Antara News·Indonesia·Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 08:44 AM

Batam immigration finds 280 foreigners misusing stay permits

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Amandine N, Rahmad Nasution

Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA) - Some 280 foreign nationals were found misusing their stay permits on Indonesia's Batam island from January through August 2026, accounting for about 78 percent of foreigners subject to administrative immigration measures, an immigration officer said.

Batam Immigration Information and Communications Section Head Kharisma Rukmana said the violations involved activities inconsistent with the purposes for which the foreigners’ stay permits were issued.

The violations fall under Article 122(a) of Law No. 6/2011 on Immigration, which regulates misuse of stay permits by foreign nationals, he said in Batam, Riau Islands Province, on Tuesday.

“Besides stay permit misuse, Batam Immigration recorded 42 foreigners violating immigration rules by overstaying their permits,” Kharisma said, adding that 30 foreigners were sanctioned for activities deemed to threaten public security and order or for violating Indonesian laws and regulations.

Meanwhile, seven foreigners violated immigration rules by entering or leaving Indonesia without passing through an Immigration Checkpoint, he said.

Amid its monitoring of foreign nationals, Batam Immigration also identified Indonesian travelers using Saudi Arabian work visas for purposes of performing umrah.

“On Feb. 28, 2026, immigration officers at Hang Nadim Immigration Checkpoint postponed the departure of five Indonesians suspected of traveling for umrah to Saudi Arabia using work visas,” Kharisma said.

The finding raised concerns because the type of visa used did not match the travel purpose declared to immigration officers.

Kharisma said Batam Immigration subsequently conducted further checks to verify whether the travelers’ documents matched their stated purpose of departure.

Batam Immigration continues checking travel documents and departure purposes as part of immigration monitoring of foreign nationals in Batam and Indonesians traveling abroad.

“These efforts aim to ensure compliance with immigration regulations and prevent travel documents or stay permits from being used contrary to their intended purposes,” Kharisma said.

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