T

he Bali immigration office is likely to step up deportations in the near future, part of a wider crackdown on visa violations.

Data from the Bali law and human rights office show that a recent steep rise in deportations is linked to increased violations of tourist visas by foreign visitors.

“I have no exact figures, but [the number has increased] by about 50 percent,” Bali law and human rights office chief Sulistiono told The Jakarta Post during the inauguration of the new Ngurah Rai airport immigration office in Nusa Dua on Thursday.

The island, the country’s most popular tourist destination, has long attracted hordes of foreign tourists, with a concurrently high rate of illegal activities resulting in deportation.

The Ngurah Rai immigration office alone, for instance, has deported or refused entry to 70 foreigners in the first four months of this years, compared with 169 foreigners in 2015.

Last year the Bali immigration office deported or refused entry to 357 foreigners from a number of countries. Besides Nugurah Rai, Bali has two other entry points for foreigners, namely Benoa and Padang Bai seaports.

Violations occasioning deportation include overstay in Indonesia, use of false passports or false visas and misuse of tourist visas.

“Overstay is the main violation found by the Ngurah Rai office,” Ngurah Rai immigration office Yoseph Renung Widodo revealed.

The office is currently holding two foreigners, from Canada and Egypt, who will be deported soon. The deportations have been delayed by budget issues, for the Canadian, and nationality issues, for the Egyptian.

“The Canadian has been in detention for a month, and we’re still trying to find a sponsor to repatriate him, while sadly for the Egyptian, the embassy has denied he is a citizen [of Egypt]. It’s been a year already and we’re still looking for the right solution,” Yoseph said.

Denpasar immigration office head Feri MS said cases of deportation handled by his office also mostly related to visa overstay or misuse.

“One of the foreign violators detained in our office is a Chinese monk. We plan to deport him this week,” Feri said, adding that the monk had violated his tourist visa.

In order to prevent visa violations in the future, the Bali immigration office will intensify immigration patrols and step up the function of the alien control team in Bali. The team comprises 30 institutions, including the military, the police and customs and excise personnel.

“Besides intensifying patrols and alien control team activities, synergy with related institutions is also important,” Sulistiono said.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly meanwhile asked immigration officers to increase supervision in line with increasing numbers of foreign tourists coming to Indonesia, with free visas now available to citizens of 169 countries.

“We must welcome their arrival politely, but should also remain alert in supervising them. They are our guests, but sometimes they break immigration rules or laws,” Yasonna said.