35 Overstay Foreigners In Indonesia Deported Using Their Own Fees

35 foreigners were arrested and deported/ Photo: IST

JAKARTA - The Class I Immigration Office of the Immigration Audit Site (TPI) of North Jakarta secured 35 Foreign Citizens (WNA) who violated the overstay rules. Head of the Class I Immigration Office of North Jakarta TPI Qriz Pratama said that of the dozens that were secured, 28 of them came from African states such as Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. "They have a passport, but have lived beyond the time limit of the residence permit given (overstay)," Pratama told reporters, Monday, May 29. Therefore, they violated Article 78 paragraph 3 of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration and were subject to sanctions in the form of deportation and deterrence. Against them, said Pratama, as long as they did not have the funds to finance repatriation to their country of origin, they were detained at the Jakarta Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim).

He also added that there were 7 foreigners, from Nigeria who brought their passports and residence permits, but their validity expired. In addition, there are also those who cannot show passports and based on data checking through the Immigration Management Information System, they have only exceeded the time limit of the granted residence permit (overstay). As a result, the 7 Nigerian foreigners, according to Qriz, could be subject to criminal penalties in article 119 of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration. The maximum penalty is five years in prison and a maximum fine of IDR 500 million. Meanwhile, added, the Director General of Immigration of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Silmy Karim. He said dozens of foreigners who were secured by North Jakarta Immigration would be deported at their own expense. "If they don't have funds, they are detained until they have sufficient funds. Because in social media, many are submitted (deportation financing) whether using the state budget, I convey there is no (state budget to repatriate foreigners)," he concluded.