Giving entities invisibility with ‘/data merge’ gives them the effect without removing their model.
To reproduce:
-Spawn a creeper (tested on bats and creepers)
-Use this command: /data merge entity @e[type=creeper,limit=1] {active_effects:[{id:"minecraft:invisibility",amplifier:0,duration:12000}]}
-The creeper does not turn invisible.
-To confirm that it did receive the effect, throw any splash potion at it, other than invisibility or the instant effects. Once the active effects are updated, it will turn invisible.
This report duplicates MC-171688.