Chinese national, 29, deported from Bali for working on Visa on Arrival

Denpasar — — Indonesian immigration authorities deported a 29-year-old Chinese national identified by the initials JZ from Bali on Monday, 7 September 2026, after officers found him working as a project supervisor while holding a Visa on Arrival (VOA), according to local media reports citing the Denpasar Immigration Office.

The Denpasar Immigration Office said JZ entered Indonesia using a VOA, a short-stay visit permit that does not allow its holder to engage in employment. He was removed from Indonesia through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and flown back to China on a route from Denpasar to Shanghai and onward to Changsha at 18.15 WITA.

Officials described the action as part of ongoing enforcement against foreigners who misuse visit permits for work in Bali.

Immigration’s legal basis and statements

According to the Denpasar Immigration Office, the deportation was an administrative immigration measure taken under Article 75 paragraph (1) of Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration. The provision authorizes immigration officers to act against foreign nationals who are considered to endanger security and public order, or who do not comply with Indonesian laws and regulations.

The head of the Denpasar Immigration Office, R. Haryo Sakti, said JZ’s activities as a project supervisor did not match the purpose of the VOA stay permit he held, which is only intended for visit activities. He stated that immigration would take firm administrative action against foreigners who violate immigration rules and continue monitoring the activities of foreign nationals in Bali.

Regional officials at the Bali office of the Directorate General of Immigration also emphasized that enforcement against foreign nationals misusing their permits is necessary to maintain security and public order and to provide legal certainty for local communities.

Timeline and process

Media reports state that immigration officers from the Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement Section of the Denpasar Immigration Office escorted JZ during the deportation process on 7 September 2026. The escort reportedly began around 14.30 WITA at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and continued until his departure.

JZ was placed on China Eastern Airlines flights with codes MU7406 and MU5323, leaving Bali at 18.15 WITA on the Denpasar–Shanghai–Changsha route, according to reports citing immigration officials.

The case was publicly disclosed the following day, Tuesday, 8 September 2026, through written statements from the Denpasar Immigration Office that were later carried by several Indonesian news outlets.

Scope of the alleged violation

Reports state that immigration officers discovered JZ working as a project supervisor on a project in Bali while staying on a VOA. Authorities described this as misuse of a visit stay permit, because the VOA is not designed for employment or professional activities.

Officials did not publicly identify the project, the employer or the precise worksite linked to JZ’s activities. The reports focus on the immigration response and do not mention any criminal charges or court proceedings, indicating that the measure was administrative rather than judicial.

Implications for visitors and businesses

Indonesian immigration authorities used the case to reiterate that a VOA is a visit permit and does not constitute work authorization. According to their statements, foreigners who wish to work in Indonesia must hold an appropriate immigration status and comply with labor and immigration regulations.

The deportation of JZ adds to a series of enforcement actions in Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia in which foreigners have been removed for working on visit permits or tourist visas. For visitors, businesses and investors, the case underscores that planned activities must match the permissions attached to the immigration status used to enter and stay in the country.

Sources

• Tribun-Bali
• JPNN Bali
• Kabarnusa
• Merdeka.com
• Gobaligo Bali News blog
• The Bali Times