Leaders in Bali have revealed the latest deportation figures for foreigners in the province year to date.
While the vast majority of Bali’s over 4.5 million international arrivals in the year to August have been law-abiding and culturally respectful, Bali is committed to reducing the small but significant number of unruly visitors to the province.
The Bali Regional Office or the Ministry of Law and Human Rights has confirmed that between January and the end of September 2024, a total of 417 foreigners were deported from the province.
This is more than the total number of individuals deported in 2203, which came to just 335.
The Head of the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Pramela Yunidar Pasaribu, published a press testament on the afternoon of Thursday, 26th September.
She explained that she and her teams are exercising a high degree of vigilance over the increasing number of foreigners in the province.
Pasaribu wrote, “The ‘Bali Becik’ surveillance operation that we have carried out intensively has succeeded in securing hundreds of foreign nationals, even resulting in administrative immigration action (TAK) in the form of deportation of 412 people.”
She called on auditories and communities across Bali to play an active role in upholding peace and order on the island.
Pasaribu wants to ensure that the authorities are responsive and consistent in dealing with disturbances caused by foreigners and reiterated that those who abuse the law will be dealt with firmly.
She wrote, “This [approach] has been proven [successful] by various deportation actions taken by Bali Immigration officers against foreign nationals involved in activities that are not beneficial to Indonesia or even detrimental to national interests.”
Immigration teams in Bali take a zero-tolerance approach to foreigners abusing their visas while in the province.
Visa abuse and misuse include offenses such as overstays, working without permission, traffic violence, theft, and fraud.
Pasaribu added, “The duties and functions of immigration by the Immigration Office in the Bali region have deported throughout this year without exception, including foreign nationals who violate ethics, do not provide a sense of peace and comfort for the surrounding community, and abuse residence permits and overstay. Deportation is carried out without exception.”
Pasaribu’s firm commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to visa violations comes just days after Bali Regional Secretary Dewa Made Indra called on Bali Immigration to be more selective with who they grants visas to.
Indra told reporters, “Friends at immigration must have an evaluation [of applicants], meaning that with [recent] incidents, they will be more careful and selective, it must be checked first.”
Indra’s comment came as a series of decorations took place from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, including the expulsion of two Russian citizens and a Ukrainian citizen who was found to be engaging in sex work while residing in Bali on tourist visas and investor visas.
Indra told reporters, “This is a lesson for agencies that issue passports and visas. Those are things that pollute our tourism, so firm action from immigration and firm action from our law enforcement officers must be appreciated, and we must support them.”
“There may be more; come on, friends who know, raise (the issue) so that the dirt on our tourism can all be removed.”
More deportations have taken place from Bali this week, following a busy September for immigration officials.
A 31-year-old Nigerian citizen was deported on Monday, 23rd September, after overstaying his visa by 16 months.
Known by his initials CSN, the man was accompanied to his flight by officials from the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center.
The Head of the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center, Gede Dudy Duwita, told reporters, “CSN was deported back to his home country in Lagos, Nigeria, under tight guard from Denpasar Detention Center officers to I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.”
Duiwta concluded, “We want to ensure that Bali remains safe and comfortable for both Indonesian citizens and foreign tourists who come.”
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Shorty
Monday 30th of September 2024
Those breaching visas should obviously be deported. The numbers as a % of arrivals is very low. Of more interest are the reasons. Most are for overstaying, or working illegally. Disrespectful antisocial activity is flouted as a big problem and cause. This is not supported by the numbers. The cause is sometimes put in the wrong box. Take the Russian prostitutes who were deported Illegally working yes. But as a prostitute?
Randy
Tuesday 1st of October 2024
@Shorty, Einstein visa....hahaha
James
Sunday 29th of September 2024
0.001% is indeed very significant.
Also, I am happy Duiwta concluded that they are doing this because they want both Indonesians and tourists to feel safe on the island. Please also make this your top priority for the near future, because nothing scares me more than a foreigner overstaying his visa.
Harrison
Thursday 3rd of October 2024
@CJ, we should set up some committees to look into this. Release some new rules that never get ratified or enforced. Some more groups, get the Tourism ministers to make some press conferences. Make some announcements! All bikes will be electric by 2025! All new building will be stopped for 10 years! Traffic will be improved by 2024! The five tourism police will have new puppies (that’s achievable)!
More working groups and more pronouncements are needed.
CJ
Tuesday 1st of October 2024
🎯 and they will never solve their problems until they take responsibility themselves and stop blaming others but hey it’s their island to do as they please with the resulting consequences…
Exp
Sunday 29th of September 2024
@James, Spot on. They never seem to get around solving the real issues on this island. It is always about projections and foreigner bashing. A restaurant spending that much effort badmouthing it's customer base would soon be out of business.
Randy
Sunday 29th of September 2024
“This is more than the total number of individuals deported in 2203, which came to just 335. “ There must be a typo error in this article. 2023 and not 2203.
The EU has adopted a certain language in the midst of the Russian-Ukrainian war regarding the submission of visas for Russians into their territory. For example, restricting Russians escaping the military mobilisation order, a stricter approach assessing the justification of their journey, and avoid a long-term solution for Russian citizens to avoid mobilisation. The EU wants to keep in mind that coming to Europe in general is a privilege, and not a fundamental right.
Indonesia should perhaps pay a closer attention to that rhetoric in this political volatile period (Russia, China and the Middle East) to keep Indonesians and bona fide visiting tourists safe from any undesirable foreigners seeking to do harm in the country. Many Indonesians have echoed the same sentiment that the world out there has become more hostile. Some from abroad under the pretext of visiting may be seeking refuge or safety by coming to a country that is safer and economically stable.
Fred Yentz
Sunday 29th of September 2024
417 is 0.00926667% of 4.5 million
Randy
Sunday 29th of September 2024
A few days ago @Sven wrote that there were parking attendants directing traffic inside the Immigration office in Jimbaran and making money out if. That’s not entirely true!!! The only Jimbaran IMMIGRATION office on Jalan Uluwatu is a detention facility. The IMMIGRATION office closest to Jimbaran is at Ngurah Rai office. Some type of foreigners may post their grievances or what have you to feel better but their complaints for whatever reason has not always been entirely true.
998 foreigners alone were arrested for overstays or visa fraud in and around Jakarta. The top three nationalities identified with the highest rates of overstays in Indonesia are from China, France and Arab countries (unspecified). Foreign airlines caught for transporting passengers with passports that were valid for less than six months could be fined as well.
In Bali, all hell broke loose with foreigners coming in not properly vetted on visa on arrival and some saw a loophole to stay and break immigration laws. It’s hight time to introduce an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization ) for countries that may be exempted from the visa requirements list to enter Indonesia. Thailand will implement an ETA soon as of December 1st, 2024 and a proposed tourism tax levy of Thai Baht 300. The Thai authorities still do not know how that will be implement from incoming foreign visitors. UK and the Schengen authorities will have exempted visas requirements countries to apply for an electronic travel authorization starting in 2025. Those traveling to Europe next year will have to apply on line with a fee prior to their travel arrangements.
If foreigners feel that the Indonesian Immigration is tough on visa violators, think again in your own country of origin where foreign migrants, foreign tourists may be doing a similar excuse to stay and abuse the law of the respective countries. The knife cuts both ways. Well those who may have broken the law in Indonesia, looking for a loophole and may try to bribe their way out as a last attempt are also complicit in corruption knowingly well they may be guilty of visa fraud.