What Bali’s 18 Ngurah Rai Deportations Mean for Visa Enforcement

Badung — The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office deported 18 foreign nationals between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27, 2026, after immigration patrols conducted from Sept. 15 through Sept. 20 across its area of responsibility. The Directorate General of Immigration said the cases involved alleged misuse of stay permits, overstays, and failures to update passport information.

The action included 10 foreign nationals detained in a joint operation with the Bali Regional Police on Sept. 17. They were suspected of abusing their stay permits by engaging in prostitution-related activity; five of those 10 were also found to have overstayed.

What the deportations mean for foreign visitors and residents

For foreigners in Bali, the cases illustrate that an Indonesian stay permit is tied to the activity it authorizes. The immigration authority identified a Russian citizen, initials VL, who worked as a motorcycle instructor while holding a Remote Worker Limited Stay Permit, or ITAS. The authority also said VL was suspected of being dishonest when obtaining that permit.

A Slovakian ITAS holder was deported after failing to update immigration data following a passport replacement. The authority said six other foreigners were deported for overstaying: four had remained for less than 60 days but could not pay the required fees, while two had overstayed for more than 60 days.

The distinction matters in practice. A foreign resident or visitor can face immigration action not only for remaining beyond the permitted period, but also when the documented purpose of stay does not match the person’s activities or required personal information is not kept current. The report does not identify the nationalities of most of those deported.

The Directorate General of Immigration said all 18 deported foreigners were proposed for inclusion on the immigration prevention list under applicable rules. The statement described the deportations as part of continuing enforcement intended to maintain order and security in Bali’s tourism environment.

The police account independently confirmed the period of deportation, the total of 18 foreign nationals, the 10 people caught in the joint operation and the categories of violations reported by the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office.

Sources

• Directorate General of Immigration — Indonesian government immigration press release
• inp.polri.go.id