66 Passport Applicants From Baubau Reject Immigration, Most Have Returned To Indonesia Through Illegal Paths

Illustration of passports issued by Indonesian Immigration. (Between)

SULTRA - The Class II Immigration Office of Non TPI Baubau rejected 66 non-procedural passport applicants as an effort to prevent cases of Trafficking in Persons or TIPs from leaving the country.

"The number of applicants who were rejected, there were 66 applicants, consisting of 51 men and 15 women," said Head of the Class II Immigration Office of Non TPI Baubau Teguh in Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra), Monday, July 17, confiscated by Antara.

Teguh said that dozens of passport applicants were rejected because they wanted to return to work abroad.

"When the passports are re-examined, on average they have worked abroad, they will work again, but they return to Indonesia through unofficial routes, as seen from their crossing paths there is no return stamp," he said.

Teguh said, this was revealed during the interview process for the passport applicant. They admit that they have worked abroad and want to go home to return to work with their employers

"When they interviewed, they said yes, they had worked there and would return to work with my employer again, right," said Teguh.

He said that the prevention of TIP is an instruction from the leadership that must be carried out in all immigration areas, as well as at the Baubau Immigration.

"Immigration as the frontline for the rise of TIP, especially for those who are leaving the country," he said.

He revealed that in the aftermath of the rampant trafficking of people, his party had taken various actions, one of which was by tightening passport issuance. This was done to prevent the occurrence of TIP in the Non-TPI Baubau Class II Immigration working area.