Until the situation in China returns to normal, the immigration office will grant a 30-day extension to their stay permits in Indonesia
Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - Nearly 966 Chinese nationals in Bali have requested immigration offices in Denpasar city, Ngurah Rai international airport, and Singaraja district, in Bali province, for a visa extension, an official said in Kerobokan, Badung district, today. Of total 966 China's nationals, 623 submitted their requests at Ngurah Rai immigration office, 270 in the Denpasar immigration office, while 73 others had filed their documents in Singaraja, a port town in northern Bali.

"Until late Monday, February 24, 966 Chinese nationals currently staying in Bali have filed for a visa extension under force majeure condition. We also have denied entry into Bali to 107 foreign nationals," the Law and Human Rights Ministry's Bali office head, Sutrisno, said, Tuesday.

Any Chinese national can request for a visa extension as long as the situation in their home country remains critical owing to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, he explained. The virus has now infected people in more than 30 countries outside mainland China.

"Until the situation in China returns to normal, the immigration office will grant a 30-day extension to their stay permits in Indonesia," Sutrisno reaffirmed while explaining that the measure was in accordance with Indonesia's regulations.

The measure is also necessary for humanitarian reasons, he also believed.

In the midst of the outbreak, immigration officers have constantly worn masks in anticipation of the virus, Sutrisno said. The Indonesian authority has also notified airlines to remain vigilant for any possibility of passengers suffering from COVID-19, he added. (INE)

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Reporter: Ayu Khania P/Genta Tenri Mawan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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