Indonesian Laws for Foreigners in Bali: What to Know in 2026

Bali can feel like an island where anything goes. But the laws in Bali are the same as in the rest of Indonesia, plus the province's own local rules, and they apply to everyone on the island: tourists, expats and investors alike. In 2026 alone, a new Criminal Code and a new labour law came into force in the country, and not knowing the rules here does not exempt you from liability. We have put together the essentials for each area of law that foreigners in Bali come across.

Immigration law: visas, overstay and deportation

The immigration law (UU No. 6/2011, as amended) is the first law a foreigner deals with. Your visa type determines what you are allowed to do: you cannot work on a tourist visa, and business meetings are permitted only within the limits allowed by your specific visa type. Check this before you travel.

Overstaying is expensive. For each day you overstay your permitted stay, as long as the overstay does not exceed 60 days, the usual charge is IDR 1,000,000 (Article 78 of the law, with the rate set by PP 45/2024). If you do not pay, or if you overstay by more than 60 days, the law provides for deportation and an entry ban (Article 78). Once you have been deported from Bali, you cannot return while the entry ban is in effect. Keep track of the end date of your permitted stay: it is shown in your entry stamp or electronic permit and does not always match the validity of your visa. It is also worth keeping your boarding passes, as they help confirm your date of entry.

Bali laws for tourists: fines, temples and drugs

Bali does not override Indonesian law; it adds provincial rules on top of it. For example, foreign tourists pay the Province of Bali a levy of IDR 150,000 (Bali Province Perda No. 6/2023, as amended by Perda No. 2/2025). You can pay it at any point during your trip, as long as you have not yet left Indonesia. Those exempt from the levy include holders of KITAS and KITAP, student visas, family reunification visas and golden visa.

For the Balinese, temples and ceremonies remain part of everyday life. Revealing clothing in a temple, risky photos at sacred sites and noise during rituals can lead to conflict with locals. In such cases, fines in Bali are not the most serious risk: high-profile incidents sometimes end up with the immigration authorities.

The strictest area of Indonesian law concerns drugs and gambling, and there are no concessions for foreigners here. The penalty depends on the substance, the quantity and what exactly the person was doing. Producing, importing, exporting or distributing large quantities of drugs from the most dangerous categories can carry penalties up to and including the death penalty (KUHP, Article 610 as amended in 2026).

What can you do in Bali and for which you can be punished and even deported

After a series of high-profile offenses that occurred in the first half of 2023, the Bali Immigration Service issued a memo to tourists “On

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Criminal law: the new KUHP and cohabitation

Indonesia's new Criminal Code, Law No. 1/2023, came into force on 2 January 2026, replacing the colonial-era code. It applies to everyone in the country, including tourists. On the same day, a law adjusting criminal penalties (UU No. 1/2026) also came into force, amending some of the code's articles.

The articles that raised the most questions among tourists are those on extramarital relations and cohabitation outside marriage (Articles 411 and 412). Prosecution under these articles is possible only on a complaint from close family members, meaning the spouse if the person is married, or the parents or children if not. A report from a hotel or neighbours does not count as such a complaint, and the mere fact that an unmarried couple is renting a villa together is not a crime.

Labour law: working and hiring

Since 28 October 2026, a new labour protection law (UU No. 27/2026) has been in force, replacing the previous 2003 labour law. Only an organisation may hire a foreigner; private individuals are prohibited from doing so (Article 62). The employer must obtain a ministry-approved foreign worker utilisation plan (RPTKA) and a permit to employ foreign workers, and positions related to personnel management are closed to foreigners. There are exceptions: for example, the plan and permit are not required for a foreigner who has been legally married to an Indonesian citizen for at least 5 years. If you have your own PT and employ Indonesians, make sure you understand the new law, because all of an employer's obligations apply to you.

Civil law: contracts, property and inheritance

If one of the parties to a contract is an Indonesian company (including a PT PMA) or an Indonesian citizen, the contract must be drawn up in Indonesian, and where a foreign party is involved, also in that party's language or in English (UU No. 24/2009, Article 31). In practice, the most convenient option is a bilingual contract that expressly states which version prevails in case of discrepancies.

As a general rule, freehold land ownership (hak milik) is available only to Indonesian citizens (UUPA No. 5/1960, Article 21), while a foreigner residing in Indonesia can hold a right of use (hak pakai, Article 42). The "let's register the land in an Indonesian friend's name" scheme does not protect you: on paper, they remain the owner.

Civil, Islamic and customary inheritance law all operate in Indonesia at the same time. Which one applies depends on the deceased's citizenship and religion, as well as on the type and location of the assets, so if you own assets in Indonesia, it is worth planning your succession in advance.

Social media: defamation, fake news and the ITE Law

The Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law remains in force, but its articles on defamation and fake news ceased to have effect on 2 January 2026. This is expressly stated in the amendments to the law itself (UU No. 1/2024), and these offences are now punished under the new Criminal Code.

A public written accusation that damages a person's reputation is punishable by imprisonment of up to 1 year and 6 months (KUHP, Article 433). If the accusation is false and you cannot prove it is true, it becomes slander (fitnah), punishable by up to 3 years (Article 434), and if it was done via the internet and social media, the penalty may be increased by one third (Article 441). Such cases are opened only on a complaint from the victim (Article 440).

Spreading information known to be false that has led to public unrest is punishable by up to 6 years (Article 263 as amended in 2026). In practice, a public review containing specific accusations against a person that you cannot substantiate remains a real legal risk, even for a tourist.

When to see a lawyer

It is better to see a lawyer before a problem arises rather than after: when you plan to work, start a business or hire staff, when you are signing a lease, purchase or investment agreement, when you face an overstay or a summons from the immigration office, or when you have received a complaint or a police summons. You can go over your situation in advance at a consultation with a lawyer.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. The rules are stated as of November 2026; Indonesian laws change frequently, so please check the current requirements before making any decisions.