Indonesian immigration officials deported two Serbian nationals from Bali on Friday after allegedly operating a fishing tour business illegally without the necessary work visas.
The brothers, aged 31 and 28, entered Indonesia on September 9, 2024, on temporary visit visas, which legally prohibit foreigners from working or managing businesses in the country.
Acting on tips from local residents, immigration officials investigated and found that the men were managing a fishing tour company in the Karangasem area of Bali.
According to Hendra Setiawan, the head of Singaraja Immigration Office, the Serbian nationals initially claimed they were merely visitors but later admitted to running the business.
“We initially received reports from residents about suspected illegal activities by foreigners. We immediately deployed our team to the location and found these two foreign nationals,” Henra explained.
The deportations underscore Indonesia’s rigid enforcement of immigration regulations, especially within Bali, where authorities have increasingly cracked down on businesses owned or operated by foreign nationals without proper licensing.
A Broader Pattern of Enforcement
This case is part of a larger trend in Bali and other parts of Indonesia, where authorities have been actively targeting foreign nationals bending visa terms. Following a surge of digital nomads and expatriates during the pandemic, local officials have increasingly monitored foreigners suspected of illegally working or running businesses.
“Our team routinely and consistently conducts overseeing operations [of illegal activities], either on-field or through digital media,” Henra noted.
In 2023, Indonesia established a Tourism Task Force specifically to address visa violations, opening a phone hotline to funnel citizen reports of legal violations by foreign nationals, reinforcing stricter oversight of foreign-run operations that might disadvantage local businesses.
Henra noted that these deportations are part of a commitment to upholding immigration law without bias. “Any violation of immigration regulations will be addressed firmly and fairly,” he stated, underscoring that the policy applies to all foreign nationals, regardless of nationality.”
