Applying Visa for visiting Sweden at Swedish Embassy Jakarta Part II

So, I finally got my visa! And actually now I'm already in Sweden, sorry for  the very late update.

The process for applying visa is actually very quick. You mad appointment for an interview, prepare your documents, then go to the embassy for the interview. It usually takes around 2-3 days for your application to be processed, depending on how many other people who are also applied. Unfortunately there was a group of people that also applied. Looks like they are junior football team who will carry out a match in sweden. The officer said I should check my visa application in the next 7 days after the interview.

The interview was not as complicated as I imagined. The waiting room in the embassy office is not so big, it only fits for six people. So I waited in the building lobby first before I was allowed to wait upstairs. After waited for about an hour, finally I went to the interview room. The embassy officer just asked to verify what you write on your application and make sure that every documents were complete. When I was being interviewed, the officer noted that I still need to present my photo even though they took my photo at the interview. Then there was something wrong with my travel insurance policy. Even if I'm only going to Sweden, the insurance policy needs to mention the destination to "Schengen countries". So I had to contact the insurance company to ask for an endorsement letter to change the destination in my travel insurance policy. Both photo and the letter should be presented when I collect my visa.

After one week I contacted the embassy office to ask if my visa had been approved and when to collect it. Turned out the embassy officer said I can collect my visa today. So I went to the embassy office, got my visa and my passport!

Applying Visa for visiting Sweden at Swedish Embassy Jakarta

So the story began when my sister just got her permanent residence permit in Sweden and she's gonna move there next month. Then my mum decided to accompany her moving. She also wants to see my sister's new place and have a vacation trip there. But because my sister is going to stay and nobody will accompany my mum fly back home, I eventually will also join the trip to Sweden, hehe.

First thing came across my mind is the airline ticket. I've tried looking to some website to search for tickets, but the cheapest fare I found is around USD 1350 back and forth. Then, my sisten who happened to be an "expert" in searching for cheap tickets, gave me information that she found a ticket that cost only USD 1080.

Currently I haven't book the ticket yet. What the world could be if I already bought the ticket and turns out I don't get the visa? The procedure to apply for the visa is not really complicated, they already have an online application system for visa at http://www.migrationsverket.se/. The officer at the embassy suggests to apply using that system because basically the offices uses the same application if we apply manually at the embassy. But after trying the system, there are some confusing questionnaires  For example there's an input field which is required to be filled with a sponsor from employer. Where should my pensioner mom gets it? So it is decided that we will just apply manually at the embassy.

Informations to apply swedish visa at Jakarta embassy can be seen here http://www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/Jakarta/Visit-Sweden/Visa-for-visiting-Sweden/. I will not copy-paste all the article from that website, first because the information there is always updated and second I'm too lazy to write. The point is to apply visa at the embassy we should come for interview and photo take, with previously made an appointment and bring some prerequisite documents. We can contact the embassy though a phone line +62 21 2553 5900. The embassy is open for visa every Monday-Friday at 8.30-11.30. The process is quite fast, only 3-5 days, but in some other cases could take longer than that. As a precaution we should apply for visa well in advance before the date of departure. Visa is valid for maximum of 90 days, and our passport should not yet expired for at least 6 months.

As of 9 January 2012 the fee for a Visa is IDR 750 000, which is the rough equivalent of EUR 60. For children between 6-12 years old, the fee is IDR 435 000 which is the rough equivalent of EUR 35. Children under the age of six years will be exempted from paying a fee. The payment of the visa fee is made through the Embassy's account in the PT Bank ANZ Indonesia:

Swift ID : ANZBIDJX

Account No. : 4033 6001 00012

Beneficiary : Embassy of Sweden

The prerequisite documents depends on the purpose of your visit to Sweden:

• Tourist visa
• Visa for business / conference
• Visa for visiting friends or relatives
• Visa for training

So now I'm gonna prepare the documents and make an appointment for an interview to the embassy. The next post will be updates about the interview at the embassy.

Have a nice day!