KPK Probes Alleged Kickbacks from Visa Agents to Immigration Officers in Bali

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating alleged kickbacks from document processing agents to officers at the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office and the Denpasar Immigration Office. The investigation relates to suspected extortion in the processing of residence permits for foreign nationals. KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that investigators are looking into alleged payments by agents to individuals at the Ngurah Rai and Denpasar immigration offices that did not match the official non-tax state revenue (PNBP) tariffs. KPK investigators examined six witnesses at the Denpasar Police Headquarters on Thursday. The witnesses included I Gede Arya Wijaya, Director of CV Visa Agung Bali; Ni Luh Gede Ratih Wijayastuti, operational staff at CV Visa Agung Bali; Santika Dewi, finance staff at CV Visa Agung Bali; entrepreneurs Marcellena Nirmala Chrisna Moeri and Agnes Natalia Tanuwijaya; and Audria Rama Dhani, a staff member and agent at PT Bali Soft. Budi revealed that the agents were allegedly forced to hand over sums of money beyond the official PNBP tariffs to ensure their submitted documents would be processed. He added that if the agents did not pay the money at the service counter, applications for temporary stay permits (KITAS), permanent stay permits (KITAP), or other permits would be obstructed and not approved. The KPK believes the witnesses’ testimonies further strengthen the suspicion of extortion as stipulated in Article 12 letter e of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption. Budi explained there is an alleged unlawful act involving the abuse of power to force someone to pay or provide something with the intention of benefiting oneself or another person. The KPK previously stated that the agents examined in this case are considered victims. They were allegedly asked for payments beyond the official tariffs so that the immigration documents they submitted could be processed by officers. This case involves alleged extortion related to the processing of foreign nationals’ residence permits within the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections during the 2022-2026 period. The KPK has named former Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Silmy Karim, along with seven officials from the Directorate General of Immigration as suspects. KPK investigators have examined 12 witnesses in Bali over two days, the majority of whom are from agencies and companies engaged in visa and immigration document processing.