Ministry Of Imipas Collaborates With BKPM To Tighten Foreigners' Permits, Prevent Bodong Investors Who Become Guides In Bali

DENPASAR - Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (Imipas) cooperates with the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming / Investment Coordinating and Investment Agency (BKPM) to supervise and tighten entry permits for foreign nationals (WNA).

"We are working together with the Ministry of Investment," said Minister Imipas Agus Andrianto on the sidelines of reviewing the Immigration service Denpasar, Bali, Tuesday, May 20.

According to him, a number of foreigners who entered Indonesia as investors, but it turned out that the investment and office were fictitious.

These foreigners actually work by taking the realm of local residents, including becoming tour guides to opening grocery stores.

"This is what we will discuss at the ministry level. In applying for an investment permit, they are not detailed," he said.

From the security aspect, his party supervises foreigners when passing immigration checks, namely through automatic immigration crossing facilities (autogate).

At Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, for example, currently, 90 units are equipped, namely 60 units at the international arrival terminal and 30 units at the international departure terminal.

The installation of autogate at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport began on October 27, 2023, and trials of its use began on February 1, 2024.

The automated facility captures passer biometrics, then checks with Interpol data, including internal data in the form of a checking list.

The automated service is equipped with facial recognition technology and a Border Control Management System or Border Area Supervision Management System.

"Here because Bali is a tourist spot that has many visitors to the world, what we are wary of are those (foreigners) who overstay (exceed the stay limit)," he said.

His party has carried out the Wira Alert operation by arresting 170 foreigners in Jakarta, Depok, Bekasi, and Tangerang for violating the residence permit and the actions given are deportation.

Not only that, continued Agus, in Bali there was also Operation Bali Becik. In this operation, officers arrested 97 foreigners, 12 of whom exceeded the residence permit and others were being investigated.

"I believe that with the extraordinary local wisdom of Balinese people, they can set a good example for foreigners in Bali so that they obey the rules," he said.