My Dearest Passport....

Would you believe if i said, i am nearly 30, and my local Immigration office ask me for "parent approval" form to be signed for my passport renewal?

It does happens here in Indonesia.

Few weeks ago i was on this long winding road of renewing my passport. It should be no hassle but dang! its not Indonesia if its not difficult!

I went there first time in 2006 for my own passport by my self.. and i finish the passport less than a week. That day i can not finish it in a day because that "parent approval" letter.

As i plan to do some traveling in 2011, so i need to renew the passport which about to expire in Nov 2011. Its still far, but i short of had this "secret" plan that need my passport to be renew, kind of close to the traveling date.

So, after i got all supported papers such as:
1. Employment paper from office (surat pernyataan dari kantor), addressed to the head office of Jambi Immigration on the top of the letter.
2. Original and copy of birth certificate.
3. Original and copy of Indonesian Id that copied front side and back side on 1 piece of paper.
4. My old passport and copy of first page and last page, both side copied also in same side of paper.
5. The Parent approval forms, signed and stamped with "materai" which is worth Rp 6000
6. Passport application forms that already filled, and signed
7. Form to request for old passport, signed and stamped with Rp 6000 "materai"

When submitting my files, i also had to pay like Rp 12.000,- for what they call "folders and passport cover" which suppose to be free (dang!). When submit it to the officer they check it and i got this note said i had to go back there again in next 2 days for picture and INTERVIEW. Wow.. they're really made this all difficult!

Tow days after that, i went to the officer hand over the small sheet of paper, and give the Rp 255.000,- passport fee. Thats for biometric, 48 pages passport.

They call my name and stuffed me with like 15 other people in a room size 3x4meters oh gosh.. horrible! just kind of remind me interrogation room in some police office (haha yes i've been into several-but no.. i didnt commit any crime!).

And they took picture of me... i know it will look awful, it does. And not like last time where i had chance to see the result and ask to get another picture hehe.. this time just too many people to lined up that i am pretty sure if i ask that guy to get me posed once again he will yell at me!

After that i had to wait again for another queue for interview. Still in the same stuffy room full with other people. The worse is.. they call for more people to get in---duhhh!!! When i am about to turn my face to green due to some odors.. (yepp gross) they call my name for interview!

This guy, ask my name, address, DOB and also my work... ask about where to travel, when, and why... wow.. such details! he check my old passport and said.. ok you're good to go.. and said i could take the passport for next two days. He ask me to sign a blank passport and then i go home.

Two days after that is Friday... of course when i came in the morning they said its not ready. I should go there again after lunch! oh my.... what a pain! anyway i am just too close to the finish line... so i went there again after lunch.

After waiting for several minutes... wondering when reading the sign that there's free wifi at the waiting room--but i know it better--they wont gave me the password anyway.. they call my name and hand over the passport. They return all of the original papers, also have to double check if there's papers that i forgot! and then i gave them the old passport request form. And they also gave my my dearest old passport with all stamps and memories with it.....

I am good to go! (start booking airasia big deals promo)