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Posts Tagged ‘American Embassy Jakarta’
27th December 2010
@America Takes Off in Indonesia
Posted by : admin
It recently came to this blogger’s attention that the United States Embassy in Indonesia has made great progress in showcasing the USA to the people of Indonesia. In fact, it was recently reported that a new cultural center has been opened in Jakarta, Indonesia with the sole purpose of encouraging American and Indonesian exploration of new technology. To quote directly from the website America.gov:
NEW AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IN JAKARTA
After many months of planning, @america, the United States’ first high-tech cultural center, opened to the Indonesian public December 2…
According to the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, @america is a one-of-a-kind, high-technology American cultural center where visitors can explore, experience and express their interests about the United States in innovative ways. In the physical and virtual spaces of @america, visitors will experience cutting-edge technology, interactive games and live events designed to facilitate people-to-people exchanges virtually and in real life.
The new center, developed by the embassy in collaboration with Indonesian and U.S. partners, aims to expand engagement between young Indonesians and young Americans. The Indonesian firm PT Ganesha Aggies Jaya designed and will manage @america. The center is located in the Pacific Place Mall in Central Jakarta and admission is free.
This author must point out the obvious fact that this new technology center could prove to be a significant platform for cross-cultural communication. It would appear that in the coming years the United States and Indonesia may have increasingly close relations both diplomatically and economically as Indonesia (along with many other countries in Southern and Southeastern Asia) matures both as a nation and as an economic, trade, and manufacturing center. The details of future American-Indonesia relations remain to be seen, but it is clear that both countries can be very beneficial to one another as increased ties and trade is generally a mutually beneficial phenomenon.
Recently, the American President Barack Obama made a highly celebrated visit to Indonesia. It would appear that trip was a success with the Citizens of Indonesia as the President remains popular in this Southeast Asia nation. As many nations in Asia experience economic growth and success the United States of America will hopefully act as a role model for other countries in matters pertaining to technology as the technology sector in the United States remains vibrant compared to industries which were more hard hit by recent economic downturns. It could be argued that through greater technological integration the USA and countries such as Indonesia could form mutually beneficial relationships which result in innovation and increased business opportunities.
For related information please see: US Visa Indonesia, K-1 Visa Indonesia, or EB-5 Visa Indonesia.
29th September 2010
A frequently asked question from those Americans with a special someone in Indonesia is: “Can I get my Indonesian girlfriend (or boyfriend) a US Tourist Visa?” In many cases, the answer to this question is: No. However, a better understanding of the relevant laws and regulations can be highly illuminating for those with an Indonesian significant other.
Many Americans are unfamiliar with section 214 (b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. This legislation creates a legal presumption that an American Consular Officer must take into consideration when adjudicating non-immigrant visa applications. The section requires the Consular Officer to presume that the applicant for a non-immigrant visa is actually an undisclosed intending immigrant unless the applicant can produce strong evidence to the contrary. This creates a so-called “strong ties” vs. “weak ties” analysis whereby the applicant must show “strong ties” to their native country, or another country outside of the United States of America and “weak ties” to the USA. Therefore, the Indonesian girlfriend (or boyfriend) of an American Citizen (or Lawful Permanent Resident) must show that they have strong ties to Indonesia and weak ties to the USA. In general, the mere existence of an American significant other is enough to mitigate against many “strong ties” outside of the USA and thereby lead to a denial of an American B2 tourist visa application.
The reason for this state of affairs is first due to the fact that the the presumption contained in section 214b is quite stringent when applied to the facts of many individual cases. Many who are rejected under this provision feel that the denial is some sort of personal rejection. Nothing could be further from the reality of the situation as a US Consulate or US Embassy will routinely issue these denials for no reason other than the application of relevant law. Meanwhile, there are some who speculate that part of the reason for the relative increase in these denials over the course of the past 10 years is due in part to the tragedy of 9/11 which lead to increased scrutiny of all immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications. Furthermore, there have been those who inappropriately use the US tourist visa to circumvent the comparatively longer processing time associated with a US fiance visa (K1 visa) or a US Marriage Visa (K3 Visa, CR1 Visa, IR1 Visa).
Those who have a foreign girlfriend (or boyfriend) and can show genuine ties to countries abroad may still be able to get a US Tourist Visa. That said, this post is merely meant to explain the relatively higher denial rate that seems to exist in B2 visa applications for the significant others of Americans. Those with a bona fide relationship and genuine intentions may be able to obtain an American fiance visa or marriage visa, but it should be noted that no one should ever enter into a relationship strictly to obtain visa benefits. A family based visa application should be based upon a bona fide relationship.
For related information please see: US Visa Cambodian Girlfriend or K1 Visa Indonesia.
7th February 2010
2010 Holiday Closing Schedule for the US Embassy in Indonesia
Posted by : admin
As explained in previous posts on this blog, the United States Embassies and Consulates overseas generally close for both national US holidays as well as those holidays recognized by the host country. The US Embassy in Indonesia closes in recognition of many Indonesian holidays as well as American holidays. Below is the scheduled closings for the US Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. The following holiday schedule is posted on the American Embassy in Jakarta’s website:
New Year’s Day | New Year’s Day | January 1 | Friday |
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. | January 18 | Monday | |
Chinese New Year 2561 | February 14 | Sunday | |
Washington’s Birthday [President Day] |
February 15 | Monday | |
Muhammad’s Birthday | February 26 | Friday | |
Nyepi Saka 1932 | March 16 | Tuesday | |
Good Friday | April 2 | Friday | |
Ascension of Christ | May 13 | Thursday | |
Waisak 2554 | May 28 | Friday | |
Memorial Day | May 31 | Monday | |
Substitute for Independence Day (U.S.) Sunday, July 4th | July 5 | Monday | |
Ascension of Muhammad | July 10 | Saturday | |
Indonesian Independence Day | August 17 | Tuesday | |
Labor Day |
|
September 6 | Monday |
Idul Fitri 1 Syawal 1431 H |
September 10-11 | Friday, Saturday | |
Columbus Day |
|
October 11 | Monday |
Veteran’s Day |
|
November 11 | Thursday |
Idul Adha 1431 H | November 17 | Wednesday | |
Thanksgiving Day | November 25 | Thursday | |
Muslim New Year 1432 | December 7 | Tuesday | |
Substitute for Christmas Day, Dec 25th | December 24 | Friday | |
Christmas Day | Christmas Day | December 25 | Saturday |
Substitute for New year’s Day | December 31 | Friday |
Oftentimes it is difficult to go to a US Embassy abroad for those who are living, working, or traveling through a foreign country. Expatriates and prospective immigrants who have lives to lead in the host country often find that going to the US Embassy requires a whole day to get an important issue resolved. Therefore, we have provided the above information on this blog in an effort to forestall a fruitless trip to an Embassy due to lack of foreknowledge on the part of American expats regarding the Post’s operating hours.
That being said, a Diplomatic or Consular Post is not required to be open at all times and there are times when Embassies and Consulates close without warning. For this reason, it may be prudent to go directly to the United States Embassy website in order to check if the post will be open at a certain time. To proceed to the US Embassy in Jakarta’s official website please click here.
For those American Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents overseas who wish to obtain a new passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a notarized document, or other services at the Embassy it may be possible to make an appointment with American Citizen Services (ACS). This provides convenience to the individual as well as the post as the Consular personnel can anticipate the needs of the Citizen and plan accordingly.
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