The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office in Badung denied entry to Indonesia to 561 foreigners in the first half of 2024. This is almost half the number compared to the same period last year, when 1,127 people were unable to pass border control in Bali. "The most common reason for denial is the lack of a visa," said the head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Service, Suhendra.
This applies to tourists who are not eligible for a visa on arrival. As a result, they couldn't resolve the issue quickly and had to return home. There were 243 such cases in the past six months.
The second most common reason for denial is passport issues. Fifty-two people forgot that to enter Indonesia, their identity document must be valid for at least six more months.
The third most common reason is the blacklist. Twenty-eight people were not allowed into Indonesia because they had likely had previous issues with the immigration service, such as being deported from the country.
Next are those who are internationally wanted. Yes, Balinese border guards have access to the Interpol database. So, criminals cannot pass the control, even if they try to do so through automated gates. Twenty people tried over the past six months but were detained.
The immigration office does not disclose other, more specific reasons.
It is known that entry to Indonesia can also be denied if the passport does not have enough blank pages. There must be at least two. It is also preferable that the identity document is in perfect condition. Balinese border guards are known for their attention to even the slightest damage to the pages. Therefore, any tears, rips, stains, writings, or creases can be a reason for denial of entry.
Due to the strictness of Indonesian immigration authorities regarding the condition of passports, tourists are sometimes denied boarding at their home airports if airline staff discover even the smallest damage to travel documents.
From January to June 2024, a total of 2.94 million foreigners entered through the border control at Ngurah Rai airport, said the head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Service, Suhendra. This is 24% more than in the same period last year. On the departure side, the airport and immigration officers serviced another 2.96 million foreign tourists.
The top 10 countries whose citizens most frequently travel to Bali are Australia, India, China, England, South Korea, the USA, Malaysia, France, Singapore, and Germany.
In the first half of 2024, the number of deportations in Bali also increased. Although the Ngurah Rai Immigration Service did not deport the highest number of foreigners among all immigration services in the country, it is among the top three. To date, 66 people have been deported from the island, 89 detained for violating immigration rules, and 52 people imprisoned.
Among those deported, the majority are citizens of Nigeria, the USA, Australia, Iran, Tanzania, and India. The most common violation for which they are punished is overstaying their residence permit or visa.
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