Batam Immigration Uncovers 280 Foreign Nationals Misusing Stay Permits
The Class I Special TPI Batam Immigration Office in Riau Islands (Kepri) has discovered that 280 foreign nationals misapplied their stay permits between January and August 2026.
Kharisma Rukmana, Head of the Immigration Information and Communication Section at Batam Immigration, stated that based on immigration enforcement data, this figure represents approximately 78 per cent of the total foreign nationals subject to immigration administrative measures during this period.
He explained that the misuse of stay permits involved foreign nationals engaging in activities that did not align with the original purpose and intent of their permits, as regulated under Article 122, letter a of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration.
“In addition to the misuse of stay permits, Batam Immigration recorded 42 foreign nationals committing violations by staying beyond the validity of their permits, or overstaying,” Kharisma said when contacted in Batam on Tuesday.
He added that 30 foreign nationals were subject to enforcement actions for engaging in activities that threatened public security and order or for failing to comply with statutory regulations.
Meanwhile, seven individuals were recorded committing violations by entering or exiting Indonesian territory without passing through official Immigration Checkpoints (TPI).
Amidst the monitoring of foreign national activities, Batam Immigration also identified a concerning pattern regarding the departure of Indonesian citizens: the use of Saudi Arabian work visas for the purpose of Umrah pilgrimages.
“On 28 February 2026, immigration officers at the Hang Nadim Checkpoint delayed the departure of five Indonesian citizens who were indicated to be travelling for Umrah to Saudi Arabia using work visas,” Kharisma noted.
This finding drew attention because of the discrepancy between the type of visa used and the travel purpose declared to the officers.
Kharisma stated that Batam Immigration subsequently conducted a deeper investigation into these findings to ensure the alignment of travel documents with the intended purpose of departure.
In light of these findings, Batam Immigration continues to conduct thorough inspections of documents and travel purposes as part of immigration oversight, targeting both foreign nationals residing in Batam and Indonesian citizens travelling abroad.
“These efforts are undertaken to ensure compliance with immigration regulations and to prevent the use of travel documents or stay permits that are inconsistent with their intended use,” Kharisma concluded.