Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi or KPK) is investigating alleged extortion practices related to the processing of foreign nationals’ residence permits at the Ngurah Rai and Denpasar Immigration Offices in Bali.
Investigators have uncovered allegations of unofficial payments, commonly referred to as “click fees“, being demanded from visa service agencies by certain immigration officers in exchange for processing residence permit applications. The alleged fees ranged from Rp100,000 to Rp2.5 million per document.
KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that these alleged “click fees” were requested during the application process for Limited Stay Permits (Kartu Izin Tinggal Terbatas or KITAS), Permanent Stay Permits (Kartu Izin Tinggal Tetap or KITAP), and other immigration documents. According to the investigation, visa service agencies were required to make these payments in order for applications to be processed.
“If service agencies [and foreign nationals] did not make payments at the service counter, their applications for KITAS, KITAP, or other immigration permits would be complicated and not processed,” Prasetyo said on Friday, the 26th of June.
Prasetyo explained that the allegations emerged during the examination of six witnesses at Denpasar Police Headquarters on Thursday, the 25th of June. The witnesses included GAW, Director of CV Visa Agung Bali; GRW, Operational Staff at CV Visa Agung Bali; STD, Finance Staff at CV Visa Agung Bali; two businesspeople identified by the initials MNC and AGN; and AUD, a staff member of PT Bali Soft.
According to Prasetyo, the witnesses’ testimony has been crucial in substantiating the alleged extortion scheme.
“This testimony certainly strengthens the elements of extortion as stipulated under Article 12e of the Anti-Corruption Law,” he added.
Previously, the KPK conducted a sting operation related to alleged corruption in the processing of foreign nationals’ residence permits on the 2nd and 3rd of June. During what was the commission’s 11th sting operation, investigators arrested 17 individuals, including eight state officials or civil servants and nine private individuals suspected of acting as intermediaries in the processing of immigration documents.
Silmy Karim, who served as Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections during the 2024–2026 period, has also been named as a suspect in the case. The investigation remains ongoing as of this writing.
“There are allegations that levies collected at immigration offices in Bali were subsequently transferred to the central office,” Ahmad Taufik Husein, the Acting Director of Investigation at KPK, also said on Thursday.