CGK-DOH

An explore dream discover life episode of an Indonesian family in Qatar

Monthly Archives: June 2010


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Transfer RP to New Passport

Now as I have renewed my passport, I shall transfer my – still valid- RP from old passport to new passport. You can do it yourself to any immigration offices or let this matter handled by your company’s immigration section. I chose the latter.

Documents needed are:

  • Old and new passports
  • Copy of ID card
  • Recent photograph
  • Completed form (handled by Qatargas Immigration Officer)

Total processing time is between 2-3 working days. It can be much shorter – heard of within minutes(?) – if you handle it yourself.

Below is a quote from Hukoomi (Qatar e-Government) website:

When a resident of Qatar receives a new passport, he/she must arrange to have the residence permit transferred over. The sponsor may apply online to reissue a valid permit. 

Applicants are required to deliver their new passports to the Ministry of Interior’s Expatriates Affairs department in order to complete the procedure. A certificate of loss should be attached if the original passport was lost in Qatar.

 

Follow these steps to transfer the RP to a new passport:

  • Fill out the online application form.
  • Select the person for whom you wish to transfer the RP for.
  • Select option for pickup or delivery.
  • Pay appropriate fees.

Sponsors will be notified by SMS once the document is ready.

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Renewing Indonesian Passport

Fast. Efficient. Cheap. Superb.

Those superlative adjectives represent services by Indonesian Embassy in Doha for renewal of Indonesian passport. Fast: it took only 2 working days. Efficient: simply by filling in form – available on Embassy website or hardcopy at consulat and visa section, present old passport and 2 passport-sized photo. Cheap – it costed me only QR80 per passport. Superb – customer-service oriented service by staff.

Detail information is available from Embassy Website under Consular Service dropdown tab..

  • Consular and Visa section open from 8:30 – 11:30 AM, Sunday – Thursday except during holidays in Qatar and Indonesia
  • Photo to be in RED background
  • Renewal can’t be delegated
  • Best to print and complete the passport renewal form at home


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Aramex Shop&Ship

Disclaimer: I am not trying to advertise Aramex. The following descriptions are mostly copied from Aramex website.

Limited by the selections of items in Qatar, exorbitant prices, or even the unavailability of them, residents are moving towards the economical and cleverer way of shopping. Why don’t we shop online and have our shopping items delivered? But hey international postage rates might be an issue.

Aramex Shop&Ship will make Internet shopping truly enjoyable; you will no longer need to worry about your favorite site not offering international shipping or charging you high shipping costs.

Subscribe today and start enjoying the following great benefits:

Convenience: Whether you’re ordering CDs, DVDs, a T-shirt or the latest MP3 player, Shop&Ship is hassle free, fast, and reliable.

Personal Notes: of course there are some prohibited items and some items subjected to customs (in which customs fee is in addition to Aramex rate)

Affordability: Aramex will ship all mail and packages sent to your Shop&Ship accounts and deliver them straight to you, within 5-7 business days, at very competitive rates.

Personal Notes: I ordered a camera lens from ebay (you need to register your Aramex mail address first in your ebay and Paypal account). Have it delivered to US, New York mail address and forwarded to Qatar. I received it within 5 days from item received at US mail address. It was delivered through Dubai hub. Rate is QR70 per kg. It is not delivered to you, you shall collect your item from Aramex office at Salwa Road (turn left at Qatar Decoration R/A if you coming from Ramada towards Salwa; Aramex is at the corner of the next R/A).

Tracking: Our online tracking system enables you to monitor your shipments every step of the way from the convenience of your office or home; you can find out where your shipment is at any given time.

Subscription Fees: Aramex offers you personal Shop&Ship account numbers at our fulfillment centers in the USA and in the UK for a one lifetime setup fee of $35.00

Personal Notes: You can subscribe to Aramex offices or outlet at Landmark Mall.

How Does it Work?

You can start using your Shop&Ship accounts in the US and the UK as soon as you subscribe to Shop&Ship and receive your personal account numbers.

Every item you receive at your Shop&Ship accounts will be scanned and the information will be uploaded on the system so you can know what you received.

The packages and correspondence in your Shop&Ship account will be collected and forwarded to you depending on the outbound flight shipping schedule.

The moment your packages are shipped out, you will be able to monitor your shipment online until it arrives at the Aramex office in your city.

Aramex will notify you via SMS messaging and/or telephone as soon as your packages arrive at your country of residence.

My first Aramex delivery :)


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In Search of Indonesian TV

What Indonesian is missing in Qatar, I believe, is among others watching Indonesian TV. Though many hates to see it – full of rubbish electronic cinema a.k.a sinetron  or celebrity gossips to name a few – most will agree that there is something different and lovable(?) about TV program offered by Indonesian TV. A bright and enlightened Kick Andy talkshow, sharp-and-reliable Liputan 6 news, free live football match (Premier League, Serie A, Champions Leage) thanks to cigarette manufacturer conglomerate, other free sporting events, free music concerts, or focus-in-depth hot national issues.

There are several ways of satisfying your quest of Indonesian TV:

1. Free Online TV streaming via TV station websites (i.e. www.metrotvnews.com, www.liputan6.com )

2.Free Online TV streaming via online TV providers (usually managed by Indonesian abroad i.e. www.mivo.tv – Australia, http://tv.indonewyork.com – New York, US)

3. Paid Online TV Streaming (i.e. www.worldip.tv )

4. Install your own satellite dish

I finally decided to install my own satellite dish to receive Indonesian TV broadcasts. Here are the steps:

1. Buy satellite dish and its accessories. Prices ranges around QR200. Mine is Gulf Star diameter 185cm priced QR220, LNB QR90, plus 45m cable QR30, splitter QR5. I bought these at Al Annabi store near Souk An Najda (Dhow Roundabout, close to Regency Travel). You must have already a TV receiver.

Electronics Store where you can buy satellite dish. Shown here Al-Annabi Electronics, near Dhow Roundabout

2. Contact installer. Al Annabi store for example provides installation with QR180 fee (depending onthe area, this is for Al Gharafa). Other installer, for example from Al Khor, charges QR600 + QR100 (transport to Doha) for satellite dish, cable, and installation and setting.

3. Installer will come to your house. Assemble the dish at your rooftop, position the dish and do setting to your receiver.

My installer is indeed my friend so I don’t worry about the service and quality. He come to my house with full gears: handtools, drills, cable clamps, isolating tape, portable TV, receiver, cable terminator. So well prepared. He  assembled the dish, positioned the dish in accordance to aimed satellite – in this case Palapa D satellite, direction can be obtained at www.lyngsat.com\palapad.html  , made trial check with his portable TV and his own receiver to make sure the position is correct before making the dish permanently installed. Then he connected LNB through cable to any existing connections I want (there are 8 existing connections at my rooftop going to 8 different rooms in my house). For this, trial and error were made to get the right connections to main bedroom and living room.

My satellite dish to receive Indonesian TV broadcasts

Finished with rooftop affairs he then did setting to my TV receivers. As different receiver has different steps of programming this can be a tedious process, particularly if you use a low end receiver. TV stations you can get are: MetroTV, SCTV, RCTI, Global TV (frequently out of order), TVRI, JakTV, Lejel Home Shopping, SpaceToon, NHK.

And now my search for Indonesian TV is over.


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Arabic Language Classes

In addition to classes in Fanar (Qatar Islamic Cultural Center), there are Arabic Language Classes for Non-Arabic Speakers offered by Qatar Guest Center. The class is from 6 June 2010 until 6 August 2010 for 200QR charge.

Level One, for Gents, in Head Office, Sunday & Wed, 8pm-9pm

Level Two, for Gents, in Head Office, Mon & Thurs, 8pm-9pm

Level One, for Children, in Head Office, Sun & Wed, 6:20pm-7:20pm

Level Two, for Children, in Head Office, Mon & Thurs, 6:20pm-7:20pm

Level One, for Ladies, in Ladies Section, Sun & Wed, 4:30pm-5:30pm

Level Two, for Ladies, in Ladies Section, Mon & Thurs, 4:30pm-5:30pm

For more information: 6054182, 4862397, 4863190,  http://www.qgc.com.qa

Source: Advertisement in Gulf Times, end of May 2010

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