Trying to enter Indonesia with a fake passport? Think again. The consequences are severe, and three Pakistani nationals learned this the hard way. Their attempt to use forged documents at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport ended in their arrest.
Minister of Immigration and Corrections (Menimipas) Agus Andrianto emphasized the government’s strict monitoring of foreign nationals attempting to enter Indonesia illegally with fake passport.
“The Immigration Office will closely monitor foreigners who enter Indonesia through improper procedures, especially those who may pose security risks,” Agus said in an official statement on Monday (17/1/2028).
This statement followed an incident at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. On Wednesday (12/02/2025), three Pakistani nationals arrived with fake French passports and counterfeit ID cards, attempting to enter Indonesia at around 16:30.
Investigations revealed that the suspects were involved in human smuggling. Their goal was to transit through Indonesia before heading to a third country—Europe.
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“Their motive was human smuggling. They planned to use Indonesia as a transit point before continuing to Europe, which is why they used fake French passports,” said Johanes Fanny Satria, Head of the Class I Special Immigration Office at Soekarno-Hatta, as quoted by Antara on Tuesday (18/2/2025).
The three suspects, identified as SZ, TS, and MZ, arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok. They initially applied for a Visa on Arrival and attempted to pass through the autogate system. However, their passports failed to be detected.
“They arrived from Bangkok using a Thai Airways flight. Since they were carrying French passports, they applied for a Visa on Arrival and proceeded through the autogate. But the system did not recognize their passports,” explained Yuldi Yusman, Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement.
Further inspection uncovered the truth. The suspects had originally used their Pakistani passports when departing from Bangkok. However, upon arrival in Indonesia, they switched to fake French passports in an attempt to enter undetected. Officials also discovered their original Pakistani passports.
The case highlights the importance of immigration surveillance, even with advanced technologies like autogates. Agus reaffirmed that security remains a priority.
“Although autogates improve efficiency, immigration supervision must remain a top priority to prevent threats like terrorism, transnational crime, and illegal immigration,” he stressed.
SZ, TS, and MZ are now under investigation for immigration violations. They have been charged under Article 119, Paragraph (2) of Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration. The law stipulates that deliberately using forged travel documents can result in a prison sentence of up to five years and a maximum fine of IDR 500 million.
Their case serves as a warning to others. Indonesia remains vigilant in monitoring illegal immigration attempts, ensuring that individuals trying to manipulate the system face the full force of the law.
