Indonesia adds two-factor auth to Bali e-visa

Indonesia’s immigration authorities have added two-factor authentication to the country’s e-visa system and issued new guidance for Bali-bound travelers on what counts as prohibited work on a tourist visa. The changes were reported by The Economic Times on May 23 and align with Indonesia’s official immigration portal, which directs applicants to use the government’s e-visa site. The guidance addresses two separate issues that have become common in Bali: online visa fraud and tourists using visitor permits for work-like activity. Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration lists tourism visas on its official e-visa platform and says the portal is government-run. ### What changed in the visa process? (economictimes.indiatimes.com) Indonesia’s immigration authorities enhanced e-visa security with two-factor authentication, according to The Economic Times, which said the step was introduced to combat online fraud targeting travelers. The report said tourists were advised to secure their applications through official channels rather than third-party sites. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The official portal identifies evisa.imigrasi.go.id as Indonesia’s immigration website for visa applications and account access. The site also says visa applications are processed through registered accounts verified by the Directorate General of Immigration. ### Which Bali activities are now under closer scrutiny? Bali immigration authorities said unpaid influencer and content-creation activity can still violate visitor visa rules if it carries economic value, The Economic Times reported. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The article said the warning covers arrangements that may be unpaid in cash but still function as promotion, portfolio building or other commercially useful work. (evisa.imigrasi.go.id) The practical distinction in the guidance is between leisure travel and activity that immigration officials may treat as work. The Economic Times said tourist visas are intended for leisure, not unauthorized commercial gain, even when a traveler describes the activity as unpaid. ### Does Indonesia have a separate visa path for creators? (economictimes.indiatimes.com) Indonesia’s official immigration visa list includes a category labeled “C5A Visa Kunjungan Konten Kreator,” or a visit visa for content creators. The same list separately includes tourism visas, business visit visas, media and press visas, and film-production visas. That official visa list suggests Indonesia has carved out more specific categories for travelers whose activities go beyond ordinary tourism. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The list does not, by itself, explain every eligibility rule for C5A in the search excerpt, but it shows that “content creator” is recognized as a distinct visa category by the Directorate General of Immigration. ### What do the tourist visas on the official site allow? Indonesia’s official e-visa pages say visitor visas can be used for tourism, visiting friends or family, and in some cases business meetings or site visits, depending on the category. (imigrasi.go.id) The portal also says applicants must comply with visa conditions and Indonesian law. Several visa pages on the official site list processing times of about five working days and set out stay periods and fees. (imigrasi.go.id) One visitor visa page says the visa is valid for 30 days and extendable for another 30 days, while another lists a stay of up to 60 days, depending on the visa type selected. ### Where should travelers go next? Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration directs applicants to evisa.imigrasi.go.id for visa services, account registration and permit information. (evisa.imigrasi.go.id) Travelers planning Bali trips can use that portal to check the visa category that matches their activities before departure. The official immigration site and e-visa portal are the next stop for applicants who need to confirm whether tourism, business, media, film or creator activity fits their planned stay. (evisa.imigrasi.go.id) As of May 24, the government sites remained live with visa categories, fees and application access. (evisa.imigrasi.go.id 1) (evisa.imigrasi.go.id 2)