The Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration has launched a new reporting service for all accommodation providers in the country, including in Bali.
The system is known as the Foreigner Supervision Application (APOA) and is designed to ‘optimize the surveillance’ of foreigners in the country.
In a media statement, the Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement, Yuldi Yusman, explained that the application and reporting system are designed to make it easier for hosts and accommodation providers to report the presence of foreign guests on their premises.
Yusman shared “Immigration has the authority to request foreign data from hotels or other places that function as accommodation in this case we use APOA as the platform. The owner or manager of the inn just needs to register guests through this application, then the data can be accessed by the Immigration officer for surveillance purposes.”
It has always been the case that accommodation providers must keep a register of their guests, however, the implementation of the Foreigner Supervision Application is based on Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration and its updated changes in Law Number 63 of 2024.
This new law change and the launch of the Foreigner Supervision Application have a twofold impact. One is that Indonesian Immigration has the right to request information regarding any guests at any premises, and owners or managers of said premises must provide it.
The other is that the policy changes help the Immigration Department and the Bali Provincial Government crack down on tourists and foreigners who stay in villas and other accommodations that are operating illegally.
Bali is in the midst of a crackdown on accommodation businesses that are operating without the correct permits, and license and are not paying their Hotel and Restaurant Tax contributions.
For accommodation providers who do not comply with the new rules, there is a risk of criminal liability. If found guilty, accommodation providers could face fines of up to IDR 25 million or 3 months in prison.
All accommodation providers must now register their guests at check-in, request a passport from the foreign guests, upload a copy of the front page to the Foreigner Supervision Application, or take a photo of the passport ID page. Additional data may be requested. The check-out report of all foreign guests will be stored in the system and become part of the surveillance record for Indonesia Immigration.
While for many hotels, resorts, guesthouses, and villas it has long been standard practice to keep a register of guests, over the years many have not. It is not known how many accommodation providers have not been registering their guests with the Foreigner Supervision Application, at the local police station, or in some cases even keeping a record of their guests.
According to the Immigration database as of 24th March 2025, the total data of foreign guests who were registered as staying throughout Indonesia as recorded in APOA was 78,077 people.
This is drastically less than the actual number of international tourists who visited the country in the first three months of the year.
Yusman concluded, “With more structured reporting, the opportunity to detect illegal activities that can threaten public order and national sovereignty becomes greater.”
Speaking separately, the Director General of Immigration, Saffar Muhammad Godam, told reporters, “With the APOA application and support from various parties, it is hoped that the supervision of foreigners in Indonesia can be more optimal.”
“The use of technology in this immigration system is a step forward in maintaining the security and sovereignty of the country.”
The Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Winarko, confirmed that he and his teams will work to ensure that all accommodation providers in Bali, including hotels and private villas, use the Foreigner Supervision Application to formally check in and check out their guests.
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Steve bm
Wednesday 2nd of April 2025
When did they stop. 25 years ago a copy of passport was forwarded to lokal cop shop at homestays hotels etc and if you stayed in banjar back then go yourself to copshop to register. Long had a domicile paper from village
Shorty
Tuesday 1st of April 2025
It will have little or no affect on illegal villa operation.
Sven
Tuesday 1st of April 2025
If barely anyone was reporting their guests before, what makes you think they will do it now?
Also, if this law applies to registered accommodations, then any illegal private villa or guesthouse won't fit under the rule.
Overall, it doesn't matter what laws you write on the paper, if there is no enforcement, nobody cares. This is the biggest blind spot of Indonesia. Never understanding that laws need to be enforced.
Randy
Sunday 6th of April 2025
@Sven, in a nut shell you post your grievances because you had unfinished problems that you have left here with a bad after state in the mouth. No one has the worst attitude like you. No matter right or wrong about a country, you have no shame but to enjoy disparaging another country to benefit for your own ego. Anyone who has lived in Indonesia may have either assimilate and navigate with through with a grain of salt. And accept it for what is and see the positive side of life here. YOU don’t...nobody can change Indonesia to suit your needs. Take it or leave it.
Living in BALI is clearly not an example about Indonesia as a whole. It is infested with entitled ungrateful white foreigners. Bali is gentrified. And folks from other islands have moved to Bali and assimilate. However Balinese do complain about those coming from the Eastern islands.
Bali has lost its charm of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Bali’s vibe has changed to serve the foreigners (educated or not, rich or poor) these days. Local culture and customs may be eroding. Yes, some Foreigners have actually poisoned Bali, they saw a loophole and took advantage for granted.
Indonesians for the most part are still the nicest people on earth.
So go run along !!
Sven
Saturday 5th of April 2025
@Randy, nobody reads your endless ramblings because there is little to no truth or value in them. I travel and live in many countries and report about what I see and experience. Indonesia has been the most corrupt, lying, thieving, dishonest and dirty place of all the places I've been. I have never said that other places wouldn't have any corruption or crime. But when they do, there is also law enforcement present to serve some justify. Indonesia doesn't have that and small crimes are absolutely rampant the moment one steps off the plane. The country lacks basic honesty and civility, and it doesn't matter how much you try to shift the focus on other places, it won't change the reality that is.
Randy
Thursday 3rd of April 2025
@Exp, Moving to Singapore could be an option?? No...oh wait that would be overly too expensive and too many rules over your head. N’est ce pas? Bali is still way affordable despite the challenges and available opportunities that entitled foreigners take it for granted.
Randy
Thursday 3rd of April 2025
@BaliEyeWitness..., Ce n'est pas tout à fait vrai. Certains résidents étrangers comme par example ne paient pas les batisseurs/ouvriers locaux à temps. Et bien sûr, je connais quelques Européens, dont quelques Français, qui se plaignent comme d’habitude ou sont plutot radins. Les ouvriers locaux doivent manger quand meme. Ce n’est pas juste, non??
BaliEyeWitness...
Wednesday 2nd of April 2025
@Sven, that is the issue in a nutshell. There are laws about lots of behaviours in Bali. As for enforcement, it's either completely lacking or selective according to the bribery, and prejudices at work. Plus ca change plus ca reste la meme chose 🤔
Randy
Tuesday 1st of April 2025
A foreigner buying real estate in the West has to do the same process with a Tax ID. Open a local account and file his or her income earnings every year.
Bali has come too late with this long overdue registration of accommodation held by “some unscrupulous foreigners” until recently when they acknowledged that all hell have broken loose. The incoming of tourist refugees primarily from Russia and Ukraine post Covid was an exceptional period where lawlessness may have presented itself. The two sides of the aisle are to blame at this point.
Therefore should biased entitled commentators start jumping on the band wagon on here that the Balinese provincial government blames the foreigners AGAIN. Well then they are either in denial, hiding facts or happily playing the victim tactic.
I have several “educated” unbiased law abiding friends be it Americans or Australians who are on the right side of the local government who are registered owners of accommodation (Pondok Wisata). They have KITAS, Tax ID and pay tax. And they play by the books and follow the local laws.
Is it hard to do “people” instead of cutting corners and trying to find loopholes to evade paying tax...sigh. Those who cry over spilt milk when they get caught, they do not receive any sympathy at all. So don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Paul
Tuesday 1st of April 2025
Big brother is watching 👀