Australian Citizen Gets Deported By Immigration For Overstaying In Kupang Due To The COVID-19 Pandemic

Australian citizen deportation process in Kupang. ANTARA/Ho

KUPANG - The Immigration Office Class I TPI Kupang deported an Australian citizen (WN) with the initials EYM who had violated her residence permit in Kupang City.

"EYM itself actually had to return to Australia late last year, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no flights were opened there, their residence permit in Kupang was forfeited, so they had to be deported," said Head of the Class I Immigration Office of TPI Kupang Darwanto in Kupang, Antara, Thursday, March 17.

As a result of overstay or the period of stay on the visa has expired, EYM is declared to have violated Article 78 paragraph (3) of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration.

EYM is actually a resident of Kupang City. However, because he had lived a long time and married an Australian, he changed his citizenship.

Darwanto said the deportation process for Australian citizens was carried out by a team from the Class I Immigration Office of TPI Kupang led by the Head of the Darwanto Office accompanied by the Head of the Immigration Enforcement Subsection Adi Rasyid and a JFU of the Intelligence and Enforcement Section I Gusti NK Susila.

Darwanto said the deportation process was carried out through Kupang's El Tari airport, then through I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali.

EYM departs for its home country using Jetstar Airlines with flight number JQ44 to Melbourne.

"EYM's deportation activities went smoothly," he said.

He said his party continues to strengthen supervision of the presence and activities of foreigners in Indonesian territory, for the sake of upholding the nation's sovereignty and ensuring that only foreigners who are legal and do not violate the law stay within Indonesian territory.

"The Class I Immigration Office of TPI Kupang will continue to coordinate with relevant agencies to carry out surveillance," he said.

During 2022, his party has only deported one foreign citizen (WNA). The only foreigner who was deported was EYM who was an Australian citizen.