Sony Ambudi is stuck in Indonesia, trying desperately to get home. Photo / Supplied
Sony Ambudi is stuck in Indonesia, trying desperately to get home. Photo / Supplied
A Kiwi stuck in Indonesia is in a race against the clock to find a way home before his visa expires.
Auckland man Sony Ambudi said he felt "numb" knowing his visa was going to run out in less than two weeks, meaning he will be faced with fines of $100 for each day he overstays.
He is one of at least 288 Kiwis in Indonesia at the moment, many of whom will be scrambling to get out of the country.
Ambudi has been desperately trying to get home, only to have flights cancelled at the last minute, leaving him stranded in the North Sumatran city of Medan.
Ambudi, who has been a New Zealand citizen since 2004, went to Indonesia for a short work trip earlier this year, but soon found himself trapped when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
The acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine food therapist said his visa was due to expire in April.
But the Indonesian government automatically extended visas for tourists due to Covid-19, giving Ambudi extra breathing room to secure a flight home.
He booked a seat on a flight for July 17, which was meant to bring him home via Australia.
Sony Ambudi (left) misses his youngest son, Dio Ambudi, who is back home in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
On July 16, Ambudi received a call informing him the flight was cancelled, as the plane could no longer stop at Melbourne Airport. Other attempts to book flights have been fruitless, and he has been warned the earliest he may be able to book another flight is September.
Ambudi's "intrepid journey" to get home has now been exacerbated by the Indonesian government's recent announcement that visas would not be extended any further, meaning Ambudi must leave the country by August 11, or face immigration administrative sanctions.
According to the website for Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration, people who overstay for less than 60 days face fines of $1,000,000 IDR, or just over $100 each day.
Ambudi is unsure what to do, as flights home from nearby countries appear to be off the table. He was informed of a direct flight home from Korea, only to discover he was not allowed to enter Korea from Indonesia.
Other direct flights are from Singapore, which he also cannot enter.
"I am numb . . . there is no alternative," Ambudi said.
If he overstays in Indonesia, he will also be banned from returning - something he does not want to happen for a country he visits four times a year.
Ambudi said he was not the only one facing such uncertainty, and he felt sorry for others in the same boat.
There was nothing holding him in Indonesia, and he would jump to catch a flight home at a moment's notice, he said.
He said he also missed his family, who are based in Auckland.
A Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said they were working with relevant authorities in Indonesia to help New Zealanders who have been affected by the recent immigration regulation changes.
"There are 288 New Zealanders registered on SafeTravel as being in Indonesia at present," she said.
Kiwis can visit safetravel.govt.nz for information about advice and assistance they can access overseas.
Sony Ambudi is stuck in Indonesia, trying desperately to get home. Photo / Supplied
