Immigration officials say the Italian national could be barred from returning to Indonesia for up to 10 years after serving his criminal sentence.
An Italian national has been deported from Bali after completing a criminal sentence for assaulting a local resident and overstaying his Indonesian visa by more than three years, immigration officials said.
The 41-year-old man, identified only by his initials JF, was removed from Indonesia on Friday night via Ngurah Rai International Airport, with Rome listed as his final destination.
According to Denpasar Immigration Detention Center chief Teguh Mentalyadi, the deportation followed the completion of a three-month court-ordered supervision sentence related to an assault case in Denpasar.
“JF completed his criminal supervision period on July 17. He has now been deported under Indonesia’s Immigration Law,” Teguh said in a statement on Saturday.
Assault Video Went Viral
The case first attracted public attention after a video of the assault circulated widely on Indonesian social media.
According to police, the incident occurred on April 8 in Denpasar, when JF allegedly became irritated by the sound of his neighbor cooking early in the morning.
Authorities said an argument broke out between the Italian man and his neighbor’s wife. When the husband, identified only as KR, attempted to calm the situation, JF allegedly slapped him across the face.
The victim later reported the incident to Denpasar Police.
An Indonesian court subsequently found JF guilty of minor assault, sentencing him to three months under supervised criminal monitoring.
More Than Three Years Overstaying
While handling the assault case, immigration authorities also discovered that JF had remained in Indonesia 1,154 days beyond the expiration of his stay permit, equivalent to more than three years.
Officials described the violation as a serious breach of Indonesia’s immigration regulations.
Following the completion of his criminal sentence, immigration authorities transferred him to immigration custody before arranging his deportation.
Possible Long-Term Entry Ban
Immigration authorities have also proposed placing JF on Indonesia’s immigration blacklist, preventing him from returning to the country.
Under Indonesian immigration law, foreign nationals who are deported for serious immigration or public order violations may be barred from re-entering Indonesia for up to 10 years, or even permanently in exceptional cases.
The final decision on the length of any entry ban will be made by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration after reviewing the full circumstances of the case.
A Reminder for Foreign Residents
The case serves as a reminder that criminal convictions and immigration violations are treated as separate matters under Indonesian law.
Even after completing a criminal sentence imposed by the courts, foreign nationals who violate immigration regulations may still face administrative sanctions, including detention, deportation, and long-term restrictions on returning to Indonesia.
For expatriates, long-term visitors, and digital nomads living in Bali, the case underscores the importance of maintaining valid immigration status and complying with local laws, as immigration consequences can continue long after criminal proceedings have ended.