Bali Immigration Service Anticipates Foreign National Overstay due to Middle East Conflict Flight Disruptions
Badung, Bali (ANTARA) — The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office in Badung Regency, Bali, is preparing for potential overstaying by foreign nationals (WNA) as a consequence of the Middle East conflict, which has disrupted international flight operations.
“We are continuously monitoring this global situation intensively,” said Bugie Kurniawan, Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, in Jimbaran, Badung Regency, Bali, on Sunday.
According to him, foreign nationals are at risk of overstaying their visas because they are affected by flight cancellations and therefore unable to leave Indonesian territory according to schedule.
For passengers whose stay permits are expiring or have already expired due to the emergency flight situation, he requested that these foreign nationals immediately report to the Immigration Office or Immigration Service posts at the airport to receive further guidance.
Cases will be handled in accordance with applicable legal regulations, whilst taking into consideration force majeure conditions resulting from international flight disruptions.
Immigration, he noted, will ensure each case is handled professionally and proportionally whilst upholding the principles of legal certainty and public service.
He appealed to all prospective passengers on international routes, particularly those transiting through the Middle East, to regularly check flight status through their respective airlines’ official applications and coordinate with airlines before proceeding to the airport.
“Our primary priority is ensuring that immigration administrative processes for passengers continue to be served well and in accordance with procedures,” he stated.
The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office has increased the number of personnel on duty during each work shift from 25 per shift, with an additional five officers added to international arrival and departure lanes to anticipate queue surges.
The office is coordinating with airport authorities, airlines, and relevant agencies on current route movement surveillance and activating contingency plans to handle affected passengers.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has triggered airspace closures in several countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Iran, impacting international flight schedules, including routes to and from Bali. Based on monitoring reports as of 1 March 2026 at 01:00 WITA, five major flights from Bali have been affected: Etihad Airways (EY477), Qatar Airways (QR963), Emirates (EK369), Qatar Airways (QR961), and Emirates (EK399).