‘The visa run’ is an expression which is well known by expats living in Bali, and is a term readily and comfortably used by them. For me, however, the first time I undertook a ‘visa run’, was a nerve wracking experience, and felt like something from a James Bond movie….
I really didn’t understand the process very well, and felt completely gullible, and like a ‘lamb to the slaughter’.
Going to Singapore for my visa renewal was an interesting experience, to say the least.
I had initially come from Australia with a visa arrangement that I didn’t fully understand. When I suddenly found out that I couldn’t stay for the 4 months straight as I had planned, and that my visa only had a few days left, I had to make enquiries fast!
I began at the immigration department. The bad news was confirmed – I would have to leave the country, and it could take up to 3 days in Singapore to have the visa processed - unless I hired an agent who could expedite matters! The last thing in the world I wanted to do was to spend 3 days in Singapore. I am not a shopper, and being in Singapore always gives me the strange desire to start chewing gum and spitting in public - not normal habits of mine!
Coincidentally, as I left the immigration office, I ‘bumped into’ a middle aged, Chinese Singaporean gentleman who offered his assistance. I was instructed to meet him at dawn, at his home, and he would make the necessary arrangements – for a fairly significant fee.
The whole exercise was pretty surreal – in the cool of the early morning, I had to drive around an unknown suburb, and try to track down the house. When I finally found my way past the huge, elegant front gates, I was shown by a household staff member to a table in the front garden. After a few minutes my Chinese gentleman appeared - only this time, instead of in a suit and tie as I had seen him before, he appeared to be wearing pyjamas!
This felt like ‘Alice in Wonderland’ – nothing was quite as I expected it to be….
In fact the meeting was quite businesslike. I handed over all the necessary photocopies, documents and funds: everything was inspected, organized and filed into a brightly coloured folder, which I was directed to keep with me at all times, and to carry it under my arm when meeting the ‘contact’ in Singapore.
I booked the hugely expensive flight (last minute bookings are notoriously expensive to Singapore) and sorted out a hostel for the night.
Arriving in Singapore the next evening, I followed the instructions I had been given. I telephoned the ‘contact’, who told me to stand on a particular street corner at Bugis Village. I was to wait there, so that he could collect my passport. This would be taken from me, and I could collect it the next day from an office in Chinatown, complete with new visa.
Fifteen minutes later found me obediently standing on the corner of a major intersection, with about 10 lanes of traffic flowing in every direction. I was looking for a blue car with the numberplate 200 something or other…. What! There were hundreds of blue cars. This was also a pedestrian crossing, and very crowded. What a ridiculous meeting place.
Now what? Neither of us knew what the other looked like: I didn’t even have a local phone with me. An oversight. The only clue would be the brightly coloured folder that I was holding under my arm….
I waited for about half an hour until I was suddenly confronted by an irate Chinese man, berating me loudly for meeting him at such a busy junction – “this isn’t Bali you know, I can’t possibly park here!”
Was there any point in arguing?
Passport and cash changed hands, and feeling somewhat bemused, I wandered off to have a drink and a meal, before returning to the 6 bed prison cell that was the ‘Backpackers Hotel’…. at $20 for a night in Singapore, who can argue?
At exactly 3.45pm the next day I approached the ‘travel agency’ in Chinatown, expecting to see my ‘contact’ waiting for me with my passport. Instead, I joined a queue, consisting mainly of motorcycle couriers - and a Buddhist monk! Twenty minutes later, our ‘contact’ turned up, carrying about 40 passports from every corner of the globe. Names were called. Without speaking, each one of us took our passports and quietly left.
Less than five hours later, I was enjoying an arak madu, and looking forward to a good night’s sleep! (My next visa run was to be much easier – properly planned this time – to Kuching.)
I have now completed two stints of volunteer work in Bali. My first role was with East Bali Poverty Project, and the latest was for IDEP based in Ubud. For IDEP, I have been editing and proofreading a disaster management manual. (Disasters seem to be my specialty!) During this time I have traveled extensively around Bali, spending time mostly with Balinese.
To contact me: email lizhayes2007@yahoo.com.au
or phone 081 337 903 937.
