BADUNG, DEWATA.NEWS – Bali’s regional office of the Directorate General of Immigration has opened special assistance services in several hotels to help foreign nationals affected by flight disruptions linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The initiative aims to assist travelers whose flights have been canceled and who are temporarily stranded in Bali.
Head of the Bali Regional Immigration Office, Felucia Sengky Ratna, said the government has deployed officers directly to hotels to provide faster services and ensure affected visitors receive legal certainty regarding their stay.
“We provide officers on site to ensure convenience, comfort, and certainty for foreign nationals affected by the situation,” Ratna said in Denpasar on Tuesday.
Immigration help desks have been established at two hotels frequently used by airlines to accommodate stranded passengers: Mercure Nusa Dua and Ibis Kuta.
The services are part of a proactive outreach program, complementing similar assistance available at the international terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and immigration offices across Bali.
Authorities are providing two main services for affected visitors: emergency stay permits and a temporary waiver of overstay penalties.
The emergency permit, known as Izin Tinggal Keadaan Terpaksa (ITKT), allows foreign nationals to remain legally in Indonesia while waiting for new flight arrangements.
Under Indonesia’s immigration law, foreigners who overstay their visas for less than 60 days are normally subject to a fine of IDR 1 million per day.
However, immigration authorities are temporarily waiving the penalty for travelers affected by canceled flights related to the Middle East situation.
To access the service, foreign nationals must present several documents, including their original passport, a canceled airline ticket, and official confirmation from the airline regarding the flight cancellation.
Ratna said the government is also providing flexibility, allowing affected travelers to process their stay permits at any immigration office in Bali.
Currently, Bali has three immigration offices located in Ngurah Rai, Denpasar, and Singaraja.
According to preliminary data, from the start of flight cancellations on February 28 until Monday (March 9), authorities have issued 321 emergency stay permits and granted zero overstay penalties to 43 foreign nationals.
The disruption has affected a large number of travelers on international routes from Bali, particularly flights to Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.
Immigration records show that around 11,600 foreign nationals in Bali have been impacted by the cancellations.
“That number is extraordinary for Bali alone. We hope the situation can return to normal soon,” Ratna said.