New Russian Consulate General Confirmed To Open In Bali By End Of 2024

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The Russian Federation Government has confirmed that the new Consulate General In Bali will open by the end of 2024.

The development was given the final nod of approval after initial suggestions for the initiative earlier this year.

It will help improve relations between Indonesia and Russia with a rapidly growing Russian expat community in the province of Bali.

In a press conference held in Jakarta on Tuesday, 19th August, the Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov, explained, “The Government of the Russian Federation has taken the decision to establish a Consulate General in Denpasar, Bali. This is an important step considering the large number of Russian citizens who visit this island.”

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Over the last three years, Bali has seen a huge increase in the number of Russian holidaymakers, digital nomads, expats, and investors arriving on the island.

While the rise in the number of Russian visitors has been notable, tourists and visitors from Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia remain the most frequent international arrivals in the province. 

In his press statement, Tolchenov confirmed that the presence of a Russian consulate general in Bali will simplify the process of providing consular assistance to Russian citizens in the event of an emergency.

He added, “We feel it is our obligation to facilitate and provide protection to our citizens abroad, especially in Bali, where the number of tourists continues to increase.”

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He also touched on plans to open a direct flight route between Moscow and Bali. Currently, there are no direct flights between Indonesia and Russia; the opening of a direct service would be a game changer in the aviation industry.

With so many Russian passport holders now based in Bali, opening a flight between Moscow and Bali before a direct route between the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and Moscow shows just how much interest there is in travel to the Island of the Gods, whether for business or leisure. 

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In late July 2023, the Secretary of Bali Province, Dewa Made Indra, spoke with reporters about the possibility of the Russian Federation Government opening a Consulate General in Bali.

He confirmed that the Bali Provincial Government would do all it could to facilitate the agreements made by the central government on this matter.

Indra said, “If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has agreed, then the provincial government will accept it or welcome it because the affairs of foreign relations are the authority of the general government, not the authority of regional governments.”

The General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Handy Heryudhitiawan, has been alluding to a new direct flight service between Bali and a major Russian city for months.

Earlier this year, he confirmed that by October 2024, there would be new flight services from six international airlines providing greater connectivity between Bali, Russia, South Korea, and more.

However, he was unable to provide further confirmation about the flight routes and timings until all agreements had been signed. 

Russia is about to join the likes of Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States all have consulates in Bali Province, with many more nations hosting consulate missions in areas of Denpasar and Sanur.

It has not yet been confirmed exactly where the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Bali will be located. 

Speaking to the press in July, Bali-based civil servant Gede Kusuma Putra shared his support for the opening of a Russia Consulate General in Bali and a new Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office on the island.

Putra told reporters, “Foreign tourists in Bali who have been throwing tantrums recently have certainly damaged Bali’s tourism image. On the other hand, we still hope that foreign tourist visits will continue to increase.”

A consulate general is on hand to help citizens with immigration-related issues and can be the first point of contact for foreigners in an emergency situation, whether medical or legal, while abroad.