Bima Deports Pakistani Visitor Over Tourist Visa Misuse

Bima — A Pakistani visitor was deported from Indonesia on Oct. 7 after immigration officials found that he had used a 60-day tourist visit visa to solicit donations from mosques in Bima and Sumbawa.

The visitor, identified by the initials JR, 27, was detained after residents reported that he was seeking donations at a mosque in Pane, Bima. Officials said he had been using the visa for fundraising rather than tourism and processed the case under Indonesia’s administrative immigration measures before returning him to Pakistan.

JR had sought donations from mosque to mosque and, in one incident, rejected Rp 100,000 (about US$6) and demanded Rp 500,000 (about US$30). Officials said he told them the money would help pay for his children’s schooling in Pakistan and support an educational institution he operates there.

Why it matters for visitors using tourist visas

Indonesia’s tourist visit visa does not authorize a foreign visitor to conduct activities outside the permitted purpose of the stay. In this case, immigration officials treated mosque-to-mosque fundraising as misuse of the visitor’s immigration status, rather than as tourism.

For foreign residents and visitors, the practical distinction is that holding a valid visa does not shield someone from action if their activities conflict with the visa’s conditions. The Bima immigration office said the conduct constituted a violation under Article 122(a) of Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration.

The case began after public complaints prompted foreigner-monitoring officers to investigate. JR was taken to the Bima immigration office for examination after officials found him at the Pane mosque. He underwent detention and administrative immigration processing before deportation.

No further action after his return to Pakistan was stated.

Sources

• detikBali — established regional news organisation
• NTBSatu — established regional news organisation
• mofa.gov.pk