Visa scams in Bali often involve unlicensed agencies who operate only through social media, use personal bank accounts, make unrealistic promises, or hold passports without proper paperwork, leading to fake visas, lost money, and overstays. Key red flags include no registered PT company, cash-only payments, no physical office, and “special connections” claims.
Travelers should always verify their visa on the official Immigration site (evisa.imigrasi.go.id), use traceable payment methods, and avoid giving passports without a signed receipt. If a scam is suspected, stop payments, collect evidence, and check your status with Immigration immediately.
Common Types of Visa Scams in Bali
1. Fake or Unlicensed “Visa Agencies”
Typical pattern:
- Operate only via WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook or Instagram, no proper office.
- Use a personal name and personal bank account, not a registered PT company.
- Promise very fast approvals, multi-year visas with minimal documents, or that “everyone gets approved”.
- After payment, they:
- disappear,
- deliver a fake approval letter, or
- give you the wrong visa type, which later causes overstay or illegal-work issues.
2. Agencies Holding Passports Hostage
Some “agencies” take your passport “for processing” without any receipt or clear contract. Travelers then:
- lose control of their passport,
- are unable to leave the country,
- discover later that no application was ever submitted.
Local Bali resources warn that hundreds of foreigners have lost money and had passports kept by scam agencies, with total losses reported in the billions of rupiah.
3. Fake “Official” Websites and Payment Pages
Scammers build websites that:
- Copy the look of the official eVisa site (evisa.imigrasi.go.id), but use a different domain, or
- Claim to be “the official portal” for Bali visas while charging inflated “service fees”.
Once you pay:
- Your data and card details might be stolen.
- You might receive no visa, or a PDF that looks real but doesn’t exist in Immigration’s system.
4. Unsolicited “Visa Extension” Offers
Travel advisories specifically warn: don’t accept unsolicited offers (e.g., someone in a bar, co-working, or on WhatsApp saying “I can extend your visa cheap, no need to go to Immigration”).
Risks:
- They never extend your visa; you silently end up with overstay fines.
- Your passport and personal data can be misused.
5. “Special Connection” / KITAS & Investor Scams
- Some agencies sell “investor KITAS” or “2-year KITAS” packages with fake or non-compliant companies, promising you can live and work freely. Investigations have highlighted cases where foreigners bought these packages and later faced serious issues when Immigration checked the company and visa legality.
- Others claim they can “fix” visa problems, remove overstay records, or convert any tourist visa into a working visa without proper documents, often illegal and dangerous.
Red Flags: How to Spot a Visa Scam in Bali
Use this as a practical checklist.
1. Unrealistic Promises
Be extremely cautious if someone says:
- “We have a special connection at Immigration”
- “No documents needed, we handle everything”
- “We can fix your overstay record”
No legitimate agency can guarantee visa approval; decisions are always up to Immigration.
2. No Legal Company Details
A proper Indonesian visa agency should:
- be a registered PT company,
- have a NIB (Business Identification Number) and business licence,
- be listed in the OSS Indonesia system or recognised by Immigration.
Red flags:
- Only a personal name and personal account for payment.
- Refuses to show:
- company registration,
- NIB,
- tax number,
- or office address.
3. Cash-Only, No Invoice
Be careful if they:
- insist on big cash payments,
- won’t issue a formal invoice or receipt,
- refuse to put the visa type, fees, and processing timeline in writing.
4. They Keep Your Passport Without Clear Paperwork
You should never hand over your passport unless:
- there is a proper service agreement,
- you get a signed receipt stating why they hold it and for how long, and
- you have a copy or photo of every page.
Travel advisories explicitly say: don’t hand your passport to people claiming to offer visa services if you’re unsure who they are.
5. Only Social Media Presence, No Track Record
Red flags:
- Only a WhatsApp number and Instagram profile.
- No website, no clear physical office, no company name.
- Reviews only visible on their own page (easily faked).
Look instead for independent reviews (e.g., Google Review, third-party forums) and consistent business details over time.
Safe Ways to Apply For or Extend Your Indonesian / Bali Visa
Use Official Government Channels Wherever Possible
For most tourists and many visit visas, the safest options are:
- eVisa/e-VOA portal:
Official site: evisa.imigrasi.go.id
- Indonesian Embassies / Consulates abroad, especially for longer-stay, work, study, family, or multiple-entry visas.
These channels:
- tell you exactly which visa types exist,
- list official fees and processing times,
- and give you a traceable application number you can track.
If You Use an Agency, Verify Them Properly
Before you pay anything, do at least this:
- Ask for the company’s full legal name and NIB (and, ideally, a copy or screenshot of the OSS registration).
- Check they have a real office address you can find on Google Maps or visit.
- Look for long-term, consistent reviews on independent platforms (not only on their own Instagram).
- Ask them to explain which visa type they’ll apply for, link to the official Immigration description, and give you a clear timeline and fee breakdown.
- Pay via traceable methods (card, bank transfer to the company account), not only cash.
If they can’t answer basic questions about visa types or show any proof of registration, walk away.
What Happens If You Get Scammed or Your Visa Is Wrong
Even if you were tricked:
- Overstays are still your responsibility. Overstay fines are generally IDR 1,000,000 per day, and serious overstays can lead to detention and deportation.
- Immigration is currently running crackdowns and long-term bans for visa violations, especially in Bali. Hundreds of foreigners have been deported in recent years for overstays and visa misuse.
Some recent high-profile cases show:
- cyber-fraud and visa misuse networks being dismantled in Bali,
- foreign nationals deported for misusing visit visas to run businesses or scams.
How to Check If Your Indonesian/Bali Visa Is Real and Valid
If you have any doubt:
- Track the application on eVisa:
- Go to evisa.imigrasi.go.id → “Track Your Application”.
- Enter your register number + passport number (as shown in your documents).
- Confirm that your visa:
- appears in the system,
- has the correct visa type, and
- shows the correct validity dates.
- Read your visa or e-VOA carefully:
- Check your name, passport number, nationality, and dates.
- Check the visa category (tourist, visit, work, etc.) matches what you paid for.
- Contact Immigration or your Embassy if something looks wrong:
- Many travelers are advised to email official Immigration contacts or their own embassy if they suspect a fake or incorrect visa.
Do this as early as possible, before your current permission expires.
What to Do If You Suspect a Visa Scam in Bali
If things start to feel “off”, act quickly:
- Stop sending more money.
- Collect all evidence:
- chat logs, emails, invoices, bank transfer receipts,
- any “visa approval” PDFs or screenshots.
- Check your visa status on the official eVisa site as above.
- Go directly to an Immigration Office in Bali and explain:
- what visa you believe you have,
- who handled it,
- and show your documents.
- Immigration and local legal aid groups have been involved in cases where hundreds of foreigners were scammed by fake visa companies, you’re not the first, and they will at least tell you your status and options.
- Avoid overstaying at all costs.
- If Immigration confirms you do not have a valid visa and there isn’t enough time to fix it, the safest legal option is often to leave Indonesia before your current stay period ends.
Why Visa BaliEasy Is a Safe and Trusted Choice for Your Bali Visa
1. Registered Legal Company (PT Bali Mudah Bersama)
BaliEasy operates under PT Bali Mudah Bersama, a fully licensed Indonesian company with a valid NIB.
All payments go to a company bank account, with official invoices and clear fee breakdowns, never to personal accounts.
2. Transparent, Traceable Team
Our founders and team are publicly identifiable and accountable:
3. Real Offices You Can Visit
We have physical locations, not just social media profiles:
- Pererenan: Jl. Sempol, Pererenan, Kec. Mengwi, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80351
- Seseh: Jl. Pantai Seseh, Cemagi, Kec. Mengwi, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80351
- Canggu: Jl. Raya Kayutulang No.36, Canggu, Kuta Utara, Badung, Bali 80351
Having real offices is one of the strongest indicators of a legitimate visa service.
4. Passport Safety Procedures
We never hold your passport unless it’s genuinely required. If physical handling is needed, you receive a signed receipt, purpose explanation, and clear return timeline.
5. Clear Pricing & Realistic Advice
No “special connections” and no unrealistic promises.
We follow official Immigration rules, explain the correct visa type, and provide honest processing times.
6. Secure, Traceable Payments
All payments are made through safe, traceable channels to the company account, never cash-only.
7. Verified Reviews From Real Travelers
Visa BaliEasy has authentic, public reviews from real customers on:
This gives travelers an independent way to verify our track record and service quality.
