Do Tourists Have to Carry Their Passport Everywhere in Bali?

The law does not say "carry your passport at all times". What Article 71 of Law 6/2011 on Immigration requires is that a foreigner shows and hands over their travel document or stay permit when an on-duty immigration officer asks. So the original needs to be with you when you check in, move between islands or deal with officials, while for the beach or dinner many travellers carry a copy and leave the passport in the room safe. Rules checked October 2026.

What does the law actually say?

Law 6/2011 on Immigration (last amended by Law 63/2024) puts two duties on foreigners in Article 71: to give the identity information required, and to show and hand over their travel document or stay permit when an immigration officer asks during supervision. Article 116 sets a penalty of up to 3 months' detention or a fine of up to Rp25 million (about US$1,500) for a foreigner who fails to do so. Since 2 January 2026, Law 1/2026 on Criminal Penalty Adjustment has converted detention penalties in sectoral laws into fines, so the final form of the sanction follows that adjustment. The person entitled to ask is an immigration officer, not a shopkeeper or a parking attendant.

Are there really immigration checks in Bali?

Yes. The Directorate General of Immigration inaugurated the "Dharma Dewata" immigration patrol task force on 15 April 2026. Its first phase detained 62 foreigners (Ngurah Rai Immigration Office release, 5 May 2026), and from January to June 2026 the Bali regional immigration office deported 342 foreigners. Patrols sweep areas with many foreign residents, such as Canggu. The most common violations are not "forgot my passport" but overstaying, misusing a stay permit, working without a permit and false documents. A tourist with a valid stay has little to worry about, as long as they can show their documents.

Is a copy enough, or must it be the original?

Article 71 refers to the travel document, which means the original passport. A photocopy or phone photo is not an official substitute, but it helps the officer match your data, since visas on arrival, e-VOAs and stay permits are recorded in the immigration system. If you are checked while carrying only a copy, be cooperative and ready to show the original at your accommodation. A practical setup:

• A photocopy of the bio page and the arrival stamp page in your wallet.
• Photos of the same pages plus your e-VOA or stay permit on your phone.
• The original in the room safe, carried on hotel-change days and inter-island trips.

When will you almost certainly need the original?

• Checking in to a hotel, villa or homestay. The property must report foreign guests to Immigration (see below).
• Domestic flights, for example to Labuan Bajo or Jakarta, because your passport is your ID at the airport.
• Extending a visa on arrival at an immigration office.
• Registering a local SIM card, which for foreigners uses passport data.
• Licensed money changers and banks, which generally ask for ID.
• Credit card payments or vehicle rental, as identification, not as something to hand over.

Why does the hotel scan your passport?

Article 72 of Law 6/2011 requires owners and managers of accommodation to provide data on foreign guests when an immigration officer asks. Reporting now goes through the Foreigner Reporting Application (APOA), and the head of the Bali regional immigration office repeated the reminder in July 2026. A property that fails to report faces up to 3 months' detention or a fine of up to Rp25 million. The duty covers villas and homestays rented through apps too, so it is normal for a host to ask for a passport photo before you arrive.

Can a scooter rental keep your passport?

Don't hand it over. No rule requires a passport as rental collateral, and a passport held by someone else means you cannot show it to an officer, cannot check in at your next hotel, and may lose it. Many passports also state that they remain the property of the issuing government. Offer alternatives instead: a cash deposit with a receipt, a photocopy, or a rental company that records your details without keeping the document. More on renting a scooter, including which licences are accepted, is in our guide to renting and riding a scooter in Bali.

Quick FAQ

• What if the police ask? On the road, traffic police will ask for your driving licence and the vehicle registration (STNK). For ID, show your copy and offer the original at your accommodation.
• My passport is lost. What happens at a check? Carry the police loss report and arrange a replacement through your embassy. The steps are in our lost passport in Bali guide.
• Do children need to carry passports? Article 71 applies to every foreigner. Parents usually keep children's passports with their own.

One step people forget: check the permitted-stay date on your stamp or e-VOA on day one. In immigration patrols, overstaying causes far more trouble than a passport left at the hotel.