Approved!!

[UnhappyVictimAmer 2]

Here's my review of the consulate in Jakarta Indonesia,

"I really can't complain too much because of the small amount of time it took from Directly filing the I-130 petition to getting the visa. (about 4 weeks) The system is NOT set up for people that live outside of Jakarta though. We flew back and forth 850 miles SIX times and it's impossible in Jakarta with all the grid lock traffic to make any early morning appointments. We over prepared our documents and took along way too much. Again, we can't complain however it was not a flawless process."

Besides being harassed by Indonesian Immigration before departing the country, we also had a slight problem in Singapore before boarding our Delta flight to the U.S. The customs agent at the transfer desk requested a brown bag from my wife. We were confused and he finally said he wanted to see her immigration folder that the Jakarta embassy gave her with her visa. Then he asked if we opened it or tampered with it and of course we said no but he found some places on the envelope that looked like it was tampered with! I said that's the way the embassy gave it to us. The envelope had a messed up side that was white and not brown for some reason but it was not opened. He agreed and approved her to continue the trip.

The POE point of entry was Atlanta. Everything went smooth there with immigration. We were thirsty though. You can't take liquids on the plane and Atlanta didn't have any water available until after you cleared immigration AND customs. So we could have used some water and help with our baggage at the Atlanta baggage claim area and customs area. No one around except one security guard. So I hope you are in good shape like us or you will faint from exhaustion because it's a lot of walking.

She got her social security card already. Ten days. Still waiting for the actual green card.

We are happy and loving it here in the USA

[Christi85 86]

The POE point of entry was Atlanta. Everything went smooth there with immigration. We were thirsty though. You can't take liquids on the plane and Atlanta didn't have any water available until after you cleared immigration AND customs. So we could have used some water and help with our baggage at the Atlanta baggage claim area and customs area. No one around except one security guard. So I hope you are in good shape like us or you will faint from exhaustion because it's a lot of walking.

Is that accurate?? :blink:

This just doesn't sound right.

I travel 5-6 times every year in Europe and beyond and I've never heard/experienced anything like that. I know liquids are not allowed before you reach Security, but after you've passed through them, you're free to buy anything you want from the airport shops or vending machines(including water of course!!!) and YES, of course you are allowed to take that on the plane!! Nobody will stop you since you're past Security and can only buy from the airport's controlled area. I do it every single time on every single trip, including to the US, because I always want to have water available at any time and I don't want to rely on the flight's serving schedule in case there are delays etc.

Besides that though, they must have catered for you on the plane for such a long flight, or at least there must have been an option to buy water/food on board if this wasn't included on the fare.

I'm afraid you somehow got very confused and you ended up torturing yourselves unnecessarily!!

Believe me, it's no one's best interests (airports or airlines) to let passengers risk their health from dehydration, thus why I think you got seriously confused as to what the rules are and what not!!

[Skye_Cohen 1]

i understand, He was let off the plane in a staging area for customs, there often is no place to buy food or water, it is simply a gate, a hallway, a baggage claim and then long lines for customs, PDX(portland OR, my home city/airport) looks like that too at the POE

Anyway congratz!! wow, i should have done DCF man that is amazingly fast!

Did you need to give them your akte perkawinan? did you give both suami and istri copies?of just one?

also how is the embassy? is it easy do you think for a non english speaking indonesian to navigate it?

Is that accurate?? :blink:

This just doesn't sound right.

I travel 5-6 times every year in Europe and beyond and I've never heard/experienced anything like that. I know liquids are not allowed before you reach Security, but after you've passed through them, you're free to buy anything you want from the airport shops or vending machines(including water of course!!!) and YES, of course you are allowed to take that on the plane!! Nobody will stop you since you're past Security and can only buy from the airport's controlled area. I do it every single time on every single trip, including to the US, because I always want to have water available at any time and I don't want to rely on the flight's serving schedule in case there are delays etc.

Besides that though, they must have catered for you on the plane for such a long flight, or at least there must have been an option to buy water/food on board if this wasn't included on the fare.

I'm afraid you somehow got very confused and you ended up torturing yourselves unnecessarily!!

Believe me, it's no one's best interests (airports or airlines) to let passengers risk their health from dehydration, thus why I think you got seriously confused as to what the rules are and what not!!

Edited March 8, 2011 by komang skye

[Christi85 86]

i understand, He was let off the plane in a staging area for customs, there often is no place to buy food or water, it is simply a gate, a hallway, a baggage claim and then long lines for customs, PDX(portland OR, my home city/airport) looks like that too at the POE

Anyway congratz!! wow, i should have done DCF man that is amazingly fast!

Did you need to give them your akte perkawinan? did you give both suami and istri copies?of just one?

also how is the embassy? is it easy do you think for a non english speaking indonesian to navigate it?

Oh yes, quite possibly. My comment was mainly on the OP's comment that "you can't take liquids on the plane".

Anyway, congrats OP! That's what's most important!!

Have a happy life in the US!!

[UnhappyVictimAmer 2]

That is correct. It was like a staging area and then after going through all that customs security and waiting for immigration, we then had to go through security AGAIN to get to our gate. There was a 45 minute delay with some of our bags that added to it all. Shoes off twice. Once in Tokyo and again in Atlanta to fly to Daytona. We never left any terminal since departing Indonesia but still had to go through full security again and again.

Yes the DCF is really fast in Indonesia. Our interview was scheduled within a few days after I sent them an email saying our paperwork was completed. It was all the flying that we didn't like. Two of the worse airports in the world, smoke filled hot and poor service. The pilots seem to be only able to fly by sight because one time during the rain I noticed the whole plane was tipping back and forth and going up and down wandering like the pilot didn't know how to fly by using the instruments which is scary.

Yes our

akte perkawinan was asked for. I think only one. They will want to see the original book with a copy of it. We had some of it translated but the lady took that and gave it back to us without reading it. Make sure you have original documents, birth certificates, divorce, marriage, passport, with a copy. They didn't care to see the xray, only the exam paperwork in the sealed envelope from the doctor. My wife speaks english but the consulate officer during the interview switched languages a few times during the interview so yes they will speak Indonesian.

I completely came over prepared with too many documents that they never asked for.

The embassy is a confusing maze. You'll see. Good luck!

i understand, He was let off the plane in a staging area for customs, there often is no place to buy food or water, it is simply a gate, a hallway, a baggage claim and then long lines for customs, PDX(portland OR, my home city/airport) looks like that too at the POE

Anyway congratz!! wow, i should have done DCF man that is amazingly fast!

Did you need to give them your akte perkawinan? did you give both suami and istri copies?of just one?

also how is the embassy? is it easy do you think for a non english speaking indonesian to navigate it?