The island's police and tourism business have launched CAKRAWASI – a digital system that records where foreigners live in real time. The reason is serious: an increase in crimes involving citizens from other countries and record tourist numbers following the pandemic.
CAKRAWASI stands for Cakra Pengawasan Orang Asing – 'unified system for monitoring foreigners.' It is the Bali police's web system. Through it, hotels, villas, and other legal accommodations are required to submit data on every foreign guest. As soon as a person checks into a room, their passport data and address are immediately sent to law enforcement.
Bali police officer I Ketut Yudi Mahendra Putra noted that in 2024, Bali welcomed 6.3 million foreigners. Authorities expect 7 to 8 million international visitors in 2025.
According to him, this leads not only to economic growth but also to a deterioration in crime statistics. In 2024, the island's police recorded 445 criminal cases involving foreigners. By October 2025, the number had already reached 522. Many offenders live in illegal villas and guesthouses.
While official hotels remain empty, illegal villas are multiplying and almost never report their guests. As a result, the police lose control, and the tourism industry loses its reputation. According to him, CAKRAWASI closes this gap.
The system shows not only those who report but also the areas where foreigners live without any registration. When a foreigner's entry is recorded, and their place of residence does not appear in the system, it immediately signals a need for checks. Thanks to complaints from neighbors, information from local communities, and data from housing search websites, the police receive specific addresses and areas where illegal accommodations operate.
PHRI – the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association – has already joined the project. Its chairman in Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, promised to explain the new rules to all market participants soon. He believes that CAKRAWASI will protect legal businesses from competition with 'gray' villas.
If you live in Bali on a KITAS, don't forget to register your address change when you move. Failure to comply with this requirement can lead to fines and even deportation. Legal Indonesia can help with the address change procedure quickly and without unnecessary bureaucracy.
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