pay it in rupiah

 

[snpark]

Medan? More likely she just skimming you for the extra 50 then
Receipt said $35 or 550rp?

 

[Jamu]

Dear All,

Monday, Sept 30th, I entered Indonesia thru Kualanamu Airport, Medan. When I needed to pay for the VOA, the immigration officer handed me the receipt - "$35" -. I wasn't sure how much it was in rupiah so I calculated it on my phone using the current rate and it was almost Rp500,000.

I handed her the Rp500,000 but she said, "Oh no, it is Rp550,000, Sir."
I was surprised and showed her the amount said on my phone then she said, "It's been raised up to 550,000."

Is it really extra 50 thousand more now?

The VOA fee is no longer charged in USD. It is fixed at Rp. 500.000. They showed you an old receipt and overcharged you to boot.

 

[snpark]

In Jakarta it states $35 and majority pay in $

 

[ms_piaano]

Medan? More likely she just skimming you for the extra 50 then
Receipt said $35 or 550rp?

Receipt said $35.

 

[snpark]

Yeh she took the 50rp for the "now you know for next time" surcharge

 

[jstar]

What is strange about this whole thing, is that a couple of years ago the 'base currency' changed from USD to IDR. So before, all other currencies you paid in (including rupiah) were calculated based on daily rates against the American dollar. But by law this was changed not that long ago.

 

[Jamu]

In Jakarta it states $35 and majority pay in $

https://www.expatindo.org/uploads/ImmigrationFees2019_v2.pdf?2ceea6&2ceea6

According to the info from this site, the fee is Rp. 500k. No mention of USD35 for VOA...

This is corroborated by the official fee table in Bahasa Indonesia, see page 26 (clause 1.c)...

https://sipuu.setkab.go.id/PUUdoc/175817/PP_Nomor_28_Tahun_2019_-_Lampiran.pdf

 

[snpark]

It is $35 clearly stated at the airport everywhere, signs etc and even google searches all mention $35

Your link is out of date, lot changes in 5 months

 

[Jamu]

Your link is out of date, lot changes in 5 months

Not so sure about that. The second link I included is the official copy of the new law, No. 28/2019, which was signed by the President on 18 April 2019 and went into effect on 1 May 2019. Laws such as this generally do not change in 5 months, though perhaps you are aware of a specific update? Most likely, the law is being ignored in practice, since most tourists don't arrive with Rupiah in hand and many airports don't have money changers before immigration...

 

[snpark]

I mean officially its $35 but if the currency suddenly shot up to 15000 they would not hesitate to start charging the fee at 600rb, sorry thats what I meant

 

[Jamu]

I mean officially its $35 but if the currency suddenly shot up to 15000 they would not hesitate to start charging the fee at 600rb, sorry thats what I meant

Rp 600k would be illegal under the law. Anyway, officially it is Rp 500k (not USD35), please see the new law linked in post 9 above, page 26 - "Visa Kunjungan Saat Kedatangan" ie Visa on Arrival - Rp. 500.000), and charging USD35 is currently pretty close to that amount and a lot more convenient for most travellers. If the USD - Rp shot up to 15000 they would happily keep collecting the USD35, as it would now be worth more than the legal payment amount. Btw, extension of a VOA at immigrasi is also Rp. 500k, and there for sure you are not allowed to pay in USD.

 

[Banana72]

Dear All,

Monday, Sept 30th, I entered Indonesia thru Kualanamu Airport, Medan. When I needed to pay for the VOA, the immigration officer handed me the receipt - "$35" -. I wasn't sure how much it was in rupiah so I calculated it on my phone using the current rate and it was almost Rp500,000.

I handed her the Rp500,000 but she said, "Oh no, it is Rp550,000, Sir."
I was surprised and showed her the amount said on my phone then she said, "It's been raised up to 550,000."

Is it really extra 50 thousand more now?

My guess it was pretty warm that day and the officer needed to cool down with a nice Frapuccino from the Starbucks right by the duty free shop.

 

[snpark]

I wish they only cost 50