“Traveling isn’t always about the destination—it’s about the journey, the paperwork, and the patience you didn’t know you had.”

Ah, the joys of traveling when you’re from a country with a very “powerful” passport—said no one ever. 😅 If you’ve ever tried to live the nomad life with a passport from a country like Indonesia, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Spoiler alert: it involves a lot of documents, waiting, and occasionally sending your passport on its own adventures while you stay put.

Let me take you back to 2013—my first tourist visa application for South Korea. I was excited, bags packed, but there was just one tiny detail: the visa. Cue the paperwork party! From booking tickets to hotel reservations and a bunch of other things, I quickly realized that getting the actual visa was a bigger mission. It was more challenging than the trip itself. Two to three weeks of waiting, and voilà—a shiny visa sticker on my passport!

Since then, applying for tourist visas has become my unofficial hobby. And no, I’ve never used an agent (unless you count the time I got a work visa in Kuala Lumpur—thank you, agency, for making my life a little easier there). I’ve always seen it as the “fun part” of my travels. Fun, right?

I applied for the visa online, shipped my documents (yes, including my passport) to VFS Singapore, and hoped for the best. Fun fact: while I stayed put in KL, my passport was having its own trip—first to Singapore, then to the New Zealand Embassy in Thailand. Meanwhile, I just sat there, waiting. Three weeks and a few nervous moments later, it came back with a 2-year multiple-entry visa! 🎉 (Not that I used it again… travel was too expensive at the time. 😅)

Japan Visa Drama

Japan is a place I’ve always wanted to explore, and of course, that meant another visa adventure. For my fellow Indonesians who don’t have electronic passports, you’ll know this struggle. I had everything booked—tickets, hotels, the works—for a nearly 4-week trip. Surely I’d get at least a month-long visa, right?

Nope. Japan gave me 15 days. 🙃 Cue the mad scramble to reschedule flights and reduce the trip to fit the visa. More money down the drain for the flight change fees, but hey, at least I made it to Japan!

Australia: The Subclass 600 Queen

Australia and I go way back. I’ve applied for their Subclass 600 visa three times now, and I have to say, they’re one of the more organized ones. It’s all electronic, so no sending off your passport on its own adventures. The waiting time is usually pretty fast—except for post-COVID, which took about two months. But when you get a 3-year multiple-entry visa for AUD $140, who’s complaining?

The US Visa Surprise

Now, the US visa… that’s a whole other story. People told me to prepare for a grueling interview, loads of paperwork, and the fear of rejection. So, naturally, I went full prep mode—dressed smart, brought all my documents, and even left my phone behind like a rule-follower.

Turns out, it wasn’t that dramatic. The interview? A casual chat about my scuba diving experience in Bali and my frequent trips to Australia. Didn’t even get asked about my US travel plans! Less than 5 minutes, and I walked out with an approval notice. And the best part? I got a 5-year multiple-entry visa. (Why didn’t anyone tell me it would be that easy?)

Schengen and UK: The Good, The Bad, and the Boarding Pass Trick

Ah, the Schengen visa… it’s a whole thing. The Netherlands gave me 15 days, literally matching the itinerary I sent. No room for flexibility there! Meanwhile, the UK gave me a 6-month multiple-entry visa, and they didn’t even require me to book tickets or insurance in advance (take note, Schengen countries).

Visa Realities for a Weak Passport Holder

So, if you’re from a country like Indonesia where our passport isn’t exactly “VIP access,” traveling means dealing with the visa hassle. Make sure to budget both time and patience for the process. But hey, it’s all part of the adventure, right? 😄 And of course, make sure to include the visa fee in your budget too—don’t want any surprises there! 😄

Cheers, and happy travels!
EF ✈️🌍