Russian Siblings Deported After Being Abandoned By Parents In Bali

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Bali Immigration have deported two young siblings to Russia after they were seemingly abandoned by their parents. A 16-year-old her SA, and her 14-year-old brother, RA, were flown back to Russia on Wednesday 16th September. 

According to the Head of the Class II Immigration Office of TPI Singaraja, Nanang Mustofa, SA, and RA were deported to Russia after a long overstay and were left in Bali under bizarre circumstances. The teenagers arrived in Bali in March 2020 with their mother. 

Mustofa spoke with reporters on Thursday after the teenagers had left the country. He said, ‘From the information and based on the historical data in their travel documents, they entered Indonesia on March 1, 2020, with their mother, a Russian citizen with the initials US using a visa-free visit (BVK) which is valid for 30 days from their arrival’.

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He went on to explain that they met their father, a Russian citizen with the initials AA, who is believed to have already been in Bali. The family is reported to have been staying in the Amed area in Karangasem Regency. A week after their arrival, the teenager’s mother left to go to Cambodia on a work trip, leaving her children in the care of their father. 

Mustofa told reporters that a few months ago, AA left the country. He said, ‘After a few months, the two children were left by their father at the residence of a Russian foreigner’. After a few months, the children, unsure what to do, handed themselves into the Immigration Office in Singaraja. It was there that Immigration officers were able to get them the assistance they needed. 

By the time they arrived at the Immigration Office on the 30th of August 2022, the teenagers had overstayed their visas by 883-days. Since they are both minors, the Immigration Department was responsible for taking them into their care. Over the last few weeks, Singaraja Immigration has been working with the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation in Bali to coordinate their repatriation.

Mustofa confirmed that although the overstay was not within the control of the two teenagers, that nevertheless they have been blacklisted from Indonesia. He said, ‘As a result of the violation, both of them are subject to Immigration Administration Actions based on Article 78 paragraph (3) of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration in the form of deportation and are included in the list of deterrence’.

He explained to reporters that although an unusual case, the cooperation between Russia and Indonesia had meant that the two teenagers were safely sent home. The Head of the Consular Section of the Russian Federation Embassy, Nikita Ivanov, has expressed appreciation for the cooperation involved in the case.

Mustofa said, ‘The Russian side expresses its appreciation and gratitude for its assistance in maintaining and protecting its two underage citizens during the administrative process until the process of returning them back to Russia [was complete]’.

SA and RA flew from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Wednesday 14th September. They boarded Emirates Airlines flight EK 369 and landed back in Moscow the following day. They were accompanied through Bali Airport by representatives from Bali Immigration.

Mustofa did not share details as to what plans were in place to safeguard the teenagers when they landed back in Russia. He did not say whether or not the teenager’s parents remain in their lives after the incident. 

Due to the teenagers being unaccompanied minors, the deportation process was completed very quickly. It took just two weeks for them to be sent back to their home country after approaching immigration for help. Other people who have handed themselves into immigration after major overstays have had to wait months for the paperwork to be completed for their deportation.