Indonesia reviews visa-free entry after foreign cybercrime and gambling crackdowns

Indonesia’s immigration authorities are evaluating the country’s visa-free entry policy following a series of arrests involving foreign nationals suspected of participating in cybercrime, online fraud and international gambling syndicates across several regions of the country.

The Directorate General of Immigration under the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections said the review includes the Visa-Free Visit Facility (BVK), after authorities recorded multiple recent operations targeting foreign nationals allegedly linked to transnational criminal networks.

“Cases involving foreign nationals engaged in illegal activities, including those originating from countries receiving Visa-Free Visit facilities, have become part of our evaluation,” Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko said in a statement issued in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The evaluation follows at least five recent crackdowns involving foreign nationals in several parts of Indonesia, including Sentul in Bogor Regency, Sukabumi in West Java, Batam in the Riau Islands, and most recently the Hayam Wuruk area of West Jakarta.

Authorities said the cases involved allegations ranging from online investment fraud and romance scams to international online gambling operations.

Hayam Wuruk operation

The largest recent case involved 320 foreign nationals suspected of being connected to an international online gambling syndicate uncovered in the Hayam Wuruk area of West Jakarta.

The operation was conducted jointly by the Directorate General of Immigration and the Indonesian National Police. The foreign nationals were transferred on Sunday, 10 May 2026, to the Jakarta Immigration Detention Centre and Immigration headquarters for further examination of their immigration status and possible legal violations.

According to immigration authorities, the 320 individuals consisted of 224 men and 96 women. Male detainees were accommodated at the Jakarta Immigration Detention Centre, while female detainees were placed at facilities managed by the Directorate General of Immigration.

Initial investigations showed that most of the detainees were using Visit Stay Permits (ITK), Visa on Arrival (VoA) facilities and Visa-Free Visit (BVK) arrangements.

The group allegedly consisted of 228 Vietnamese nationals, 57 Chinese nationals, 13 Myanmar nationals, 11 Laotians, five Thai nationals, three Malaysians and three Cambodians.

Authorities also identified 15 sponsors responsible for facilitating the presence of the foreign nationals in Indonesia.

Hendarsam said investigators found that some suspects had not yet begun carrying out illegal activities, while others had only recently started operating.

“Investigations at several locations involving suspected scammers showed that many suspects had not yet begun operating, while some had only recently started,” he said.

“This indicates that our monitoring system is functioning proactively before criminal activity can occur on a wider scale,” he added.

Series of foreign syndicate cases

The Hayam Wuruk case was one of several recent operations involving foreign nationals suspected of cyber-related crimes in Indonesia.

In Batam, authorities detained 210 foreign nationals allegedly linked to online investment fraud schemes. The group included 125 Vietnamese nationals, 84 Chinese nationals and one Myanmar national.

In Sukabumi, West Java, investigators detained 16 foreign nationals suspected of involvement in “love scamming” operations. Those arrested included 12 Chinese nationals, one Taiwanese national and three Malaysian nationals.

Immigration authorities also referred to the arrest of 13 Japanese nationals in Sentul, Bogor Regency, although details regarding that case were not disclosed in the statement.

Most of the foreign nationals arrested in Batam and Hayam Wuruk were found to be using Visit Stay Permits, Visa on Arrival facilities and visa-free entry arrangements.

The growing number of cases has become a major concern for Indonesian immigration authorities as they seek to strengthen supervision over foreign nationals entering and residing in the country.

Visa-free policy under review

Indonesia currently grants visa-free entry facilities to nationals from several countries for tourism and short-term visits. Authorities said recent cases involving foreign syndicates had prompted a reassessment of whether the policy required tighter controls.

Hendarsam said the government remained committed to applying what Indonesian authorities describe as the “selective principle” in immigration policy, under which only foreign nationals considered beneficial and non-threatening are permitted to remain in Indonesia.

“From the perspective of immigration supervision, we emphasise that only foreigners who provide benefits and do not endanger security and public order may remain within Indonesian territory,” he said.

“Any form of violation, including involvement in illegal activities such as online gambling, will be dealt with firmly in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations,” he added.

He also said the policy review was intended to minimise social and economic risks arising from crimes involving foreign nationals.

“We hope the spirit of ‘Immigration for the People’ will help mitigate social and economic risks arising from illegal activities by foreign nationals, while ensuring that the selective principle continues to operate optimally in safeguarding national security,” Hendarsam said.

Immigration supervision and enforcement

Responding to criticism suggesting weak border controls, Hendarsam rejected claims that Indonesia’s immigration system had been compromised.

“I need to clarify that Immigration has not been ‘breached’. On the contrary, the successful arrests of foreign nationals in various locations demonstrate the effectiveness of our intelligence functions in carrying out early detection of violations involving foreign nationals,” he said.

He added that close coordination between immigration authorities and the Indonesian National Police had contributed to the successful operation against the 320 foreign nationals in Hayam Wuruk.

According to immigration data, between 1 January and 5 May 2026 the Directorate General of Immigration carried out 6,779 immigration administrative actions (TAK).

These included 2,026 residence permit cancellations, 2,026 deportations, 1,404 detentions and 1,323 blacklist actions.

Authorities said the Directorate General of Immigration’s integrated monitoring system was capable of detecting overstays and preventing foreign nationals who violated regulations from leaving Indonesia before administrative sanctions or legal processes were completed.

Sanctions can include administrative fines, detention, deportation and blacklisting from re-entering Indonesia.

In addition to investigating foreign nationals, immigration authorities said they were also examining the role of sponsors or guarantors who facilitated their presence in Indonesia.

Hendarsam stated that immigration investigators, known as Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS), have authority under Indonesian immigration law to pursue legal action against both foreign nationals and sponsors suspected of involvement in immigration-related offences.

“To strengthen security measures, the Directorate General of Immigration continues to build intensive cooperation with the Indonesian National Police,” he said.

The cooperation includes joint investigations aimed at addressing transnational crimes involving foreign syndicates operating in Indonesia.