Bali is losing patience with tourists from Russia

Nudity in sanctuary, working without permits and drunk driving: Bali calls for tougher visas for arrivals from Russia.

JAKARTA – Magnificent beaches, volcanoes and a diverse underwater world attract thousands of travelers from all over the world to Indonesia every year. Since Russia is a neighboring country Ukraine In the spring of 2022, more refugees find their way to Indonesia.

This has created a problem in the holiday paradise of Bali. “When we get complaints about bad behavior from a foreigner, it’s always Russian,” a local police officer in the city of Kuta told the American broadcaster. CNN.

Indonesia: Getting into the holiday paradise of Bali is about to get tougher

So far, Ukrainian or Russian passport holders have received tourist visas directly upon entry. According to the German Embassy in Jakarta, this also applies to visitors with German citizenship.

With “Visa on Arrival” you can stay in Indonesia for up to 60 days; So also in Bali. A tourist visa does not have a work permit. Bali Governor Iwayan Koster recently asked Jakarta to tighten visa requirements for Ukrainian and Russian nationals, the news agency reported. Reuters writes

Before that, many visa regulations were violated. At least four Russian citizens were already expelled in March for such violations. The group of Russian citizens is one of the largest foreign groups in Indonesia Reuters writes

Will sanctions increase? So far, “Visa on Arrival” is still valid for Russia

On the website of the Ministry of Tourism, Russia and Ukraine are still on the list of countries that are allowed to enter via visa on arrival. Some travel guides, etc poly.com, but already write on their website that Russian citizens no longer have a visa option. According to the online travel guide, travelers from Russia must apply for a visa in advance. Upon request CNNThe Russian Embassy has yet to respond.

“Ukrainians do not come to Bali on vacation now because our country is being occupied. “Ukrainians coming to Bali now are for family reunification purposes and are mostly women,” said Nyoman Astama, spokesperson for the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Bali. CNN.

Barely naked: Locals in Indonesia complain about arrivals from Russia

Violations of Russian and Ukrainian nationals are “more serious” than in other states, Bali’s governor justified his demand for visa tightening in Jakarta. This situation is also being talked about on social media.

• Many came to Indonesia from Russia and Ukraine
• Russia: Between September 2022 and January 2023, 77,500 people arrived in Indonesia with Russian passports.
• Ukraine: During the same period, there were only 8,800 from Ukraine.
• Compare: In the year before the corona pandemic (2019), the holiday paradise attracted around 6.2 million visitors.
• They are: Reuters

Citizens of the island state have repeatedly complained about misbehavior by Russian nationals. For example, a Russian model allegedly posed naked near a sacred tree, and in another case a drunken man allegedly caused an accident.

Rude behavior of Russian travelers in Bali: Debate erupts online too

Tightening travel regulations is also a topic on Twitter and the temple. One user on Twitter writes: “Russians have recently become the second largest tourist group in Bali and it’s obvious your country’s ‘special military operation’ is onto something. Do it.”

It remains to be seen how strict the visa regulations will be in Indonesia and Bali. Indonesia has repeatedly made headlines in recent years with extreme laws. However, the often controversial laws have so far been mostly limited to Indonesian citizens. (Lucas Meyer)

The last one was A holiday paradise rocked by a severe earthquake.