Immigration teams in Bali have been very busy indeed in the last two weeks.
Teams have accompanied an assorted group of foreigners to their deportation flights from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to return to their home nations.
The deportations come as Bali continues to crack down on foreigners abusing the visa system.
The speed at which foreigners are deported from Bali after investigation by the authorities varies greatly.
If the individuals in question have sufficient funds to pay for their own flight out of Denpasar, they are encouraged to book a flight as soon as possible.
In many cases, however, the individuals do not have sufficient funds and are held in the custody of immigration officials at the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center until consular or financial support can be secured.
This month’s deportations have included foreigners who have been found to be overstaying their visas, stealing food and drinks and not paying for accommodation, and breaking the conditions of the visa category by working and gambling, which is illegal in Indonesia.
On 5th and 9th September, two Russian women were deported from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport after the pair had been found to be operating illegal business activities in Seminyak.
Police raided a property in the Seminyak area where the duo were found to be engaging in sex work and operating ‘spa’ services.
On the 9th of September, another Russian national, a man known to the press by his initials DG, was reported for causing public disorder at a restaurant in Jimbaran.
The Head of the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center, Gede Dudy Duwita, said that these deportations emphasized the firm approach Bali is taking to immigration offenses of every kind.
All three have been put forward to the top national immigration officials to be added to Indonesia’s deterrence list, also referred to as the blacklist.
On the 10th of September, a Chinese national, 34-year-old LG, and a Tanzanian national, 26-year-old AIK, were deported to their respective registered addresses.
Both individuals were found to have been overstaying their visas on arrival.
LG arrived at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in May 2024 and had a 30-day validity tourist visa on arrival, which he did not extend.
During the investigation into his case, LG revealed that he had come to Indonesia on the promise of a job by a friend.
However, he overstayed his visa 72 days after the said friend left him without a job and without funds to support himself.
AIK was also detained by Bali Immigration teams back in May. She was apprehended by officials after a public complaint was lodged against her for antisocial behavior.
Immigration teams subsequently found that she had overstayed her visa and was unable to present travel documents during the investigation.
On Thursday, the 19th of September, an Australian woman was deported from Bali after immigration teams found that she had overstayed her visa by 71 days.
Head of the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center, Gede Dudy Duwita, told reporters, “CNL was deported to her hometown accompanied by her friend from Australia. This woman was proven to have violated Article 78 paragraph (3) of Law No. 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration.”
CNL is believed to have overstayed her visa as a result of a stay at Buleleng Regional Hospital, where she was receiving treatment in August.
However, Duwita revealed that ‘no party took responsibility for her’ and that she did not have a passport when she entered the hospital, so no staff could assist with an extension on medical grounds.
Duwita added, “This was made worse by the lack of clarity regarding the payment of medical expenses and CNL’s actions, which caused a commotion at the hospital. As a result, the Buleleng Regional Hospital objected to CNL’s presence at the hospital.”
Further deportations this month have included travelers from Spain, France, Nigeria, Russia, and Tanzania.
Duitwa concluded, “We want to emphasize that Indonesia is a country that upholds the rule of law, and anyone who violates it will face the appropriate consequences. Deportation is our effort to maintain order and security in the territory of Indonesia.”
Remove All Ads & Unlock All Articles… Sign up for The Bali Sun Premium
Plan Your Bali Holiday:
Book The Best English Speaking Drivers For Airport Transfers & Tours
Choose From Thousands of Bali Hotels, Resorts, and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
Book Cheap Flights To Bali
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance That Covers Medical Expenses In Bali
For the latest Bali News & Debate Join our Facebook Community
SUBSCRIBE TO NEW POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Bali Sun’s latest breaking news, straight to your inbox.
J West
Sunday 22nd of September 2024
As you know Bali is reaching its tourist saturation point. As this news is universally reported fewer and fewer people will decide to come.
This isn’t a secret in the travel industry. Unfettered greed is acting like pendulum inevitably reaching its absolute apex.
Phuket Thailand has passed the point of no return. It’s being widely reported that it’s so crowded “ there’s no room to walk”. This is likely the last years of popularity as people substitute other locations.
LINK Marcus Aurelias said “Those who fail to learn from their mistakes are destined to repeat them”
The Covid travel after rush is in fact a deadly virus come to finish you off.
stewe
Saturday 21st of September 2024
Good job for Bali police. Never stop gentlemans. Keep going....
Shorty
Saturday 21st of September 2024
Bali Sun doesn't put a total number on the deportations. It appears to be around 10.
Bali monthly average is around 450,000 tourists.
Efforts to catch visa breaches should be commended.
But the numbers suggest it's a minor problem being exploited for political gain.
Randy
Monday 23rd of September 2024
@Shorty, from the online news out of Jakarta, 998 foreigners were nabbed for visa violations. Furthermore foreign visitors do move around within Indonesia and do not always stay in Bali. So the statistics only apply when foreign tourists are arrested in Bali at that particular time period. Nonetheless, some will always find a loophole to stay under the radar until they get caught.
Randy
Saturday 21st of September 2024
In recent news this week that 998 foreigners were arrested for overstayed visa, mostly from China, Arab countries (unspecified) and France. The Class I immigration office for Special immigration Checkpoints at Soekarno-Hatta airport in Tangerang has identified the foreign violators between August and mid-September 2024 alone. These mentioned nationalities have the highest rates of overstay in Indonesia.
These individuals were fined 1 million IDR per day for their violations using a special visit visa or visa on arrival for tourists. Furthermore nine airlines were caught for transporting passengers to Indonesia with passports that were valid for less than six months. Airlines that continue to bring passengers with fake documents are subject to a fine of 50 million IDR. There is a common rule with several countries around the world that travelers are in possession of passports that are valid for six months beyond the period of their intended stay in the country.
Tourists who overstayed their visas or have written erroneous data online visa on arrival application should be held responsible for their own mistakes. And those foreigners who are quick to blame the Indonesian authorities need their heads examined. No one is above the law or that their feeling of entitlement can do no wrong abroad. Ignorance of the law is NO excuse.
Furthermore when some foreign investors believe that Bali has more freedom, what freedom could that be different than in their country of origin. If they think that Bali is a free for all, they are clearly mistaken. In fact, they are sending the wrong message to others. Bali has a societal rule in general to abide by as well like in any other country around the world.
Some of us may be appalled to see men or women walking around in bikinis, nearly topless or without a shirt inside some restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, or a supermarket for that matter. Beaches or swimming pools are fine for that sort of behavior. Things like this could not happen in the West, where no shoes, no shirts inside a public place get you NO service! Therefore Bali is NO different than in the West. Bali is NOT a free for all place to behave like in this manner. This is NOT the Wild Wild West. Cover up no one needs to see your half naked body (athletic or ugly) inside a hospitality place. Indonesians are too polite to intervene in an indoor public hospitality place to warn guests to cover up.
Dominic
Thursday 26th of September 2024
@Randy,if there are no dress code rules people maje up their own and if there are dress code rules,enforce. Place signs at the entrances in large writing. Stop being polite Bali,before it's too late,the clock is ticking
Randy
Saturday 21st of September 2024
As my Americans fellas would say to be aware of other foreign tourists in public spaces and not from the Indonesians. Losing some items on the beach are all too common when mostly foreign tourists congregate. An incident that did not happened under the watch of a Indonesian Beach attendant, women of Asian looking tourists were suspiciously hovering over our friends belongings on the beach chaise lounge. He managed to thwart them off and told them to stay away from the area.
Another incident told by our regular Balinese driver where his friend was assigned to pick up passengers at Sanur port and drop them off at a villa. Apparently the picture of the guests could not upload on his phone but he had a sign with the guest name. However, a bunch of Indian tourists claimed to be the name on the sign, hurriedly got inside the car and drove away. About 5 minutes later the driver sensed something was clearly wrong when the Indian tourists told them to drive to a location that was not in the manifest. The driver stopped and told them to get out of the car or he will call the police. They replied that they did not have money for the ride so they tried to hitch a free ride with any driver possible.
There are undesirable tourists who have no money after a period of time in Bali and will probably steal from other foreign tourists or Indonesians. This could also be one reason some foreign tourists may have breached their visa on arrival in the country. If you do not sufficient funds to travel, stay home.