TABANAN, Bali — Bali immigration authorities are strengthening monitoring of foreign nationals at the village level as the growing number of foreigners living and spending time in parts of the island prompts closer coordination with local communities.
The Tabanan Immigration Office has designated Nyambu and Kaba-Kaba villages in Kediri District as Immigration Development Villages, creating a closer link between immigration officials, village authorities and residents.
The designation is aimed at addressing what immigration officials describe as potential immigration vulnerabilities in the two villages, where a relatively large number of foreign nationals live or carry out activities.
“The consideration is the potential for vulnerabilities, as there are many foreign nationals in the two villages,” Tabanan Immigration Office head Andhika Rahadiansyah said during a media gathering on Monday (Sept. 14, 2026).
Under the programme, Immigration Village Officers will make regular visits to the designated villages, with weekly visits planned to coordinate with village officials and provide information about immigration regulations.
Residents will also be encouraged to report information about foreign nationals or activities they believe may require immigration attention.
“Information from the village level can be immediately forwarded to Immigration for verification and, when necessary, followed up together with the Foreigners Monitoring Team (Timpora),” Andhika said.
The village-based approach is intended to shorten the flow of information between communities and immigration authorities. Officials say earlier information can allow potential immigration issues to be verified and addressed more quickly.
The programme is also designed to help prevent potential violations, including misuse of residence permits and criminal activities involving foreign nationals. Immigration officials cited human trafficking, or trafficking in persons, among the potential crimes that could be identified through stronger community-level monitoring.
However, the programme cannot yet be expanded simultaneously to every village within the Tabanan Immigration Office’s jurisdiction because of limited personnel.
Andhika said the office ultimately hopes to have at least one Immigration Village Officer assigned to every village, although the expansion will take place gradually.
“Our target is to have as many as possible, with at least one immigration officer in each village. The process is still underway, and hopefully the number can increase next year because our current human resources are limited,” he said.
The office said assigning officers too quickly without sufficient personnel could make the programme less effective.
Nyambu and Kaba-Kaba are currently serving as pilot locations for the initiative. Immigration officials hope the model can eventually be expanded to other villages where similar monitoring needs are identified.
By placing villages closer to the front line of immigration monitoring, authorities expect potential issues involving foreign nationals to be detected earlier while strengthening public understanding of immigration rules.
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