Indonesia is expanding the use of digital technologies to monitor foreign nationals, including artificial intelligence, facial recognition systems, specialized databases, and drones for border surveillance.
Hendarsam Marantoko, Director General of Indonesia’s Immigration Service, stated that in the future, technology should account for about 70% of the immigration system’s operational infrastructure. The statement was made during the opening of the Immigration Lounge in Bali.
Part of the new system is already operational. Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali uses automated border gates and facial recognition to verify passengers against their travel documents and immigration databases. In April 2026, this technology helped identify a foreign national arriving in Bali who was wanted by U.S. law enforcement agencies.
Another key component is the Subject of Interest (SOI) system. It is integrated with the central immigration information system SIMKIM and enables officials to check, in near real time, on foreigners of heightened interest to law enforcement agencies, analyze their data, and decide on further actions.
At the same time, Indonesia is developing the “Digital Fence” project. The Immigration Service, in collaboration with the Bandung Institute of Technology, is working on using drones to patrol hard-to-reach border areas and detect people crossing the border outside of official checkpoints.
The digitization of border control also affects ordinary foreigners legally residing in or vacationing in the country. Hotels, apartments, guesthouses, and other lodging facilities use the APOA app—Aplikasi Pelaporan Orang Asing—to submit information about foreign residents to immigration authorities. In 2026, the authorities continue to expand the use of this system.
At the same time, on-the-ground monitoring is being strengthened. The country operates the PIMPASA program—Petugas Imigrasi Pembina Desa—under which immigration officers are assigned to specific communities and collaborate with local authorities and residents. Their tasks include gathering information on the whereabouts and activities of foreign nationals and the early detection of potential violations.
This new model is being applied particularly actively in Bali, where authorities intensified checks on foreign nationals in 2026. During the first phase of Operation Dharma Dewata, the immigration service identified 62 foreign nationals with various violations. In the next phase, another 66 people were detained or summoned for inspection. Among the most common violations cited were failure to comply with registration and public order rules, misuse of a residence permit, and overstaying the permitted period of stay.
However, tighter controls do not mean the introduction of new restrictions directly on the purchase of real estate or the acquisition of residence permits by foreigners. The focus is primarily on deeper digital integration of existing immigration controls: the authorities want to know when and through which port of entry a person entered the country, on what basis they are in Indonesia, where they reside, and whether their actual activities correspond to the type of visa or residence permit they hold.
For foreign property owners, investors, and long-term residents of Bali, the practical implication of these changes is that discrepancies between visa status and actual activities will become easier to detect. This applies, for example, to working on a tourist visa, overstaying one’s visa, or engaging in commercial activities without the appropriate authorization.
Indonesian authorities view these tighter controls as part of a broader immigration strategy. In June 2026, the head of the immigration service identified its three main elements: strengthening border controls, monitoring foreigners within the country, and integrating digital services.
