Indonesia to Reassess Visa on Arrival Policy After Reports of Disruptive Foreigners
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6 June 2024 22:35 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is currently reassessing the visa-on-arrival policy after reports of foreigners causing a ruckus in Indonesia.
"We are currently evaluating the visa on arrival of the problematic foreigners’ countries of origin," Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, told Tempo in a brief text, quoted on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
One of the countries includes Russia, where its citizens are often reported to local authorities in Indonesia for being disruptive. One example is Arthem Kothukov, who was banned from entering Indonesia after being deported twice.
Another problematic Russian tourist is Vladimir Kasarski who broke into an ATM as recently as April 8, 2024. He was arrested by the local police who took his laptop, cellphone, clothes, and Rp30 million in cash.
Silmy stressed that the evaluation is only based on the troublemakers’ countries of origin. “No other (criteria),” he said.
It was previously reported that Immigration will handle the foreigners' issue in Indonesia after 24 foreign nationals were arrested for overstaying.
Immigration patrol on Tuesday, May 28 in Kuta, Bali, caught three Nigerians who overstayed for 60 days. Another 21 overstaying foreigners were arrested the next day, with nine failing to show their passports.
From January to May 2024, 91 foreigners were specifically prosecuted by the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, consisting of 56 people who overstayed and 35 who violated Indonesian law.
AMELIA RAHIMA SARI
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