Melz

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Sep 7, 2016
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Hi there, I am in a debacle. We have a friend who is Indonesian who we have known for 10+ years. He is married and has three children. As he has always been very good to us when we have been in Bali and we consider him part of our family, we would love to have him come to Australia for a two week holiday, all expenses paid by us. His passport has just come through which is great however in relation to the Visa! His wife is very jealous and won't sign off on any permission letter for him to come for a holiday unless she comes also (not to be rude but he is our friend and she has just been damn right rude to us since knowing her so she is definitely not coming). My understanding is a letter from employer etc is also required. Our friend has his own tour business like half of the people in Bali! The actual car registration is in the wife's name (don't ask) but the scooter is in the name of the business so I think that should be ok.
Does anyone know if there is any other way to help with getting our friend the Visa application without having the wife sign off on a letter? Would the kids birth certificates help?

Thanks in advance
Mel
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
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Karangasem, Bali
What you gonna do when the "friend" goes AWOL in Oz and stays there leaving kids/wife here?

There's gonna be a good reason wifey don't want him going off and you are going to be stuck right in the middle.

Is a 2 week holiday worth the grief? Just buy the guy a new motorbike (NMAX 26 million) and everyone will be happy.
 

davita

Well-Known Member
Mar 13, 2012
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I agree with Markit...it is never wise to get between a husband and wife...no matter the good intention. It's a quick way to lose a friend.
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
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Is the letter from his wife a requirement of the visa? If it is, then I would imagine it would be hard to get the visa. Maybe Australian immigration wouldn't view this to be in his favor and they may even call his wife to see if she supports the application.

If you put yourself in the wife's shoes then who wouldn't be upset about their partner going on an overseas holiday by themselves.
 

JohnnyCool

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Jan 10, 2009
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Sanur
...My understanding is a letter from employer etc is also required...
I don't think so. What the Australian visa-issuing office wants is some indication that the tourist has a reason to go back to Indonesia.
Given how you've portrayed your friend's wife, I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to defect.

First time I've heard that an Indonesian needs his wife's permission to go abroad. How did he get a passport in the first place?

Etc. Does she have a passport? Take her to Oz as well, send her to the Northern Territory and hopefully, she'll get taken by a crocodile, or at least drown somewhere.
Hope this helps.

:icon_eek:
 

davita

Well-Known Member
Mar 13, 2012
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Etc. Does she have a passport? Take her to Oz as well, send her to the Northern Territory and hopefully, she'll get taken by a crocodile, or at least drown somewhere.
Hope this helps.

:icon_eek:

You may have introduced a new expression from OZ...."The dingo ate my wife"...:black_eyed:
 

JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
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I think dingoes are somewhat passe these days, down under. Crocs, (and sharks), are getting more media attention lately And don't forget cane toads and maybe even worse, the extremely tiny, super deadly irukanji jelly things that are moving further south. What happened to the African killer bees that were invading Oz?

Fur seals can be bad, too. Someone woke up recently in Tasmania and found one squashing his car, after performing some incredible moves over a couple of cars.
And some old guy sitting in his lounge room near Cairns got bitten between the toes by a coastal taipan when he tried to kill it with a shovel (?). No where is safe anymore.

I hope and pray that Indonesians don't take up flying drones anytime soon, (drunk or otherwise).
A real helicopter had to make an emergency landing near me after getting tangled up with kites, let alone drones.

I wish all and sundry here a fabulous 2017. Should be a doozy with Trump, Putin, and all the other whackos out there about to make the world great again.

:apple:
 

balibule

Active Member
Feb 6, 2009
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Seems he is using a lame excuse to either get out of visiting you or getting a free ticket for his wife as well.
 

begonia

Member
Oct 10, 2007
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Seems he is using a lame excuse to either get out of visiting you or getting a free ticket for his wife as well.

In my opinion the iniciative of this couple is genuine and very kind and it seems has a beautiful friendship with this man and they probably want to give him the opportunity to visit them, travel abroad and have a holidays, probably they want to give back what they had got from this man driving them around Bali all these 10 years and enjoying his company and his friendship and making them happy!
I guess they even know the man when he was single before to get married.
How many of us haven't think about this when we totally fallen in love with Bali and with some of its beautiful people? at least I did, they made me so happy many times (not need to talk about the bad time because of course there is a lot as well) and I really think I wish I could have the opportunity to make them as happy they made me.

To travel abroad is of course something for the most of them unthinkable, they will never be able to travel abroad and afford to pay the cost, not to forget about their salaries and the way they live day by day.

It is a pity the wife of the man cannot see this and just accept how lucky his husband it is and be happy about the opportunity he is having now, we are talking about two weeks and go to the house of some friends, sharing time with them and visiting a country abroad.
I hope she will be more comprehensive but it is something her husband has to try to make her to understand and in a very good way and not until the point this can affect their marriage.
He has to find the good points about him going abroad and making her understand it, even could benefit the whole family on the friendship with the Australian couple.
Well done Mel! I really hope everything will sort out as smooth as possible and everybody will be happy!
 

balibule

Active Member
Feb 6, 2009
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In my opinion the iniciative of this couple is genuine and very kind and it seems has a beautiful friendship with this man and they probably want to give him the opportunity to visit them, travel abroad and have a holidays, probably they want to give back what they had got from this man driving them around Bali all these 10 years and enjoying his company and his friendship and making them happy!
I guess they even know the man when he was single before to get married.
How many of us haven't think about this when we totally fallen in love with Bali and with some of its beautiful people? at least I did, they made me so happy many times (not need to talk about the bad time because of course there is a lot as well) and I really think I wish I could have the opportunity to make them as happy they made me.

To travel abroad is of course something for the most of them unthinkable, they will never be able to travel abroad and afford to pay the cost, not to forget about their salaries and the way they live day by day.

It is a pity the wife of the man cannot see this and just accept how lucky his husband it is and be happy about the opportunity he is having now, we are talking about two weeks and go to the house of some friends, sharing time with them and visiting a country abroad.
I hope she will be more comprehensive but it is something her husband has to try to make her to understand and in a very good way and not until the point this can affect their marriage.
He has to find the good points about him going abroad and making her understand it, even could benefit the whole family on the friendship with the Australian couple.
Well done Mel! I really hope everything will sort out as smooth as possible and everybody will be happy!

I agree with you but there is no requirement for a wife's signature to be allowed to travel abroad.
 

begonia

Member
Oct 10, 2007
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I agree with you but there is no requirement for a wife's signature to be allowed to travel abroad.

Yap, that is true balibule, I wonder as well from who or from where they got that information, to me the Australian couple should have clear calling to the Australian Embassy what is needed for Indonesian person going to Australia, and of course the man as well should have clear this as well, not need to spend time talking about things they are not sure or got the wrong information.
 

ronb

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2007
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Ubud, Bali
Melz, go to Australian Visa Application Center near the airport and ask. They are very helpful.

Benoa Square 3rd floor No. 7-9.3/A
Jalan Bypass I Gusti Ngurah Rai No. 21A
Kedonganan, Kuta, Bali – 80361 Indonesia

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday : 08.30 to 16.00

(Except on Public Holidays. Click ”Public Holidays” Menu for further details)
 

begonia

Member
Oct 10, 2007
313
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I know this is not the topic, but I just want to say something, I don't want to discuss about this because I think is a fact, so I don't want to enter on the topic if they have or not too many ceremonies, that is their life.
By law Indonesian people are allow to have 12 days holidays per a year, after living in Bali for a few years I realized that Balinese people never have really holidays, because they use these 12 days holidays for her ceremonies or duties with the banjar, when there is somebody getting married or pass away, so they spend their holidays "working" as well preparing ceremonies or helping in their villages, probably their only days really holidays, I mean do nothing, is the one and a half or one day off per a week they use to have in their jobs.
I almost forgot, hahaha and of course Nyepi day!!! a blessed day making everybody to stop, foreigners and Balinese!!!
 

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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Karangasem, Bali
I believe that their ceremonies ARE their holidays. For instance I give my staff 1 day off per week and they take what else they need, when they need it. This is never very much and I've never counted days or half days. The jobs get done well and that's really all I'm interested in.

I built them a "staff house" with beds and shower/toilet. It looks like the worst/dirtiest/untidy hovel you can imagine - my house is pristine. They don't sleep there or "live" there even though their village compound is about 20sq meters and contains 6 humans in varying stages of decrepitude, 1 sow, 6 - 12 piglets, 4+ chickens, ducks, rabbits, 2 yappy/feral dogs, 3+ cats 2+. When I suggest they take a day extra off just to lay around they always say "no, I like working".... so what would you suggest?