Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Visa in Jayapura and Manila - what is recent experience on processing time?

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea

Embassies have not responded to email.

Considering two routes to enter/exit, with issues/questions below:

  1. Jayapura (Indo) -> Vanimo (PNG) --> Port Moresby (PNG) --> some other country.

    And i would have the onward ticket (airplane) form Port Moresby, so no issue abt that from PNG immigration

    However, the flight exiting PNG will be a fixed date , so if rely on getting the visa at Jayapura and if it takes considerable time (longer than expected), it will force shortening the visit (max 1.5 to 2 weeks i have) and could force me into a situation with seeing nothing except for getting a last minute expensive flight from northern PNG to Port Moresby (or forfeit that ticket and buy another which is likely even more expensive)

    So, how long is the processing taking these days at Jayapura? I've read horrible experience on processing time

  2. fly into Port Moseby (visa on arrival is available for "Visitors" from western europe / usa/ canada / oz / nz ) BUT of course they want to see an onward ticket ... my plan would be to exit via northern PNG to Jayapura .... because exit by land is more flexible and flights in Indonesia are way cheaper than from PNG.

Anyone with recent experience with no onward ticket but just verbally mentioning exit to Jayapura?

Many thanks. (if the airfares to/from PNG increase any further, then i'm scrapping PNG)

Any update on situation of processing visas for travelers BY LAND at the PNG consulates in:
(a) Jayapura
(b) Jakarta
(c) Kuala Lumpur

What is processing time at each embassy location?
What about the "onward airplane ticket"? I won;t have one as i hope to travel by BOAT to Solomon Islands , or return to Indonesia by LAND

Since posting the above, Jakarta has responded they prepare visas only for business-visa and for those FLYING into png (well, if flying into png, u can get at the airport, so Jarkarta embassy is useless/not needed for Tourist visa, traveling by LAND

So, anyone out there caring to share their experience with consulate in Jayapura ???
As far as i've read, Jayapura has limited attractions, is expensive for accommodation, consulate is quite some km's from center, and consulate states visa ready next day but takes 6 or more working days and causes lot of frustration by telling people it will be ready "tomorrow" and then there is some excuse followed by "come back tomorrow" (repeat process 5 times).

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