An Aussie traveller has shared an urgent warning after an honest mistake left him stranded in Bali.
Troy Nankervis said on Instagram his nightmare began because he was unaware of an important rule change to visas.
Indonesian authorities introduced on May 29 new face-to-face requirements for visa extensions.
Anyone wanting to stay in the country for more than 30 days, including those using the popular visa-on-arrival option, must attend an in-person interview and photo session at an immigration office.
Mr Nankervis was already in Bali when he went to renew his visa online on June 2 so he could stay in the country a little longer.
He was unaware of the changes that had been made to the rules days earlier, and did not go in person to Denpasar’s immigration office to finalise the visa.
Mr Nankervis spent six weeks in the country in total before he went to Ngurah Rai International Airport to catch a flight back to Sydney.
‘I was all checked in at the airport at Denpasar last night. I was going through customs and the officer told me I’d overstayed my visa,’ he said.
Troy Nankervis (pictured) was out of pocket more than $2,000 after a little-known change was made to tourists staying in Bali
‘I was in a pretty impossible situation. They wouldn’t let me pay the fine. The fine usually is about 1 million rupiah, 100 bucks a day.’
Mr Nankervis said he was pulled out of the queue and immigration officers escorted him back through airport security and retrieved his suitcase, which had already been loaded onto the plane for his flight back home.
Despite it being late on a Saturday night, he was told he was not allowed to fly home to Sydney until he presented to the immigration office on Monday.
He checked himself into a Kuta hotel.
The delay meant he not only missed his flight back home to Sydney, but also his upcoming flight to London.
Mr Nankervis said it was frustrating that despite paying for the extension fee online when renewing his visa, there was no automated email from the Indonesian government that his application was incomplete.
He presented to the Denpasar Immigration office at 8am on Monday, and after waiting an hour, it took ‘all of 30 seconds’ to approve the visa extension.
Indonesia Immigration revealed the key reason for the sudden changes in visa extension policy was to crack down on foreigners breaking the law and abusing the visa system
‘It’s been one of the most expensive, frustrating hiccups I’ve ever done, and on a technicality,’ he said.
‘It’s been a very stressful 48 hours and very expensive in terms of rebooking flights.
‘My advice is, if you’re flying to Indonesia and want to extend your tourist visa, book an appointment in person at the office.’
Mr Nankervis said, all up, rescheduling his flight home to Sydney and to London, as well as extra accommodation in Bali, left him more than $2,000 out of pocket.
Indonesia Immigration revealed the key reason for the sudden changes in visa extension policy was to crack down on foreigners breaking the law and abusing the visa system.
