Indonesia detains 62 foreigners as Bali enforces E33G and C5A visa rules

What Indonesia counts as work on a tourist stay

Indonesia is enforcing long-standing visa rules more strictly and officials now treat unpaid content creation, influencer collaborations, volunteering, yoga teaching and remote work as work if the activity has economic value. Bali immigration says that includes promotion, services or perks like free accommodation on visit visas such as VOA and C1.

The crackdown has been especially visible in Bali. The Dharma Dewata Immigration Patrol Task Force has detained 62 foreigners in its first three weeks, with patrols focusing on Canggu, Ubud, Seminyak, Kerobokan and Uluwatu.

Who the rule reaches

The policy affects digital nomads working for overseas clients, creators doing sponsored or unpaid promotional content and expats trading services such as photography or yoga instruction. Volunteers at retreats and shelters can also fall into the same bucket if the work has economic value.

Regular tourists aren't the target if they stick to sightseeing and other leisure travel. But immigration is monitoring social media, so public posts can draw attention even when no Indonesian company is paying.

The visa options and next steps

Indonesia has separate visas for people who want to work online or create content from the country. The E33G Remote Worker Visa covers limited-stay remote work for overseas employers, while the C5A Social Media Content Creator Visa allows an initial 60-day stay and can be extended twice for 60 days each, with an Indonesian sponsor.

Applicants file through the official e-Visa portal and need a passport valid for at least 6 months, a photo and sponsor documents where required. Violators can face detention, fines, deportation and multi-year entry bans. For the basics, see our visa updates and Read our full Indonesia guide for the complete picture.