There has been talk recently of the Indonesian government introducing a language requirement for foreign workers in Indonesia. I am not sure who this is aimed at and there are some good aspects to it, but I see more problems created. Indonesia gets a lots of foreign workers from places like the Philippines and wants to protect is own unskilled labor force. If applied to the whole spectrum of foreign workers it will backfire. A person coming over from the UK to work for a large company will not be able to speak Indonesian.
In the US when people apply for citizenship they have to pass a language test, which I fair enough, but not just to work there. There has also been talk of the government considering applying this law to all expats. Logically expats shouldn't have a problem passing the test, but you know it sets up another opportunity for corruption. Ika told me that the cost of an Indonesian passport in Java is 300,000rp. Here in Bali its 2.3m rp. "What's the extra 2m rp for?" I asked. "Blah, blah, blah." She said. Basically you won't get a passport unless you hire an 'agent' to post the papers for you.
I know expats who have lived in Bali for over 10 years who don't speak Indonesian and the thought of them trying to learn is funny.
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You write this blog to be read by many people, so the credibility of your sources is very important. Your wife might have a biased experience. I have my own Indonesian passport for only 300,000 rp in Bali a year ago.
Biased? By who? My wife paid 1.5 million for hers in Batam 4 years ago. And that was after bargaining!
Bug, I’m biased towards saving myself money. I’d love it if passports were 300,000rp. My wife already tried before and was told she would have to hire an ‘agent’, the prices as quoted. We’re not trying to fool anyone, just telling it like people tell us.
I got my Passport only 400.000rp in Bali last year. Make sure that your Wife have all the Documents. Friend of mine, made also Passport last year with an agent in Bali and payed around 1m because he didn’t have a complete documents.
I didnt say that you or your wife tell something untruth here… But experience of one person couldnt be used to judge things in general.. perhaps she got fooled by some jerks there, I dont know… I am a 1/3 chinese that’s easily recognized by looking at my eyes and skin, but still I didnt pay that much money to have my passport.. as far as I’m concerned you dont need to use an agent to have your Indonesian passport except you need to have it faster than the officially required time that’s also possible as a kind of corruption..
I agree with you Sela, it’s possible that Nick wife doesnt have complete documents… isnt it silly if we must use an agent just to have our own passport in our own country? except you made mistake as Chan’s wife..
My wife didn’t use an agent and we weren’t married at the time. She went directly to the Imigrasi office in Batam Center without me. Very few people in Batam (which is only 40 minutes by boat from Singapore) have passports because of the high costs.
Cool
Hmmm…I paid 500,000 rp for my Indonesian passport at the Immigration office in Surabaya thru an insider who works there. But then I went to Immigration office in Srengat (near Blitar) and it only cost 200,000 rp without an agent, etc :-/ But that was months ago, prolly it’s 300,000 rp now 
If that’s the cost for Indonesian passport in Bali…I would say..”WOW! that’s too much!” lol 
Ps. Congratulations for you and mbak Ika as new parents!
I just talked tonite with a friend living in Batam. 1.3 million for a passport is the going rate……higher if one has Chinese eyes.
I love it. The Indonesian government has an incredible talent for repeatedly shooting itself in the head.