A new honorary consulate looks set to open in Bali. Governor Wayan Koster has this week met with the Georgian Ambassador to discuss establishing an honorary consulate in the province.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster has shared his enthusiasm with the Georgian Ambassador to Indonesia, Tornike Nozadze, for opening an honorary consulate on the island. An honorary consulate is different from a consulate general and embassy as it is led by an honorary consul.
An honorary consul is a person permanently residing in the location of the said consulate who is not a career diplomat and, as such, does not enjoy diplomatic immunity. As a private citizen, an honorary consulate has a vested interest in the country in question.
An honorary consul’s consulate can provide a range of services for fellow foreign nationals living in or visiting the locale. This can include the collection of passports, ID cards, and driving licences that have been issued outside the country. An honorary consul can also act as a witness to the signing of many official documents.
Ambassador Nozadze expressed his gratitude for being hosted by Governor Koster and shared some of the challenges faced by Georgian nationals living in and visiting Bali, who lack access to consular support. The Embassy of Georgia is located in Jakarta, coincidentally on Jalan Denpasar Barat.
Governor Koster shared, “Thank you for the visit, Georgian Ambassador. I will try to help and ask someone to find a representative location to support the plan to help establish an honorary consulate in Bali.”
Ambassador Nozadze replied, “We’ve been waiting for this opportunity to meet for a long time. Many Georgians come to Bali, and a number of Georgian companies have established their presence here, both in the construction and restaurant sectors.”
He added, “We know that not all embassies have honorary consulates, but we understand their importance. A few months ago, more than 30,000 Georgians were recorded in Bali. Therefore, we are requesting the Governor’s recommendation regarding this matter.”
He added, “I believe Bali is a valuable treasure for Indonesia, and it is also very well known amongst the Georgian people.”
Tourists traveling to Indonesia are advised to check prior to travel to the country what embassy and consular support is available to them in Indonesia. Most embassies can be found in Jakarta, while some nations have consulates in Bali, including Thailand, the Netherlands, the US, Denmark, China, the UK, and the Czech Republic. Australia’s Consulate General can be found in Renon, Denpasar.
In light of recent political demonstrations in Indonesia and the current risk of natural disasters, tourists should monitor updates from their home foreign offices throughout their trips.
Earlier this week, the Australian Foreign Office travel advice bureau, Smartraveler, issued updated guidance for travel to Indonesia.
The statement issued on Monday, 1st September, shared “Large protests with potential to escalate into violence and property damage are occurring across major cities in Indonesia, including Denpasar, Bali, causing disruption and impacting local traffic movements. Avoid protests and demonstrations and monitor local media for the latest updates.”
Bali and most areas of Indonesia are placed on a level 2 warning from Smartraveler, and tourists are ordered to “Exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia overall due to security risks.” There are a number of regions of Indonesia issued with level 3 warnings, where Smartraveler recommends that tourists “Reconsider your need to travel to the provinces of Papua, Papua Pegunungan, Papua Tengah, and Papua Selatan due to the risk of serious security incidents or demonstrations that may turn violent.”
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