Bali Boosts Foreigner Checks Due to Tourist Surge

According to reporting from Antara News, the Bali Regional Office for Law and Human Rights has tightened the supervision of foreign nationals on account of the jump in international tourist arrivals to 3.89 million from January to July.

“This aims to maintain security, order, and comfort for the entire community, including tourists,” the office’s head, Pramella Yunidar Pasaribu, said on Thursday (1/8/24.)

According to the local immigration service, the number of foreign tourists in Bali in the period reached 3.89 million, a significant increase compared to 2.9 million during the same period of 2023.

Antara News reports that Australians dominated the arrivals with 877,329, followed by Indians (328,767) and Chinese (278,329). Other significant tourist arrivals came from the United Kingdom, South Korea, the United States, France, Malaysia, Singapore, and Germany.

Pasaribu said that the tightening of foreign national checks has involved a more thorough inspection of travel documents, including passports, visas, and residence permits.

This has been followed by strengthening the integrated immigration information system to support the monitoring of foreign national movements, according to Antara News, who add that the immigration checks also integrate facial recognition technology and border control management.

Immigration installed 30 autogate units at the Ngurah Rai Airport’s international arrivals terminal on March 6, with an additional 30 units to be installed in August.

Immigration also plans to install 20 more autogate units at the airport’s international departures terminal, which already has 60 units.

Pasaribu said that her office is also collaborating with related agencies, including the police, Customs, and the tourism service, to increase supervision effectiveness.

While immigration checks have been tightened, services to tourists will remain humane, she said.

“We want to ensure that every tourist coming to Bali can enjoy the natural beauty and culture of Bali safely and comfortably,” she said.

According to her office, 258 foreign nationals were deported from Bali this year as of July 19. In 2023, 340 foreign nationals were deported, an increase compared to 2022, when 188 foreign nationals were expelled from the island, say Antara News.