to get a passport

Hmm…to get or renew a passport is not that hard anymore..me comparing it with 5/6 yrs ago..when i last time went to the immigration bureau to make a passport. I had to wait like days or even weeks to get my passport, came to that bureau then filled in the application forms, which was taking ages cz so many fields had to be filled, then came back in um..maybe 3 days or 3 weeks? hmm me forget, then came back again to took my nu passport. Worst part they used ink to take your finger print specimen…so manually and couldnt imagine how messy it was. It was so many people in there, n they wanted to help us, i think we called them ‘calo’ or helper or agent in a politely word, n me had to pay around a million or more to calo, to take care all of those stuff. I was thinking.. ‘Thank God its only once every five years’.

But now only takes about an hour n then come back in 3 days to take my new passport.

I think its better for us if we know its procedure first before we go to immigration bureau. First we have to prepare what we will need to make a passport. We will need:

1. An ID card, and one copy of it.

2. A family certificate or kartu keluarga, and one copy of it.

3. A birth certificate, and one copy of it. Maybe its a bit difficult to find our birth certificate, especially for people like me who is not really good at keeping something important for a very long time. So we can use last education certificate, and of course one copy of it.

4. We used to need 10 copies (if me remember) of ID photo, but we dont need that anymore.

5. A pen, they provide pens but its alot easier if we bring our own pen.

6. Ah almost forgot, a 6000 materai, and a glue. But u can use ur saliva to stick it, just lick it n voila…it sticks like a glue, a lil bit gross but its efficient. Hehe..

7. For married people of course it will need marriage certificate, and one copy of it.

8. For people who works in a company or government office, will need official statement from their office, signed by their boss, to agreed their application.

9. For people who wants to work abroad, maybe we can called them TKI or TKW, will need official statement from labor department hm..me dont know what its called..maybe its..Depnaker.

Here we go…

1. Wear a polite clothes. Then when u get there, parking your vehicle? Of course silly. No, its not that but u need to buy an application form, which cost 10,000 rupiahs. U can buy it in koperasi, its placed outside the main building (in Surabaya immigration bureau). So, its better if u walk to it straight away, no need to come inside the main building first (like i did) cz u will look silly looking for a counter or locket window among these counters, read all those information above the counters one by one (like i did).

2. Fill in your application form, they provide some desks to write with a few pens. But u got ur own pen, so no need to wait until other applicant finished using it. Choose 48 pages passport, first line on application form. Me asked to calo in front of me, i think hes experienced with this, and maybe..just maybe because me kinda sexy so he helped me for free, nah…just kidding.

3. Take a queue number, each counter has its different queue number. To first put in your application form, u will go to counter number 6. Then wait until your queue number is appeared on counter’s screen. If u get e.g. number 78 (like me) and u see counter’s screen shows number 58, please dont get too shocked. Cz it doesnt mean u hav 20 persons in front of u, from what i saw, theres alot of calo n they take that number only for formality. Or theres a group of TKW who take number for each of them but they put in by group. Thats just my thought.

4. Wait for like 5-10 mins to see ur number is appeared on counter’s screen. If u cant see it, dont worry cz they announce it. And then go to counter number 6 and give your application form to a beautiful girl behind that counter, dont forget to give her ur personal ID and all of those certificates which have been prepared before. It will take another 5 mins to verify your data, she will check whether is u or not who applies for a passport by asking your personal information and your destination country etc.

5. When ure done in counter 6, go back to queue number machine to take another queue number for cashier counter. Wait until the girl behind counter 6 call your name and give u an information sheet to take a photo and interview section. After u get it wait again until ur number is appeared, will take 10-15 mins (lil bit longer than first queue, i will tell why it is in the number below).

6. Zzz…it takes more than 15 mins, yeah cz my number is 4125 (four thousand and one hundred twenty five?? yep..thats true). Bip..finally u see ur queue number on cashier’s screen. Go to locket number 1 for indonesia citizen, and locket number 2 for foreigner. U will pay 270,000 rupiahs. With detail like this: 200,000 rupiahs for passport; 55,000 rupiahs for photo (i think); and 15,000 rupiahs for finger print specimen.

7. After they received your money, u need to wait (stand up!) for like 10 mins. Guess for what…just for print your receipt (grr..why took ages just to print it??). Keep your cashier queue number to waiting for your turn to take your photoooo…i got bad experience with this. I mean when me see my pic..omg..look like Bart Simpson’s mom with hair nearly looks like Pisa. But me cant retake pic (darn!).

8. For your information, dont wait outside photo and interview room, they will not announce your queue number, just go inside the room n wait in there. Show ur most confused expression, if u look experienced they will not help u. Trust me it works, hehe. One of that lady who works there notices my expression n she told her friend to help me find my form to take a pic. Yeah i got a cute photographer, and it makes me kinda not focused. Nah, that is a lie.

9. After take a pic, u have to wait for an interview, they will ask where will u go, your destination country, what is your purpose. Dont take it seriously, its just for a formality. Me answered, i will go to Australia to a marriage. Ameeen……….
And other personal questions just like when u’re in counter number 6.

10. End of procedures. They will tell u when u can take your new passport, usually in three days.

And go back to immigration bureau in three days to get your new passport… For me, a ticket for a whole new life (he said).