Foreigner Offering Land in Bali Under Investigation by Immigration

The Denpasar Immigration Office in Bali has summoned a US national identified by the initial SR, who is suspected of offering land for sale spanning approximately 54 are (5,400 square meters) in the Kintamani area, Bangli Regency. SR's actions went viral on social media, drawing significant public attention. R. Haryo Sakti, Head of the Denpasar Immigration Office Class I TPI, stated that SR was initially summoned on Thursday, July 30, but failed to appear on Friday, July 31. As of Monday, August 3, a second summons has been issued, and the immigration authorities are awaiting SR's cooperative appearance. According to Sakti, SR is a US citizen who entered Bali on an investor Limited Stay Permit Card (Kitas) and resides in the Kuta area. Kuta falls under the jurisdiction of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office. SR's guarantor is a company (PT), and he has reportedly been in Bali for two years. However, the alleged violation occurred in Bangli Regency, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Denpasar Immigration Office. While SR resides in Kuta and holds an investor Kitas, the suspected business activity in Bangli is outside the scope permitted by his visa and potentially outside his designated immigration area of responsibility. The immigration authorities are investigating the nature of his investment and activities. Previously, a viral video showed SR promoting the land, prompting online discussions questioning the legality of foreigners offering land with ownership status in Indonesia. The Regent of Bangli, Sang Nyoman Sedana Arta, confirmed that the Bangli Information and Communication Office is investigating the matter. He noted that the exact location and ownership of the land in the video are unclear, and while parts of Kintamani are designated as tourism areas with development potential, further verification is necessary.