In Reply to: Thanks posted by balispirit on Friday, 17. June 2005 at 19:32 Bali Time:
had to go to past issues june 15th...hope this helps.. cheers :-)
Visa-on-arrival for 13 nations
National News - June 15, 2005
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has decided to allow the nationals of 13 countries in Europe and the Middle East to obtain a visa-on-arrival (VOA) in an effort to attract tourists to the country amid terrorism fears.
The decision brings the number of foreign countries to have been granted the facility to 33.
"The policy is aimed at attracting foreign tourists to visit Indonesia. We have set a target of bringing in more than six million foreign tourists this year," State Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik said after a meeting at the office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.
Jero said the latest bombings that rocked the Central Sulawesi town of Tentena and reports of fresh terrorist attacks against foreign interests would have no impact on the tourist industry.
He said the government was also in the process of granting a visa-on-arrival facility to the Netherlands and Sweden.
While the minister refused to explain why the two European countries were not included on the list of countries eligible for the VOA facility, a source said the government was worried about the possible entry of South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist members living in the Netherlands.
Exiled leaders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group are living in Sweden as asylum seekers. Indonesia has left Sweden's ambassadorial post vacant since last year.
A visa-on-arrival will now be valid for either six or 30 days. A six-day visa will cost US$10 while a 30-day visa will cost $25.
Additional countries granted VOA facility
India
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Belgium
Spain
Portugal
Russia
Egypt
Austria
Ireland
Qatar
Greece
Luxembourg