Director General: Foreign national surveillance a strategic step to safeguard state sovereignty
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Director General of Immigration at the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, Hendarsam Marantoko, has said that surveillance operations targeting foreign nationals in Bali are a strategic step in safeguarding state sovereignty and creating a safe and conducive tourism climate.
“Immigration routinely and continuously conducts surveillance and law enforcement operations at major destinations on the Island of the Gods as a strategic step in safeguarding state sovereignty and creating a safe and conducive tourism climate,” Hendarsam said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
The Director General of Immigration inaugurated the Dharma Dewata Patrol Task Force on 15 April 2026 as a response to intensify surveillance and early detection of immigration violations across Bali.
The Dharma Dewata Task Force is integrated with the Foreigner Surveillance Team (Timpora) and relevant law enforcement agencies, and is supported by the Foreigner Reporting Application (APOA) to educate accommodation managers and accurately validate data on the presence of foreign nationals.
During the Dharma Dewata Patrol Operation targeting foreign nationals in the Canggu area of Bali on Thursday night (27/8), Hendarsam went directly to the field to ensure that the entire surveillance process remained professional, transparent and humane, yet firm in accordance with the applicable legal framework.
“Through a humane yet firm approach, the surveillance focuses on following up violations of residence permits, public order disturbances, and transnational crimes,” he said.
From the foreigner surveillance patrol, officers detained five foreign nationals suspected of having exceeded the validity period of their residence permits (overstay). In addition, one foreign national holding a limited stay permit (ITAS) was found and required to undergo examination by officers.
The six detained foreign nationals consisted of two British citizens, and one citizen each from the United States, Nigeria, Uganda and India. They were taken to the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office for further examination.
The operation was also supported by an operational fleet of 20 patrol vehicles, consisting of 10 four-wheeled vehicles and 10 two-wheeled vehicles. The team swept high-risk areas, including Canggu, Ubud, Singaraja, Tabanan and Nusa Penida.
In the first phase of the operation, the Task Force detained 62 problematic foreign nationals, conducted socialisation of the foreigner reporting application (APOA) to 50 accommodation managers, and increased the indicator of public and tourist sense of security to 80 percent.
Subsequently, Dharma Dewata Operation Phase II was held from 15 July to 16 August 2026 and detained 66 foreign nationals. In addition, there were two cases of invalid travel documents, as well as two cases of violations of Article 123 of the Immigration Law and other provisions.
Of the total 66 foreign nationals, the largest countries of origin were Pakistan with 12 people, followed by Russia (10), Algeria (4), the United Kingdom (4), and Nigeria, India, France, Germany, Tanzania and Iran with three people each.
As for the follow-up actions against the foreign nationals, 21 people were placed in Immigration Detention Centres (Rudenim), 13 were deported, 41 were still in the examination process (BAP/STP), one person settled an independent fine, and three people had their citizenship administration completed because they had died.
In addition to the Dharma Dewata Patrol, the enforcement record of Immigration officials in Bali includes several cases that have drawn widespread public attention. Follow-up actions in these cases include the deportation of the manager of a digital business platform for a travel agency labelled “The Bali Dream”, and legal action against immoral acts violating local norms by foreign nationals.
Immigration also foiled an attempt to flee using a private jet by a foreigner involved in legal violations, and took action against an illegal running event initiated and attended by foreign nationals without official permission.
“This series of enforcement actions confirms that the Directorate General of Immigration gives no room for tolerance to anyone who violates the law and social norms in Indonesia,” Hendarsam said.