Deported from Bali: the real reasons
The overwhelming majority of deportations come down to two grounds: overstaying, and working on a visa that does not permit it. Official figures for 2025 show the Ngurah Rai office alone deported 331 people, with Russians, Australians and Americans the top three nationalities. The key line is 60 days of overstay: below it a fine settles matters, above it immigration measures begin.
Updated: 25 August 2026 · Verified by the Malina Visa team
Two causes out of three
Deportation from Bali comes down, in the overwhelming majority of cases, to two grounds — and both are entirely within the traveller's control.
- !Overstaying. The permit expired and the person stayed on
- !Activity outside the visa's purpose. Working, providing services or earning on a visit visa that does not allow it
The third category is ordinary law-breaking: any offence automatically becomes an immigration matter too, because compliance with Indonesian law is a condition of every visa.
The numbers by office
According to official figures for 2025, the Ngurah Rai office alone — the busiest on the island — deported 331 people. Singaraja deported 28 over the same period.
- ✓The reasons cited: overstaying and criminal activity
- ✓The top three nationalities deported: Russians, Australians and Americans
- ✓Ngurah Rai covers the south: Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu, Jimbaran and Uluwatu
The 60-day threshold
An overstay has a clear line past which the nature of the problem changes.
- ✓Up to 60 days — settled with a fine: IDR 1,000,000 per day, per person, paid on departure
- ✓Beyond 60 days — immigration measures apply, up to deportation and a re-entry ban
You can work out your own total in the fine calculator, and the procedure is set out in our overstay article.
What counts as work
This is where people who genuinely did not think of themselves as offenders come unstuck. What matters is not how much you earned or where you sat with your laptop, but where the money came from.
- !Services for Indonesian clients — photo shoots, training, consultations, lessons
- !Renting out property and brokering rentals
- !Promoting and tagging local brands, barter included
- !Selling tours, transfers and excursions
A lawful route for remote work exists and costs less than the consequences: the E33G KITAS for 12 months. The boundaries are mapped in our piece on working remotely, legally.
Why enforcement tightened
Oversight on the island grew markedly through 2026, and these are structural changes rather than one-off campaigns.
- ✓Since 6 April 2026 Bali has five immigration offices instead of three — Tabanan and Klungkung were added
- ✓Round-the-clock channels now let anyone report a suspected breach
- ✓Immigration publishes deportation cases in open press releases — from stay-permit violations to foreigners running commercial activity without the right status
The practical conclusion is simple: betting on the island being big enough to hide in has stopped working.
If your status is already in breach
You have more options while the situation is still fresh. What to do depends on exactly what has gone wrong.
Settled with a fine on departure. The earlier you start, the calmer it goes.
Not something to handle alone — you need help and a plan set out in advance.
A change of status may be possible: from a visit permit it is provided for, from visa-free entry it is not.
The length and terms depend on the grounds. Prospects can only be assessed from the actual documents.
Frequently asked questions
What are people most often deported from Bali for?
Overstaying and activity outside the visa's purpose — that is, working and earning on a visit visa. The third category is ordinary law-breaking, which automatically becomes an immigration matter.
How many people are deported from Bali in a year?
According to official figures for 2025, the Ngurah Rai office deported 331 people and Singaraja 28. Ngurah Rai is the busiest: it covers Kuta, Canggu, Jimbaran and Uluwatu.
Are Russians really top of the deportation figures?
Yes — official figures put Russians, Australians and Americans as the top three nationalities deported from Bali. Nearly all the grounds are avoidable: extend your status on time and do not work on a visit visa.
What happens after 60 days of overstay?
Up to 60 days it is settled with a fine on departure — IDR 1,000,000 per day, per person. Beyond 60 days immigration measures apply, up to deportation and a re-entry ban.
Does a barter brand post count as work?
If the brand is Indonesian and you receive goods or services for the post, yes. The form of payment is irrelevant; what matters is that the activity took place inside the country.
Status in question? Let us look at it today
An overstay, the wrong visa type, or a refusal already on record — describe the situation and we will tell you honestly what can be done and how fast.
Overstay explained