Bali Begins Crackdown On Tourists And Digital Nomads Misusing Pre-Investment Visas

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Bali is hot on visa and passport violations. From blocking tourists from entering the province for microscopic passport damage to deporting tourists for overstaying or exploiting the grey areas of digital nomadism, the province’s zero-tolerance approach to visa abuse is being stepped up a notch. 

The next target for immigration teams in Bali is the pre-investment visa. With options valid for one or two years and allowing stays of up to 180 days at a time, the visa category is designed for foreigners who want to invest in Indonesia. 

The visa permits very specific business activities related to starting a business, including but not limited to field surveys or feasibility studies, setting up deals, and preparing business premises for trading. 

However, since the visa category allows foreigners to stay in the country for up to 180 days at a time over a two-year period, there are concerns that the visa category is being exploited by foreigners who want to relocate to Bali long-term but fail to meet the stringent criteria needed to apply for other visa categories such as KITAS, KITAP, the second home visa, and the golden visa categories. 

The Bali Provincial Government has announced they want to tighten the conditions on which foreigners can be granted pre-investment and investment visas.

The issue is being fast-tracked following the deportation of a dozen foreigners this month who violated the law while on investment visas and tourist visas on arrival. 

The Bali Regional Secretary, Dewa Made Indra, told reporters, “Yes, friends at Immigration must make an evaluation, meaning that with this incident, they will be more careful and selective, [applicants] must be checked first.”

He added, “We always suggest that verification of research on passports and visas or visiting visas be stricter to prevent this because that is the first filter, so if that is clear, then it is relatively easier to implement.”

Indra confirmed that on behalf of the Bali Provincial Government, he has submitted formal complaints to officials in the central government, including the Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, and the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno.

Indra shared his gratitude for the efforts of Bali Immigration teams to keep a close eye on foreigners across the province, but it was clear that more needs to be done to combat the issue of visa abuse.

He added, “If [foreign] workers are positive, especially if they encourage economic growth, it’s good, but if it’s like this [illegal activities], it’s something that pollutes tourism.”

Indra’s commitment to irradiating misuse of visas in Bali has been backed up by statements issued by the Minister of Law and Human, Supratman Andi Agtas, last week.

Minister Agtas told the media, “We have asked for supervision regarding the existence of foreign citizens whose immigration documents are problematic. On the one hand, we need investment. On the other hand, we hope for an investment that does not create something that actually harms our economy and Bali in particular.”

Following a series of deportations of foreigners from Bali over the last two weeks, the Head of the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center, Gede Duty Duwita, told reporters that the zero-tolerance approach will be upheld across the province. With some 200,000 foreigners residing in Bali on long-stay visas, immigration is committed to ensuring everyone is operating above the law. 

Duitwa told the media, “We want to emphasize that Indonesia is a country that upholds the rule of law, and anyone who violates it will face the appropriate consequences. Deportation is our effort to maintain order and security in the territory of Indonesia.”

Even with visa crackdowns and closer surveillance of the activities of foreigners in the province of Bali, it remains the case that the most appropriate visa for most holidaymakers and short-stay travelers to Bali is the 30-day visa on arrival or visa on arrival. The visa costs IDR 500,000 and can be extended one time for a further 30 days.