RRI.CO.ID, Jambi City - Two Yemeni nationals are set to be deported from Indonesia after authorities accused them of attempting to illegally obtain Indonesian travel documents.

The suspects, identified by their initials FAM(27) and AHM (24), allegedly attempted to obtain Indonesian passports by misusing local civil registration documents, according to Petrus Teguh Aprianto, head of the Jambi office of the Immigration Directorate General.

“This operation is the result of collaboration between the Jambi Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration and the Class I Immigration Office at Jambi’s immigration checkpoint. Every immigration violation will be dealt with firmly, without exception,” Petrus said in Jambi on February 18, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Authorities said the two men entered Indonesia through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on January 23, 2026, using 60-day C1 tourist visit visas. Instead of carrying out activities consistent with their visa status, they allegedly used Indonesian civil documents to apply for Indonesian passports.

FAM and AHM submitted their applications through the M-Paspor online system and arrived at the Class I Immigration Office in Jambi at 8:15 a.m. local time on January 29 to follow up on the request. They were accompanied by two Indonesian citizens and presented electronic identity cards (e-KTP), family cards, and birth certificates as supporting documents.

Immigration officers grew suspicious during the biometric recording interview when the two men were unable to respond properly to questions due to their inability to speak Indonesian. Officers then escorted them to an examination room for further questioning by the immigration intelligence and enforcement team.

During the interrogation, Petrus said, both men admitted they were Yemeni nationals. They claimed they had applied for Indonesian travel documents at the direction of an individual identified by the initials JFFR, whom they met in Saudi Arabia. The individual has since been unreachable.

Officers seized several items as evidence, including Yemeni passports, C1 visas, electronic ID cards, family cards, and birth certificates.

Based on the investigation, authorities suspect the two men violated Law No. 6/2011 on Immigration, particularly Article 122(a) concerning the misuse of immigration permits and Article 126(c) regarding attempts to obtain Indonesian travel documents through unlawful means. They were also found to have met the criteria under Article 75 of the same law, which allows immigration authorities to impose administrative sanctions.

The Class I Immigration Office in Jambi has revoked their stay permits and placed them in detention at the immigration facility pending deportation. Authorities also plan to propose their inclusion on Indonesia’s prevention and deterrence list, which would bar them from reentering the country.

Hubertus Hence Marbun, head of the Class I Immigration Office in Jambi, stressed that immigration law enforcement remains the government’s top priority. “Enforcement of immigration law is our top priority in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and public order,” Hubertus said.

He also urged the public to play an active role in monitoring foreign nationals. “Immigration supervision will be effective if the public actively participates by reporting suspicious activities involving foreign nationals to the nearest immigration office,” he said.

Preliminary findings indicate the two men had just arrived in Indonesia for the first time and may have been deceived by individuals whose whereabouts remain under investigation.

“From the results of our examination of the two foreign nationals, this was their first time entering Indonesia. We suspect they were deceived by certain individuals whose whereabouts we are still tracing,” Hubertus added. ***