Former Miss Universe Australia Tegan Martin has been left stranded in Bali after immigration at Denpasar airport refused to let her fly out due to her passport being damp.
The distressed 26-year-old Australian model uploaded a picture of her passport to Instagram on Friday, which appeared to show a small watermark in the top right corner.
‘Wasn’t allowed on my flight due to this watermark in the corner of my passport. Has this happened to anyone else?’ she asked her followers in the caption.
Stranded! Former Miss Universe Australia Tegan Martin has been left stranded in Bali after immigration at Denpasar airport refused to let her fly out due to her passport being damp (pictured at Melbourne airport earlier this month)
Oh dear: The distressed 26-year-old Australian model uploaded a picture of her passport to Instagram on Friday, which appeared to show a small watermark in the top right corner
‘So looks like I’m going to be in Bali for a little bit longer than expected. Thank you for everyone’s concern and for everyone’s advice, looks like this happened to a few people,’ a worried-looking Tegan said in a following video.
To make matters worse, Tegan was booked to appear at a charity gala in Sydney’s Pyrmont Point on Friday night, which she will no longer be able to attend.
‘I’m going to be missing my gorgeous friend Donny’s family charity gala tonight so I’m devastated about that I was really looking forward to it,’ she continued.
Missing out: To make matters worse, Tegan was booked to appear at a charity gala in Sydney’s Pyrmont Point on Friday night, which she will no longer be able to attend
Bali babe: Tegan is seen posing in a bikini during her recent trip to Bali
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tegan for comment.
This isn’t the first time an Australian has been left stranded in Bali after their passport was damaged.
Earlier this year, a teen girl was blocked from entering Bali and forced to spend 11 hours in an airport before she was sent home because of a tiny tear in her passport.
Lexi Karakostas, 16, flew to the Indonesian island from Melbourne with a friend in January but didn’t get further than the immigration desk.
Girls’ trip: Earlier today, Tegan also snapped a group image of her with her friends, which included The Bachelor’s Keira Maguire, at the luxurious Finns VIP day club
In happier times: Tegan has been on holiday at the lavish Bliss Sanctuary For Women retreat in Ubud since Monday
Tegan and the schoolgirl are one of dozens of Australians who have been turned away at Denpasar Airport in recent months with only minor damage to their documents.
A major crackdown by the Southeast Asian country also fined airlines US$5,000 ($7,131) for each passenger denied entry under the strict rule.
Lexi said a customs official took one look at her two-year-old passport, which had a small tear down the spine next to the main page, and pulled her aside.
‘The woman there said “look at the passport” to a man next to her and he took me to the immigration office,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
There she was asked if the passport was damaged on the plane, but she said it happened in Europe where she travelled without issue last year.
Not the first time: This isn’t the first time an Australian has been left stranded in Bali after their passport was damaged. Earlier this year, Lexi Karakostas, 16, was blocked from entering Bali and forced to spend 11 hours in an airport before she was sent home because of a tiny tear in her passport
After some discussion, the situation seemed to be resolved, at least for the eight-day trip that was supposed to be her first visit to Bali.
‘He said they were going to let me in but mark my passport so I couldn’t come back again with it,’ Lexi said.
‘But then the first lady from the desk nudged him and they talked in Indonesian. Then he had me follow him inside the office.’
Inside, she sat in front of an immigration official who told her she would not be allowed in to Indonesia as her passport was damaged, and instead be sent home.
Tiny tear: She was denied entry because her two-year-old passport (pictured) had a small tear down the spine next to the main page
Lexi said she immediately burst into tears as she was alone and her friend and the friend’s father who they planned to stay were not allowed in to see her.
‘I was hysterical, I didn’t know what to do,’ she said.
Lexi said she had to try to sleep on a chair or on the floor of the airport as it closed overnight, while customs officers watched over her.
‘It was scary, I was by myself in a country I’d never been in and didn’t have my family or friend there. It was traumatising,’ she said.
‘I don’t understand the rule or what it’s for. They never explained it.’
Her passport was not returned to her until she was escorted to her seat on the Jetstar flight in the morning.
Lexi’s mother Susan Karakostas said she was shocked when her daughter called her hysterical and bawling her eyes out late at night.
Ms Karakostas said she understood Indonesia was following its laws and procedures, but was unhappy Lexi flew all the way there before a problem was noted.
‘I called the embassy and they said it’s happened to a lot of Australians as Indonesia appears to be cracking down, especially in the last month.’
Ms Karakostas said officials told her Denpasar’s immigration was ‘sending droves of people home’ with minor damage to their passports.
‘We want to warn other travellers who might not know about this that they need to check their passports before they leave,’ she said.
Tears: Lexi said she immediately burst into tears as she was alone and her friend and the friend’s father who they planned to stay were not allowed in to see her
Meanwhile, just one day ago, Tegan was enjoying happier times, posting an image of herself in a skimpy bikini holding a beverage and writing to her more than 117,000 followers how ‘blessed’ she was.
‘To be served lemon waters & fresh coconuts instead of cocktails on a holiday. To the beautiful married couple I sat next to on my flight over who are still checking up on me ☺️ – For new discoveries about myself in this environment that has given me the space to sit in peace & reflect on my life #Followyourbliss,’ she wrote.
Earlier on Friday before the fracas, Tegan snapped a group image of her with her friends, which included The Bachelor’s Keira Maguire, at the luxurious Finns VIP day club.
Tegan has been on holiday at the lavish Bliss Sanctuary For Women retreat in Ubud since Monday.