Thank you for your comment, Christopher.

Apparently, there was no dilemma, as they wouldn’t renew the passport in Jakarta without presenting the physical card held in Bangkok. Instead of damaging my stay by feeling anxious about whether it will arrive by mail, get lost in the process, not arrive in time or if there’s a change I can’t get the passport renewed at all, I’ll just fly back to Thailand today and pick up the card tomorrow.

@Graeme *****

I think you're right. Thanks, Graeme.

The Embassy in Jakarta is being inflexible about renewing the passport without picking up my ID card in Bangkok first anyway. I may have no choice.

@John *********

sure. Thanks.

@Young *******

I'm not sure. I sent an email to my Embassy in Thailand on Friday, when I arrived and realized the issue, and I'll send another to the one in Jakarta today.

@John *********

or I could just leave now (my passport has 6 months and 2 days of validity in it), give up accommodation for nearly a full month and buy a last minute ticket to Thailand... How much hassle do you think there is in staying and going through the process here? 3-4 weeks is a long time.

@Brandon ***********

so what would happen in such cases? Am I sent back to Indonesia? I guess that's not even possible, because I wouldn't be able to book a ticket out of Indonesia, the airline wouldn't accept it.

@Young *******

that's another problem. I need my national ID card in order to renew my passport and they have it waiting for me at my embassy in Bangkok to be picked up, but Jakarta may require it.

@Brandon ***********

they won't care that I'm entering the country to renew the passport, which is why I sent an email to my embassy in Bangkok requesting a document that will let me enter the country.

@Arden ****

they emailed me the document as I came in.