Indonesia deploys AI and drones for enhanced foreigner surveillance

Indonesia is significantly upgrading its immigration services by integrating advanced digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to bolster the surveillance of foreign nationals. The Directorate General of Immigration aims for technology to form the backbone of 70 percent of its services by 2045, signaling a major shift towards a digitally driven operational model.

Director General Hendarsam Marantoko highlighted the use of AI alongside other digital tools, such as drones, to monitor border areas. This "digital fence" program is designed to track entries and exits, particularly along Indonesia's extensive land borders. At major entry points like I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, facial recognition technology is already in use to identify and record every arriving foreigner.

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Going forward, technology will account for 70 percent of the backbone of immigration services.

Beyond surveillance, the immigration department is also focusing on making its services more accessible and tailored to different regions. In Bali, a major tourist hub, the immigration office has established services within popular tourist spots like the Kuta shopping center. This initiative, launched in July 2026, serves an average of 100-120 foreign nationals daily seeking residence permits.

The Directorate General of Immigration has developed a comprehensive technology architecture plan extending to 2045. A dedicated working group will soon be formed to further discuss and implement this long-term technological vision, ensuring that immigration processes become more efficient and secure through advanced digital solutions.

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We have a program called the digital fence, using drones in certain areas, especially through the back roads. So, people's entry and exit will be monitored.