Leaders in Bali have raised concerns that a number of marriages between foreigners and Balinese people are not true romantic relationships.
Many political leaders in Bali are concerned that there is a rising number of marriages between foreigners and Balinese people taking place so that foreigners can short circuit the immigration process and own land.

The issue has been formally tabled at the 12th Plenary Meeting of the Bali DPRD, by provincial politician I Gusti Ayu Mas Sumatri. He told the house “Where it is reported that some foreign tourists commit fraudulent practices by doing contract marriages with local people for the purpose of being able to buy or control property in Bali.”
He continued “Please the Governor coordinate with the relevant agencies for the supervision of foreigners in Bali, especially Immigration and Police.”
This has been an issue that has been a focal point for the Bali Provincial Government since 2023, at which time Governor Koster gave conformation on his stance regarding what is referred to as ‘contract marriages’ rather than ‘sacred marriage’.
Speaking at the time, Governor Koster explained “I need to remind [the public of] this, and we have to take it seriously.” Adding “These local residents are used by contract marriage foreigners, to simplify the transfer of their interests, namely the control of assets.”
He continued, “This is dangerous for Bali in the future, getting married for a while, getting divorced. Married for a while, divorced. Married for a while, divorced, and finally, we will face problems in the future. The land has been owned so.”
Governor Koster spoke of his concerns that any rise in such a practice would risk damage to Balinese culture and Balinese values.
He added, “The utilization of local Balinese residents by foreigners is increasing for the benefit of asset control which implies the threat of increasing function experts and land ownership, as well as the occurrence of community moral degradation.”
He concluded “Prohibiting foreigners from owning or controlling land in Bali, directly and indirectly, namely by taking advantage of marital status with local Balinese manners. We have to control this.”
While Governor Koster has given no such updates that would suggest that his stance on the matter has changed since 2023, it is clear that politicians like Sumatri want to see more done in practice to prohibit these kinds of business marriage agreements.
What this line of inquiry hasn’t spoken to yet, is the impact such investigations will have on interracial couples in Bali who are living within loving, legitimate marriages.
It is not uncommon, and in fact, there are hundreds of couples in Bali, for whom one partner is Balinese, the other is a foreign national, and part of their building a life together has involved also building a business together, oftentimes within the tourism or hospitality sector, or catering to the international market.

What is clear is that authorities in Bali are on a mission to stamp out illegal behaviour and exploitation of Balinese law of any kind, but especially in reference to the tourism sector, and the actions of foreigners on the island.
Another key focus area for the Balinese government right now is to clamp down on illegally operating private tourism villas. The Deputy Regent of Badung, Bagus Alit Sucipta, spoke with reporters this week about he and his team’s plan to improve the supervision of tourists accommodation in Badung Regency.

Badung Regency is the busiest tourism area in Bali, home to resorts like Canggu, Seminyak, and Uluwatu. Sucipta raised concerns that while tourist arrival figures are rising hotel occupancy rates are falling.
This discrepancy suggests that tourists are staying in unregistered and illegally operating accommodations across the island; whether knowingly or unknowingly.
Leaders are concerned that there is a high number of foreigners in the province operating illegal rental accommodation businesses.
He noted, “We will make regulations regarding this issue so that there are levies that go to the regional government with foreign entrepreneurs who build villas, but are using permits that are not for villas.”

Badung Regency Government revealed that in an assessment that was completed in June 2024, that 226 tourism rental villas were found to have been built and operating in the area, under the false premise on their registration permits of being luxury residential homes.
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WAYAN BO
Monday 14th of April 2025
Anyway fake stranger marriage: With only one woman is like no woman. - True marriage is to be married with many woman’s 🤣
Steve bm
Sunday 13th of April 2025
You don't need to be married to a bule tamu xpat tourist etc any Indonesian can strike up a deal for the paperwork and certs etc it's a farce to say married and make it a married thing yes many are but a shitload aren't married. DUH it's just an arrangement Duh
Steve bm
Saturday 12th of April 2025
I will start by saying there is far more married to Indonesians born outside of bali than to Balinese and that's because they don't want to follow bali customs and pay for and follow all the ceremonies and when you have 3 children as myself all the ceremonies and for buying temples and house ceremonies alot don't have a clue what's involved. So everything is in my wife's name land houses motorbikes and pick up I own nothing on paper if I die besok the family safe. I obviously went Hindu same day as our wedding ceremony but I'm not very good at following it daily but of course wife and kids born into it my 3 kids brought up obviously speaking true bahasha bai and bahasha Indonesia before picking up English slowly slowly. So cut to the chase just police it check every marriage especially the paperwork and domicile village banjar paperwork because these xpats have been robbing bali as long as I can remember and there are no books alot is mates word of mouth so . Set up a reward system to dob them in they are everywhere offer a reward of 2 mil for a dob in and deport them pronto no detention DEPORT them and throw the lokal beneficiaries or nominees in jail they loose the lot. Get cracking
Steve bm
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Randy, all seriousness m8 who cares about US and Shortys Sydney
Steve bm
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Randy, agree , I'm all for a major crackdown and reward system and dob in and deport
Steve bm
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Shorty, you put 3 question marks but this is my 4th reply to you.. Are you in deep
Steve bm
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Shorty, what system did I beat to get married to Balinese??? There's no system to beat to get married it's only small marriages that are highly on the nose
Randy
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Shorty, It is ironic indeed! Don’t get me started of what’s happening in the US, the same irony is played out without going into the nitty gritty to say the least. It is repulsive!!
JR
Friday 11th of April 2025
I think what the goverment needs to do is go into the homes and video the married couple doing the deed. Just to make sure it is a real marrage
kristin
Tuesday 15th of April 2025
@JR, actually, they did that for my marriage license in 2017....so yeah they came to our house interviewed family members, took pictures of us and our home and had us show pictures of our ongoing relationship since 2011.
Wim
Sunday 13th of April 2025
@wp, He JR hoe had je dat gedacht je ligt met je vrouw in bed en dan komt de camera ploeg filmen.
Viktor Z
Sunday 13th of April 2025
@JR,
Nah, they can fake that too in the name of mutual pleasure..
Exp
Friday 11th of April 2025
Whipping up xenophobia to a new level now?
Non-citizens cannot own or control land no matter how much married they are to an Indonesian citizen. Just check who is named on the land certificates. I highly doubt they will find any non-citizens names, and if so that is illegal.
The real issue in Bali is that land prices are out of control so that common Balinese no longer can own land as large areas converted into tourist zones with sky high prices. And as a matter of fact prices outside the tourist zones are sky high as well. Maybe they can check how much land owned by the Javanese before going after Balinese married to foreigners.
Steve bm
Tuesday 15th of April 2025
@Exp, that's totally correct no one needs to be married to sign up for DODGY expats I'm can't fathom why anyone with a heart beat is the main focus but start the deportations NOW hahaha love to see these dodgy xpats squirming. I would encourage any Indonesian in dodgy dealings with xpats to steal the lot and send them packing !!
Peter
Tuesday 15th of April 2025
@Randy, hey randy yank,when are you going home mate Donald needs you bye bye
Randy
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Shorty, thank you for clearing up again that Javanese are also Indonesians. Many Aussies still think that Bali is a country!! Some never set foot in Java or elsewhere in Indonesia or even in Jakarta. I find that repulsive...
Randy
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Exp, Javanese are Indonesians as well. They can own practically anywhere except unscrupulous foreigners who will try to beat the system. Apparently many Australians have figured out of disrespect that Bali is a country and not part of the province of Indonesia. Bali is NOT a clear example of what truly Indonesia is. The mentality, and culture in Bali are very very much different than the rest of Indonesia and some clueless foreigners may put Bali on a new level because it is Hindu and not predominantly Christian or Muslim for that matter. But Unity and diversity have kept Indonesia intact but some outsiders may want to create animosity among the locals.
Stop playing the victim card, it’s getting real old.
This is an English paper online and therefore many of the problems in Bali is obviously concentrated on foreigners finding loopholes to stay or own a piece of land through whatever means that is possible. At the end of the day, NO foreigners would own anything in Indonesia, it’s better that way! Or set up a PT yourself if you have the money and pay tax like any normal law abiding foreigners. Bali has been gentrified and it is sickening !!
Exp
Monday 14th of April 2025
@Shorty, Well what I alluded to is that gov. must have lost their marbles suggesting that foreigners travel to Bali to marry a Balinese to get "access to land". While we all know the biggest problem is partnership ala PARQ Ubud: A local with land and little money partner with a foreigner having no land but a lot of money. These are the types of "marriage" causing destruction and overdevelopment many places here.