Immigration leaders in Bali have issued updates on the last round of deportations from the province. The deportations of foreign nationals come just as new immigration policies take effect, changing the way tourists can extend their socio-cultural visas.
Officials from Bali’s Singaraja Immigration Office have confirmed the deportation of a 75-year-old German citizen, known by his initials HPB, who overstayed his visa by 72 days.
The Head of Singaraja Immigration Office, Hendra Setiawan, told reporters that HPB entered Indonesia on December 5, 2024, using a visitor’s permit. However, the visa expired on April 1, 2025, and was not extended as it should have been.
Setiawan told reporters, “In accordance with Article 78 paragraph (3) of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration, we are taking administrative immigration action in the form of deportation and deterrence.”
The Singaraja Immigration Office team was made aware of HPB’s suspected overstay by a report from a member of the public.
HPB was accompanied by immigration officials as he boarded his Thai Airways flight to Bangkok last week. He was confirmed to be catching a connecting flight to Munich. Setiawan concluded, “We routinely carry out immigration patrols at points vulnerable to the presence of illegal foreigners. We also urge residents not to hesitate to report to our hotline if they find suspicious activity.”
Following the rise in the number of immigration violations found by immigration officials in Bali, teams are taking a far stricter approach in the province.
Bali’s Denpasar Immigration Office has confirmed that it is working with teams in Gianyar Regency to track down foreigners who are breaking the rules in top tourism destinations, such as Ubud. The team is actively working with village leaders and local accommodation providers to ensure that all visitors to the area obey the rules.
The Head of Denpasar Immigration, Haryo Sakti, told reporters, “We hope that the active involvement from the village to the regency will be the main force in detecting and cracking down on violations by foreigners.”
As the peak of the vacation season in Bali approaches, the province is preparing to welcome over 1.67 million people by mid-July. Travel forecasts indicate that July 6th will be the busiest day of the peak vacation season at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. The Airport General Manager, Wahyudi, has confirmed that processes are in place to help keep queues to a minimum.
Wahyudi told reporters that the multi-agency approach will help ensure tourists can travel through the airport with ease, while maintaining security, strict immigration controls, and passenger comfort. He shared, “We want to present a warm and cheerful holiday excitement at the airport. There will be interesting activities and a different ambience than usual.”
As immigration crackdowns continue across Bali Province, tourists who are looking to stay for more than 30 days in the country are reminded that new protocols for visa extension applications came into effect on 29th May 2025.
The new Hybrid Application System for extending Indonesian visas is now in effect for those currently in Bali and those due to travel to Indonesia.
It is now the case that if foreigners wish to extend their visa, they must first register their application online, then attend an in-person visit to their closest immigration office for documentation checks and biometrics, before an immigration officer can grant their extension.
It remains the case that the most appropriate visa for most holidaymakers traveling to Bali is the eVisa on Arrival, or the Visa on Arrival, which costs IDR 500,000 and is valid for 30 days and can be extended once for a further 30 days.
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