Photo and video content creators in Bali need to be extremely careful in the near future. It looks as though the local authorities have decided to focus specifically on them.
To show they mean business, immigration officers carried out a large-scale operation, after which 25 foreign photographers and videographers are set to be deported from the country. Officials say they all arrived on ordinary tourist visas on arrival (VoA), but instead of being on holiday, they set up full-scale illegal businesses.
And it was their own colleagues who reported them. Balinese photographers had grown tired of putting up with dumping and unfair competition. Several major national organisations openly complained about the “illegal workers”:
APFI (Association of Indonesian Professional Photographers)
HIPDI (Indonesian Documentary Filmmaking Entrepreneurs Association)
IPPA (Indonesian Professional Photographers Association)
They handed immigration detailed dossiers, social media profiles, and evidence that the foreigners were charging for shoots without paying taxes or holding work visas. Based on this information, the Directorate of Immigration Control and Supervision carried out raids.
Creative Economy Minister Teuku Riefky Harsya openly stated that illegal workers are damaging local businesses: “The failure of certain foreigners to comply with immigration law has a direct and significant negative impact on our local creative market. This is not just a matter of fair competition due to unbalanced service rates; it affects the survival of our local creators, who are already facing tough global competition.”
Immigration Minister Agus Andrianto, who, incidentally, is a former deputy chief of the national police, stressed that Indonesia is not closing itself off from the world, but that the rules will now be enforced strictly: “Foreign photographers have the right to carry out commercial activities in Indonesia, but ONLY if they comply with all the laws: they must have a work visa, the relevant permits, and comply with labour laws. They must enter the country with a sponsor. If they use a Visa on Arrival (VoA) for the wrong purpose and work, they automatically become a target for our law enforcement authorities.”
“The VoA tourist visa, which the government provides to make travel to Indonesia easier, cannot be used for work or earning income without official permission.”
The authorities have officially announced that photographers are only the beginning. Timpora, a special team for monitoring foreigners, is getting involved. The Creative Economy Minister has already asked immigration to launch a large-scale “clean-up” in other areas as well:
— Film production and video production
— Animation
— The music industry (DJs, artists)
— Other areas of the creative sector.
The authorities have called on local residents and businesses to actively monitor social media and report foreign offenders through official immigration channels.
If you want not only to holiday in Bali but also to carry out commercial activities, including freelance work, contact Legal Indonesia. The agency’s specialists will help you find the best way to legalise your status.
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