SCAM – Do NOT waste your money or risk your travel plans
I paid USD 75 to Indonesia Portal for an Indonesian Arrival Card, a document that is available for FREE through the official Indonesian government channels.
Let that sink in: USD 75 for a free document. I used a third-party service because I expected it to make the process easier and ensure everything was ready before my arrival. Instead, it turned into a stressful nightmare.
1. I PAID USD 75 FOR A DOCUMENT I NEVER RECEIVED WHEN I NEEDED IT.
Despite paying for their service, I never received my Arrival Card by email, even though their website explicitly states that documents are sent by email. I also never received an e-VOA, which is a separate service. I understand the distinction perfectly well, and I am not claiming that I paid for a visa when I did not.
When I tried to access my order through their self-service portal, I couldn't log in because the verification code that was supposed to arrive by email never came either. Their portal continued to show that my document was due on 10 October, even though I had already arrived in Bali.
I was literally in Indonesia, dealing with an immigration-related requirement, without being able to retrieve the document I had paid USD 75 for.
2. I HAD TO DO THE PAPERWORK MYSELF ANYWAY.
Because I could not access the document and could not afford to keep waiting, I completed the necessary procedure myself through the appropriate channels.
So what exactly did I pay USD 75 for?
3. WHEN I ASKED FOR A REFUND, THEY REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
Their first response was that their internal records showed that the Arrival Card had been issued. Apparently, according to their system, that was enough, even though I had never received it by email and could not access it through their portal.
They then explained that I had not purchased the e-VOA and that I would have to pay an additional USD 75 for that service. I was not asking for a free visa. I was asking for a refund for a service I had paid for but could not access when I needed it.
Eventually, they attached the Arrival Card to a later email and used that as the basis for refusing my refund, citing their terms and conditions. But sending a document after I had already arrived and had to handle the procedure myself does not erase the experience or the failure of their promised delivery process.
Their website advertises email delivery and refers to refunds for documents that have not been delivered. Yet when I explained what had happened and provided evidence, they refused to refund me.
4. THE STRESS AND WASTED TIME WERE COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY.
Travel is already stressful enough without paying USD 75 for a document that is available for free, failing to receive it as promised, being unable to log in to retrieve it, and then having to spend even more time arguing with customer support.
I am now taking the matter up with my bank and have kept the correspondence and screenshots as evidence.
MY ADVICE TO OTHER TRAVELLERS:
Check the official Indonesian government channels before paying a private intermediary for your Arrival Card. The document itself is free through the official process. Do not assume that paying a third-party website guarantees timely delivery or accessible documents. Keep screenshots and all payment records.
I cannot recommend Indonesia Portal. My experience involved an excessive charge for a free administrative document, failure to receive it through the advertised process, and a refusal to refund me despite the problems I documented.
I paid for peace of mind and got the exact opposite.
Avoid this unnecessary expense and do your research before handing over your money.
