The global pandemic has caused many foreign nationals to extend their stay in Bali.
The conflict is that they must extend their visa every month, and in order to do so, they must pay a fee.
A Malaysian national, known as James, has been residing in Bali for the past 10 months and decided to voice his opinion on the matter.
The Indonesian government initially gave leverage in allowing stranded expats to remain in Bali on a free emergency visa.
However, the policy was revised in August 2020, as the cost of the visa went up to USD $85.70 (IDR1.2 mill) per month.
Come December, the government once again renewed the policy, raising the fee to USD $357 (IDR5 mill) for the first 30 days, followed by USD $56 per month for the following four consecutive months.
“Many expats decided to stay here for several different reasons, such as security, health, etc. So I hope the Indonesian government will reduce the cost for visa extensions,” said James.
There is also a penalty of USD $71.4 (IDR1 mill) per day for foreigners who fail to extend their visa on time. In this regard, James mentioned it is a heavy consequence financially in such a difficult time.
Meanwhile the Head of Bali Law and Human Rights Ministry, Jamaruli Manihuruk said that five expats have been deported since the start of this year.
“There are currently 30 thousand expats who decided to stay in Bali until today,” Jamaruli said.
He admitted that some of them were found in terrible conditions, including a 34-year-old man named Lazovski Victor from Belarus, who was found roaming Denpasar city without money to support himself.
Additionally, other foreigners have been arrested for committing crimes such as stealing or selling drugs to make a living.
