Why you can be deported from Bali - several main reasons

In 2025, more tourists were deported from Bali than in the last few years. What are the reasons for being blacklisted?

In previous years, tourists were deported because of visa delays or organized criminal activity. But last year, an increasing number of tourists were blacklisted for disrespecting local culture and public order. Sometimes a tourist may not suspect that for a post in social networks or a photo shoot he may be deported.

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Causes of deportation from Bali - with examples and consequences

Let’s highlight some of the most common ones.

Provocative posts on social networks

When vacationing in Bali, remember that social media is a public space. A foreigner once used an insulting word in a tweet about an immigration office where he was unable to renew his visa. Immigration officials soon found out, and the tourist was arrested and deported. Yes, you can be expelled from Bali for a disrespectful post to culture, officials and people in general. The same goes for actions that defame Indonesia as a state.

To be honest, sometimes it’s hard to imagine what would trigger deportation from Bali. This could be a completely unexpected situation. A U.S. graphic designer was deported from Bali for selling his own e-book. It had tips on how to enter Bali despite Indonesia's borders being closed due to the pandemic, how to avoid coronavirus-related health and safety regulations and how to get around taxes.

Defiance, desecration of holy places

Since Bali reopened to international travel after the pandemic, millions of tourists have flocked to the island of the gods. A surge in unmanageable behavior has stripped the paradise island of some of the magic, forcing national and local officials to come up with new ways to deal with offenders. Shocking behavior is becoming more frequent. For example, people commit mocking actions in sacred places for Balinese for the sake of fame in social networks, insulting locals.

• Russian citizen arrested for photographing nude at sacred tree At the same time, the photo was noticed two years after its publication, and a tourist was detained at her villa.
• A German tourist disrupted the performance in the temple of Ubud, going on stage naked. A Danish woman was arrested for a similar violation in Bali. A Russian blogger took off his pants on the sacred Mount Agung after climbing the highest volcano in Bali. A Briton will face trial for assaulting a police officer when the former refused to pay the bar bill.

Do not forget that for committing acts contrary to public safety and order, desecration of culture, religions and customs of the Indonesian people will face deportation. Not to mention the moral side of the issue and respect.

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Working in Bali without a visa

If you have a tourist visa or any other non-employment visa in Indonesia, working in Bali is illegal. Any activity you are paid for is considered a business and breaks the law. Even freelance, including filming, blogging about travel and so on.

You may have seen dozens of photographers shooting on Balinese beaches. But it's a matter of luck. For example, an entire studio of 15 people, citizens of the United States and Canada, was arrested. The reason is the illegal use of tourist visas for photo shoots. Photographers, models, lighting technicians, hairdressers and makeup artists were deported simply for filming on the island without the appropriate visas.

Many people fall in love with Bali and decide to stay on the island while looking for work. The island is full of tourists illegally teaching surfing, meditation, massage. Many illegally work as hairdressers, tour guides, nannies and taxi drivers. Working for Balinese companies can be deported.

Please note that representatives of the Indonesian authorities have started an active search in social networks of tourists who violate the country’s migration policy. Therefore, the deportation of a photographer who offers his services on the Internet will not surprise anyone.

Trip to Papua

Due to the conflict between Papua and Indonesia, there are a number of unofficial restrictions, and tourists can be blacklisted. The latest story took place in 2023 with an Australian journalist during her honeymoon in Papua via Bali. She was also deported shortly thereafter.

Expired visa

Staying in Bali longer than your visa is a surefire way to be deported from the country. For a free visa up to 30 days, for a visa on arrival, which can be extended up to 60 days. If you are less than 30 days overdue, a daily fine is charged and after payment you can leave the country. But if you exceed your stay in Bali for more than 30 days, you will automatically be blacklisted for deportation.

Violation of visa conditions

Clarify all the nuances of the visa on which you are in Bali, otherwise you can get into an unpleasant story. The fact is that many firms help with the processing of visas in Bali, but not all after receiving money worry about the well-being of their customers. And visa subtleties simply can not count!

• Convert VITAS to ITAS. If you apply for a temporary stay visa before arriving in Bali, you will receive VITAS (Visa Tinggal Terbatas). Many foreigners think that VITAS will allow them to stay in the country for up to 2 years. But that's a big mistake. VITAS is just an entry visa to Bali and you will need to convert it to ITAS (Izin Tinggal Terbatas) at your local immigration office within 7 days of arrival. Otherwise, you will be deported and you will not be able to enter the country for at least 6 months.
• Work in a place other than the one indicated on the work permit. On a work visa, foreigners must work for the sponsoring company in the places indicated in their work permit. It can include more than one place. Sponsoring companies may at any time update the place of work in the work permit of a foreigner.
• Report a change of address. When changing the civil status of foreign workers, changing positions within the company or changing the place of residence, the sponsoring company must notify the relevant authorities. The authorities, in turn, will update their records and issue updated permits.
• False documents and purchased visas. Using a false or forged passport to obtain a visa or purchasing a residence permit to enter and reside in Indonesia may result in deportation and imprisonment. To be honest, visas to Bali are business. Those who want to stay longer, open business visas, look for sponsors. But such companies are not always conscientious and may not warn about all the nuances that often lead to trouble.

Any foreign nationals who stay in Indonesia for more than 183 days within 12 months must report their taxes.

Avoid frequent and short visas that put you in the sights of immigration.

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What to do after deportation

A person can return to Indonesia after being deported, provided his or her name is no longer on the Indonesian travel ban list. Those facing deportation from Indonesia have certain legal rights. These include: the right to be informed of the reasons for deportation, the right to legal representation, and the right to appeal to the Minister of Justice and Human Rights regarding a deportation decision.

What is a blacklist?

The Indonesian Prohibited List (Daftar Penangkalan) lists individuals who are banned from entering Indonesia for immigration reasons. This list exists in the Migration Management Information System (Sistem Informasi Manajemen Keimigrasian) along with the list of travel bans (daftar pencegahan). All immigration border guards and consular officers must review this list before issuing a visa or allowing anyone to enter (or exit) at an immigration checkpoint.

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How long can I be banned from entering?

The immigration law provides that the period of prohibition (periode penangkalan) is valid for 6 months, and each time it can be extended for another 6 months by a written decision of an authorized immigration officer. In theory, if there is no decision by the immigration officer to extend it, then the ban will be terminated by law.

As a last resort, an alien who is considered by immigration authorities to be capable of disturbing public safety and order may be banned from entering Indonesia for life. It is then impossible to contact an immigration officer to make a decision to lift the ban.

What if you want to return to Indonesia?

Regardless of the reason for deportation, it is advisable to wait 6 months before the ban period ends. After that, you should contact the headquarters of the Indonesian Immigration Service, the General Directorate of Immigration in Jakarta, in particular, the Sudirektorat Pencegahan dan Penangkalan (Subdit Cekal) Prevention and Prohibition Office.

It is usually almost impossible to contact Subdit Cekal by email or phone. It is much more productive to act through proxies or an attorney who can personally visit Subdit Cekal and check if your name is on the Daftar Penangkalan.

Stages of solution:

1. If the ban has not yet been lifted, you need to prepare a request to remove the name of the foreigner from the prohibited list and a sponsorship letter from the sponsor-citizen of Indonesia with stamp duty.
2. The sponsor, in principle, can be any citizen of Indonesia who acts as a guarantor. However, if the foreigner has a family in Indonesia, it is advisable that the sponsor is one of the relatives. You can also contact your friend, trusted agent or lawyer.
3. The immigration officer will schedule an interview with the sponsor and, if all is well, will issue Surat Keputusan Pencabutan Cekal. This process can usually take anywhere from 1 day to several weeks, depending on the workload of the immigration officer concerned.
4. An officer may reject a request to be removed from the prohibited entry list. However, this refusal must be given in writing stating the reason.
5. An appeal can then be made to the Director General of Immigration. If the answer is no, then the appeal remains to the State Administrative Court of Indonesia (Pengadilan Tata Usaha Negara).

Any foreign nationals who stay in Indonesia for more than 183 days within 12 months must report their taxes.

Avoid frequent and short visas that put you in the sights of immigration.

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How to avoid deportation

The media covered traffic accidents and careless driving, fights with local authorities and migration violations, topless driving and total nudity. Once, a group of foreigners filed a complaint about noise from roosters, which surprised residents of rural Bali.

All the above developments have led to the need for the Bali authorities to form a special tourism team Saptol PP, whose main purpose is to provide security and monitor the main tourist attractions throughout the island.

The Tourism Saptol PP team will consist of staff who are fluent in English and have a clear understanding of tourism in Bali. Priority will be given to lively tourist attractions such as Kuta Beach, Pandava and Pekatu.

And a few more points:

• The island now requires licensed guides to accompany foreigners.
• So that you don’t get in trouble, follow the visa rules. If you come on a sponsor visa, ask questions to the sponsor, make sure that everything is done correctly.
• Before you leave the house, read the rules of etiquette and the laws of the place of your vacation.
• Do not ignore signs while visiting attractions. Here you will find out what is allowed and what is forbidden.

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