Reviewed by Florent Delente, Founder, ILA Global Consulting. Last updated: October 2026.

Which visa you need depends on what you will do in Bali. To live here for more than a few months you need a limited stay permit (ITAS, still widely called a KITAS), and the right one follows your purpose: E23 if a local company employs you, E28A if you hold at least IDR 10 billion of shares in an Indonesian company, E33G if you work remotely for a foreign employer, E33F or E33E if you are retired, E31A if you are married to an Indonesian, and E33 (second home) if you can park USD 130,000 in an Indonesian state bank. If you work, you may only do the job written on your approval, for the company that sponsors your KITAS.

A tourist visa, a visa on arrival, a remote worker visa or an investor KITAS does not let you take a job in Indonesia. Visit visas such as the C1, D1, D2 and D12 are fine for long holidays or for preparing an investment, but none of them lets you work or earn money in Indonesia. Getting this wrong can mean deportation, an entry ban of up to 10 years and criminal fines for you and the company. Official government fees for a residence permit run from IDR 5,250,000 to IDR 13,000,000 (about USD 293 to USD 726), and from IDR 13,000,000 for the 5 year Golden Visa. (Directorate General of Immigration, visa index)

This guide is for foreigners who want to work, invest or settle in Bali, and for the companies that hire them. It is the decision map for every Bali long term visa: what counts as work, which permit fits your situation, how the work permit process runs in 2026, what it costs, and what happens when people cut corners. Each visa has its own detailed ILA guide, linked below, so you can go straight to the one that fits. If you want someone to check your situation before you pay any government fee, our visa and immigration team does exactly that.

US dollar figures use about IDR 17,900 to USD 1, the rate in early October 2026 (Databoks Katadata, 2 October 2026), so treat them as rough. All rupiah fees are the official PNBP (non-tax state revenue, meaning the government fee) published by Indonesian Immigration. Agent or legal fees come on top.

Which Bali visa fits your situation?

Work in Bali

Start here. Find the line that describes you, then read the matching section further down.

Your situation Best visa How long Official fee The condition that decides it
Holiday under 60 days Visa on arrival (VOA) or e-VOA 30 days, plus one 30 day extension IDR 500,000 (USD 28) Eligible passport
Long holiday or a “test year” in Bali C1 (single entry) or D1 (multiple entry) C1: up to 180 days. D1: 60 days per entry over 1, 2 or 5 years C1: IDR 1,000,000. D1: IDR 3,000,000 to 10,000,000 No work, no local income
Remote worker or digital nomad E33G remote worker 1 year, renewable IDR 7,000,000 (USD 391) Income of at least USD 60,000 a year from a foreign employer
Exploring an investment before setting up C12 or D12 pre-investment C12: up to 12 months. D12: 180 days per entry over 1 or 2 years C12: IDR 3,000,000 to 4,000,000. D12: IDR 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 Sponsor, no work
Founder or shareholder of a PT PMA E28A investor 1 or 2 years IDR 7,000,000 or 9,500,000 At least IDR 10 billion of shares in your own name
Employee of an Indonesian company E23 working 180 days, 1 or 2 years IDR 5,250,000 to 9,500,000 Employer’s approved foreign worker plan (RPTKA)
Retiree E33F (1 year) or E33E (5 years) 1 year renewable, or up to 5 years IDR 7,000,000 or 13,000,000 E33F: USD 3,000 a month income. E33E: USD 50,000 at a state bank
Married to an Indonesian E31A spouse 1 or 2 years IDR 6,000,000 or 8,500,000 Marriage registered in Indonesia
Spouse or child of a KITAS holder E31B (spouse) or E31E (child) Follows the main permit Billed on application Proof of family link
Second home, no local sponsor E33 second home Up to 5 years, 10 in total IDR 13,000,000 (USD 726) USD 130,000 in a state-owned Indonesian bank
Large investor E28B and other Golden Visa indexes 5 or 10 years IDR 13,000,000 or 19,500,000 From USD 350,000 (no company) or USD 2.5 million (with a company)

Sources for fees and conditions: Immigration index pages for C1, D1, C12, D12, E23, E28A, E28B, E31A, E33, E33E, E33F and E33G. VOA fee: Immigration press release. Golden Visa thresholds: Bangkok Post, July 2024.

Every index also asks for the same base file: a passport valid for at least 6 months, a recent colour photo and a 3 month bank statement showing at least USD 2,000 in your or your sponsor’s name. (Immigration, E33G)

Which visa lets you do what?

Most problems start with the wrong permit, and the fee is only half the decision. Here is what each common option allows, based on the official visa descriptions.

Permit You may You may not
Visa on arrival or C1 tourist visa Holiday, visit friends and family Any work, paid or unpaid, for any business
C2 business visit visa (60 days, extendable up to 180) Meetings, negotiations, signing contracts, buying goods, inspecting goods at an office or factory (Immigration, C2) Take a job, deliver services or run operations
E33G remote worker KITAS (1 year) Live in Indonesia while doing work for a company outside Indonesia (Immigration, E33G) Work for, or invoice, clients and companies in Indonesia
E28A investor KITAS Invest, set up a company, sit on the board of directors or commissioners of the company you invested in, supervise its production (Immigration, E28A) Do the operational jobs of the business (teacher, chef, instructor, sales staff)
E23 working KITAS Work for your sponsor, in the position on your Ministry of Manpower approval (Immigration, E23) Work for any other company, or in a different role

What replaced the B211A visa?

If you are reading older articles, you will still see the B211A “180 day tourist visa” and codes like C312, C313 or C317. They are gone. Indonesia rebuilt its visa system around index codes under Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 22 of 2023 on visas and stay permits (BPK legal database), amended by Regulation No. 11 of 2024 (BPK) and partly by Minister of Immigration and Corrections Regulation No. 3 of 2025, in force since 6 May 2025 (BPK).

The logic is simple once you see it:

  • B is a visa on arrival, C a single entry visit visa, D a multiple entry visit visa. These are visits.
  • E is a limited stay visa that turns into an ITAS (residence permit) when you land.

The old B211A tourist visa is now, in practice, the C1. It gives 60 days on arrival and can be extended several times up to 180 days in total, for an official fee of IDR 1,000,000 (about USD 56). (Immigration, C1)

What counts as “work” in Indonesia?

Indonesian immigration does not only ask if you were paid. It asks if your activity matches the purpose of the stay permit you hold. Every official visa page on the Directorate General of Immigration site carries the same warning: you may not stay beyond your permit, do work that does not match your permit, or sell goods or services unless the job requires it (Immigration, E23 visa page).

In practice, these all count as work in Bali if your permit does not cover them:

  • Teaching yoga, surfing, diving or fitness classes, even at a friend’s studio or a one-off retreat
  • Running a villa, a café or a shop day to day, including taking bookings and managing staff
  • Selling your services to clients in Indonesia (design, photography, marketing, consulting, DJ sets)
  • Working shifts for a Bali business “in exchange for accommodation”

Real cases make the point. In August 2026, the Singaraja immigration office deported an Australian visitor who ran a seven-day paid yoga and meditation retreat at a villa in Buleleng on a visa on arrival, and proposed him for the entry ban list under Articles 75 and 122 of the Immigration Law (Tirto, 6 August 2026). Bali immigration deported 342 foreigners between January and June 2026, with misuse of stay permits and overstays the most common violations (RRI, 5 July 2026).

Visit visa or KITAS: what is the real difference?

This is the line that matters most, and the one people blur.

A visit visa (VOA, C or D index) makes you a visitor. You can stay, travel, attend meetings and look at land. You cannot sell goods or services or receive any payment from a person or company in Indonesia. The C2, D12 and other visit visa pages spell that ban out word for word. (Immigration, D12)

A KITAS (the ITAS, Izin Tinggal Terbatas, limited stay permit) makes you a resident. It comes with a re-entry permit so you can fly in and out, it lets you register your address (the SKTT, the civil registry’s residence certificate), open local accounts more easily and, on the right index, work.

Two practical consequences:

  • Can you switch without leaving? Only from some visas. Single entry C visas, including C1, C2 and C12, can be converted onshore into an ITAS. The multiple entry D1, D2 and D12 cannot, and neither can a VOA or a visa-free entry. (Immigration, alih status ITK to ITAS; D1)
  • Taxes follow presence, not visa type. Spend more than 183 days in Indonesia in any 12 month period and you can become an Indonesian tax resident, on any visa. (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries) Read how to become tax resident in Bali before you pass that mark.

Visit visas at a glance

Visa Entries Stay per entry Longest stay Convert to KITAS onshore? Official fee
VOA / e-VOA Single 30 days 60 days with one extension No IDR 500,000 (USD 28)
C1 tourism Single 60 days 180 days with extensions Yes IDR 1,000,000 (USD 56)
C2 business Single 60 days 180 days with extensions Yes IDR 2,000,000 (USD 112)
C12 pre-investment Single 60 or 180 days 12 months with extensions Yes, with the same sponsor IDR 3,000,000 or 4,000,000 (USD 168 or 223)
D1 tourism Multiple, 1, 2 or 5 years 60 days Extendable, sponsor files online No IDR 3,000,000 / 5,000,000 / 10,000,000
D2 business Multiple, 1, 2 or 5 years 60 days Extendable, sponsor files online No IDR 4,000,000 / 6,000,000 / 11,000,000
D12 pre-investment Multiple, 1 or 2 years 180 days One extension, within the visa term No IDR 5,000,000 or 7,000,000 (USD 279 or 391)

Sources: Immigration pages for C1, C2, C12, D1, D2 and D12. Every C and D visa must be used to enter within 90 days of issue.

For the step by step on the VOA, see our Bali visa on arrival guide. For extending any of these, see the Bali visa extension guide.

How can you stay in Bali for a year without working?

If you want a long stay with no local income, you have three routes, from light to heavy:

  1. C1, renewed up to 180 days. Cheapest entry point. You file each extension online, and Bali offices now also call applicants in for photos and fingerprints, so budget the time. After 180 days you must leave or convert. Our Bali visa extension guide walks through it.
  2. D1 multiple entry tourism visa. Valid 1, 2 or 5 years, 60 days per arrival. Good for people who split the year between Bali and home. It cannot become a KITAS, so it is a holding pattern, not a residence.
  3. A residence permit with no work rights: E33 second home or E33F/E33E retirement (see below). These give you a real ITAS, an SKTT and a stable address, which matters for leases, banking and a driving licence.

A visa never gives a foreigner freehold land. Foreigners can hold a Hak Pakai (right of use) title or lease, and the structure needs proper checks. See our property contract due diligence guide.

How does the working KITAS (E23) work?

If a Bali company employs you, you need the E23 working KITAS, sponsored by your employer, for 180 days, 1 year or 2 years. (Immigration, E23) Before immigration looks at it, your employer needs an approved RPTKA (Rencana Penggunaan Tenaga Kerja Asing, the foreign worker utilisation plan) from the Ministry of Manpower and must pay the foreign worker compensation fund (DKPTKA): USD 100 for every month you are approved to work.

A working KITAS is not something you apply for alone. The employer drives the process and you follow. Since Government Regulation 34 of 2021 (PP 34/2021), the old IMTA work permit no longer exists as a separate document: the approved RPTKA now works as your work authorisation. The detailed rules sit in Minister of Manpower Regulation 8 of 2021 (Permenaker 8/2021).

If you want this handled end to end, our team runs working KITAS applications for Bali and Jakarta employers, from the RPTKA to the arrival formalities.

Step by step

Step Who does it What happens Official timing
1. Check the company and the role Employer Confirm the company’s business lines (KBLI codes, the activity classification on its NIB business licence) cover the job, and that the position is open to foreigners None
2. RPTKA assessment Employer, online with the Ministry of Manpower The ministry checks the plan: position, duration, justification (SSEK) 2 working days after a complete file
3. Worker data and verification Employer Your passport, CV, diploma, job description and contract are uploaded and verified 2 working days
4. Pay the DKPTKA Employer USD 100 per month of the approved period, paid in advance Depends on the bank
5. RPTKA approved Ministry of Manpower Data passes automatically to immigration None
6. E23 visa issued Employer as sponsor, through evisa.imigrasi.go.id Visa fee paid, visa emailed to you (Immigration, E23) 4 working days after payment
7. Enter Indonesia You Your ITAS (the limited stay permit, called KITAS) and re-entry permit are issued automatically at the border Use the visa within 90 days of issue

The official service times add up to under two weeks, but document corrections, diploma legalisation and job title issues are where files usually stall. Plan with a margin before the start date in your contract.

Documents you will usually need

On top of the base file every index asks for (passport, photo and bank statement, listed under the decision table above), the E23 visa page lists a sponsor request letter and guarantee statement, your CV, your itinerary and the work approval from the Ministry of Manpower (Immigration, E23). The Ministry of Manpower side typically asks for your diploma, proof of experience in the role, and the employment contract.

Your contract matters more than people think: it must match the role and the period on the RPTKA. Our guide to employment contracts in Indonesia covers fixed-term rules and what to check before signing.

How much does a work permit in Indonesia cost?

Government costs come in two parts: the DKPTKA (Dana Kompensasi Penggunaan Tenaga Kerja Asing, the foreign worker compensation fund) and the immigration fee.

Item Amount Notes
DKPTKA USD 100 per position, per month (SSEK on Permenaker 8/2021) Paid by the employer in advance. 12 months = USD 1,200
E23 visa and stay permit, up to 180 days IDR 5,250,000 Immigration, E23
E23 visa and stay permit, up to 1 year IDR 7,000,000 Same source
E23 visa and stay permit, up to 2 years IDR 9,500,000 Same source

So a one-year working KITAS costs the employer USD 1,200 in DKPTKA plus IDR 7,000,000 in immigration fees, before any professional fees, translation or legalisation costs. The DKPTKA is an employer obligation, so build it into the hiring budget from day one.

Some employers are exempt from the DKPTKA: government bodies, foreign state representatives, international bodies, social and religious institutions, and certain positions in educational institutions (SSEK).

Who can sponsor a foreign worker in Bali?

Only a legal entity with a business licence can sponsor you. In Bali that usually means a PT PMA (a foreign-owned limited company), a PT PMDN (a locally owned company) or a representative office. A few points catch people out:

  • Individuals cannot employ foreigners. A villa owner or a family cannot sponsor a foreign nanny, chef or manager personally (Hukumonline).
  • The role must fit the company. A restaurant company cannot sponsor a boxing coach. Positions open to foreigners are set by sector in Minister of Manpower Decree 349 of 2019, and the ministry reviews your CV and qualifications against the role (SSEK).
  • Some roles are closed. Foreigners cannot hold personnel or HR positions, and cannot hold two positions in the same company (SSEK on Permenaker 8/2021).
  • The employer takes on duties. It must facilitate Indonesian language training for you, report annually to the Ministry of Manpower on foreign workers and skills transfer, and report when your contract ends (SSEK).
  • Social security is compulsory. Any foreigner who works in Indonesia for at least 6 months must be enrolled in the BPJS social security programmes (Article 14, Law 24 of 2011).

If you plan to create your own company to employ yourself, the structure comes first. See our page on setting up a PT PMA.

Which visa do you need to invest or start a business in Bali?

This is where most expensive mistakes happen, because the order matters.

Step 1: Explore on a pre-investment visa. The C12 (single entry) and D12 (multiple entry) exist for field surveys, feasibility studies and meetings before you invest, and they let you holiday and visit family on the same visa. No company is needed yet, but you need a sponsor. The C12 is the smarter choice if you expect to stay: it can be converted onshore into an ITAS with the same sponsor, while the D12 cannot. (Immigration, C12) Our multiple entry and pre-investment visa service covers both.

Step 2: Set up the PT PMA. A PT PMA is an Indonesian limited company with foreign shareholders. Since BKPM Regulation No. 5 of 2025 (issued 2 October 2025), the minimum paid-up capital is IDR 2.5 billion (about USD 140,000) per business line, against a total investment plan of IDR 10 billion. (Withers, October 2025) Our guide to the new PT PMA registration rules explains the detail.

Step 3: Pick the right KITAS for your role. Here is the trap. The E28A investor KITAS requires shares worth at least IDR 10 billion (about USD 559,000) in your own name. (Immigration, E28A) The company rules now let you start with IDR 2.5 billion paid up. So a founder can own a legally compliant PT PMA and still not qualify for the investor KITAS. Immigration’s answer: if your shareholding is below the threshold and you act as director or commissioner, you take a working KITAS (E23) for that position instead.

Founder profile Usual permit Official fee Watch out for
Shares of IDR 10 billion or more Investor KITAS (E28A), 1 or 2 years IDR 7,000,000 / 9,500,000 Shares must be in your name, not a nominee’s
Smaller stake, you run the company Working KITAS (E23) as director IDR 5,250,000 to 9,500,000 RPTKA approval and the foreign worker levy first
USD 2.5 million or more invested through your company Golden Visa E28B, 5 years (USD 5 million for 10 years) IDR 13,000,000 / 19,500,000 Proof of investment at application and renewal
USD 350,000 or more in bonds, listed shares or deposits, no company Golden Visa for individual investors, 5 years (USD 700,000 for 10 years) Billed by index Funds must stay in place

Golden Visa thresholds: Bangkok Post, July 2024. E28B fee: Immigration.

What goes wrong most often: founders sign with a nominee shareholder to save money, then discover the E28A needs the shares in their own name. Or they apply for an investor KITAS on a company capitalised for IDR 2.5 billion and the file is refused, with the government fee gone. The KITAS guide covers the application itself.

Can a foreign director or investor work in their own Bali company?

Only within the limits of the permit, and this is where founders get into trouble.

With an investor KITAS (E28A), you may invest, handle business set-up, sit on the board of directors or commissioners of the company you invested in, and supervise production of its goods or services at the office or site (Immigration, E28A). You may not do the hands-on work of the business. The owner of a yoga studio on an investor KITAS can direct the company; teaching the morning class is a job, and it needs a work permit for that role.

As a director who is not a large shareholder, you need an RPTKA like any employee. Step 3 above gives Immigration’s answer as a working KITAS (E23) for that position. Immigration also has a separate work visa family for this: E25 “company commissioner and executive” visas, with sub-types for commissioners (E25A), directors (E25B), deputy directors, general managers, managers and supervisors (Immigration visa list).

Living abroad does not exempt you. In September 2025, Ministry of Manpower inspectors found six foreign directors and commissioners at a company without RPTKA approval. The company argued they lived abroad; the ministry said the rules make no such exception, and that only directors or commissioners who are also shareholders with a stake worth more than IDR 10 billion (about USD 559,000) are exempt from RPTKA approval (Bisnis, 25 September 2025).

Which visa do remote workers and digital nomads need?

The E33G remote worker visa, and it works within a narrow lane. It gives a one year ITAS, renewable, for an official IDR 7,000,000 (about USD 391, the same as a one-year E23), with no Indonesian sponsor. You need a contract with a company outside Indonesia and bank records showing income of at least USD 60,000 a year. (Immigration, E33G)

The catch: the E33G is for foreign-source income only. It does not allow:

  • Taking Bali clients, even one, even for a small invoice
  • Working for an Indonesian company, including your friend’s PT PMA
  • Running paid workshops, retreats or events in Indonesia

If your income comes from abroad and stays abroad, this is usually the right route. If you earn less than USD 60,000, a C1 or D1 is legal for short stays, but you are then a tourist who happens to open a laptop, not a resident. Eligibility, income proof, documents and the tax angle are in our Bali digital nomad visa (E33G) guide. To have the file prepared for you, see our remote worker visa service.

Is there a freelance work visa in Bali?

No. Indonesia has no self-employed or freelance work permit. A working KITAS ties you to one sponsor and one position.

The legal workaround is structural, not a visa trick: the sponsor company signs the client contracts and invoices them, and you deliver the service as its employee. The client is the company’s client, not yours. If you want to run your own client base in Bali, you need your own company, an RPTKA for your role in it, and a business licence that covers the service.

Can I change jobs or work for two companies?

Not on one permit. Your RPTKA names one employer and one position, so a new job means a new permit. To change employer, the new company applies for its own RPTKA and you move to a new stay permit; the old sponsor should end your permit so the records stay clean. Working a second job for another company, even part time, is outside your permit, and so is freelancing on the side, even for a friend’s restaurant.

For how the KITAS itself is extended, converted and reported to local authorities, see our KITAS overview.

Which visa should retirees choose?

Two options, both under the second home family of visas:

  • E33F, retirement for 1 year. IDR 7,000,000 (about USD 391), renewable each year. You need a sponsor and proof of pension or income of at least USD 3,000 a month. (Immigration, E33F)
  • E33E, retirement for up to 5 years. IDR 13,000,000 (about USD 726), with USD 50,000 placed in your own account at an Indonesian state-owned bank. (Immigration, E33E)

Both are for applicants aged 55 or over (Permenkumham 11/2024, Art. 61). Many older articles still quote USD 1,500 a month for the yearly retirement permit. The official page says USD 3,000.

Our retiring in Indonesia guide covers health insurance, housing and banking for retirees, and the retirement visa service handles the file and the yearly renewals.

What if you are married to an Indonesian?

Take the E31A spouse KITAS, sponsored by your husband or wife, for 1 or 2 years at IDR 6,000,000 or 8,500,000 (about USD 335 or 475). (Immigration, E31A) The marriage must be recorded with the Indonesian authorities. A wedding abroad that was never reported to an Indonesian embassy or civil registry is the most common reason these files stall.

Once the marriage has lasted at least 2 years, you can apply for a KITAP (permanent stay permit). (Immigration, alih status ITAS to ITAP) See our spouse KITAS service.

How do you bring your family?

Your spouse applies under E31B and your children under E31E, both sponsored by you as the KITAS or KITAP holder. (Immigration, E31B; E31E) Their permits follow yours. A dependent permit does not include the right to work: if your spouse wants a job in Bali, they need their own sponsor and RPTKA. If your permit ends, theirs end too, so a family whose stay depends on one employer or one company should plan for that scenario before it happens.

Who is the second home visa for?

The E33 second home visa suits people with savings who want to live in Bali without an employer, a company or a spouse to sponsor them. You place a guarantee of USD 130,000 in a state-owned Indonesian bank and receive a first permit of up to 5 years, extendable to 10 years in total, for IDR 13,000,000 (about USD 726). No individual or corporate sponsor is required. (Immigration, E33)

Two cautions. The deposit must be in place within 90 days of the permit, and you must keep it there. And the E33 is not a work permit: running your Bali business on it is the same violation as on a tourist visa. Our second home visa service explains the bank step.

How can you live in Bali permanently?

There is no “permanent visa” you can buy on day one. There are two practical routes:

  1. KITAP (permanent stay permit). Workers, investors and retirees qualify after 3 consecutive years on a KITAS, spouses of Indonesians after 2 years of marriage. A 5 year ITAP costs IDR 7,000,000 plus IDR 3,500,000 for the re-entry permit, and it can be extended without a time limit as long as the basis still holds. (Immigration, ITAS to ITAP; Kanim Jakarta Pusat fee list) See our KITAP permanent stay service.
  2. Golden Visa or second home for 10 years. Not permanent in law, but the longest single runway Indonesia offers.

Every route still rests on a basis (a job, a company, a marriage, a deposit). If that basis disappears, so does the permit. Get advice before you sell shares, divorce or change employer, not after.

What are the penalties for working illegally in Bali?

Both the worker and the company carry risk. Enforcement in 2025 and 2026 has come from immigration and from Ministry of Manpower labour inspectors.

Who Sanction Legal basis
Foreigner Up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to IDR 500 million for misusing a stay permit or doing activities that do not match it Article 122, Law 6 of 2011 on Immigration (Hukumonline)
Foreigner Administrative action: deportation, cancellation of the stay permit, entry ban Article 75, Law 6 of 2011
Foreigner Entry ban of up to 10 years, extendable, instead of the previous 6 months Law 63 of 2024, the third amendment to the Immigration Law (ABNR)
Person or company that lets a foreigner misuse a permit Same criminal exposure as the foreigner under Article 122 Law 6 of 2011 (Hukumonline)
Employer Administrative fines and removal of workers without RPTKA approval PP 34/2021

These are not paper risks. In October 2025, the Ministry of Manpower removed 94 foreign workers from a special economic zone in North Sumatra because their employer had no approved RPTKA (Bisnis, 26 October 2025). In January 2026, a smelter company paid an administrative fine of IDR 2.17 billion for employing 164 foreign workers without an approved RPTKA (Bisnis, 7 February 2026).

What do people get wrong about Bali visas and work permits?

These are the mistakes we see most often, on both the work side and the residence side:

  • Starting work “while the KITAS is processing.” Until you enter on the E23 visa and your ITAS is issued, you are not authorised to work.
  • A job title that does not match reality. If your RPTKA says “marketing manager” and you run the kitchen, you are working outside your permit.
  • Investors doing the operational work. The E28A is for owning and supervising, not for staffing your own business.
  • Working on a visit visa, or taking local clients on an E33G. One Bali invoice can turn an E33G into a permit violation. The penalty can be deportation and a ban on returning.
  • Letting the RPTKA lapse. Extensions must be filed at least 30 days before expiry (SSEK), and the stay permit cannot outlive the approval.
  • Skipping BPJS enrolment. Inspectors check social security alongside the RPTKA, as the 2025 Kemnaker cases show.
  • Landing on a VOA and planning to convert. It cannot be done onshore. Enter on a C index visa if you might stay.
  • Using lookalike visa websites. The only government portal is evisa.imigrasi.go.id.
  • Forgetting overstay costs. The fine is IDR 1,000,000 (about USD 56) per day up to 60 days. Beyond that, detention and deportation. (GOV.UK, Indonesia overstay guidance)
  • Quoting old fees. The fees in this guide come from Immigration’s own pages in October 2026. Government Regulation (PP) No. 30 of 2026, in force from 1 August 2026, replaced PP No. 45 of 2024 on the fee schedule of the Ministry of Law (DDTC News). Immigration now sits in its own ministry, which said in January 2026 it is preparing fee adjustments (BCA Sekuritas, citing Antara). As of October 2026 we have not seen a new immigration fee regulation published, so check the live index page on the day you pay.

Not sure which visa fits you?

Most people who come to us have already read three websites and found three answers. The right visa depends on facts a table cannot settle: where your income is paid, how your shares are held, if your marriage is registered in Indonesia, and how long you really plan to stay. Choosing wrong usually means paying the government fee twice and losing a month. For work permits, most delays and sanctions come from the same few causes: the wrong sponsor, a role the company’s licence does not cover, or the wrong visa for what you actually do.

If you are hiring a foreign employee, appointing a foreign director, or want to know if your current visa covers what you do in Bali, talk to our team. Our visa and immigration team will check the company, the role and the permit, and confirm the index, the documents and the timeline for your case before anything is filed.

Want this guide offline? Get the free PDF version, or browse all 27 free ILA guides.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best long term visa for Bali?

It depends on your purpose. Remote workers earning USD 60,000 a year or more take the E33G, retirees the E33F or E33E, people with USD 130,000 to deposit the E33 second home visa, and company owners the E28A or E23. For long stays with no income in Indonesia, a C1 gives up to 180 days.

Can I work in Bali on a tourist visa, a business visa or a visa on arrival?

No. A visa on arrival or C1 tourist visa covers holidays and visits only, and all visit visas, including C1, C2, D1, D2, C12 and D12, prohibit selling goods or services and receiving payment from anyone in Indonesia. Working on one, even unpaid or for a few days, can lead to deportation and an entry ban. You need a KITAS that covers what you do: usually the E23 for a job, or the E28A for qualifying investors who direct and supervise their own company.

How long does a working KITAS take?

The official steps are short: about 2 working days for the RPTKA assessment, 2 for verification and 4 for the E23 visa after payment. Document preparation and corrections usually take longer than the official steps.

Who pays for the work permit in Indonesia?

The employer. It pays the DKPTKA of USD 100 per month and sponsors the E23 visa, which costs IDR 7,000,000 for a one-year stay.

How much do I need to invest to get an investor visa in Bali?

The E28A investor KITAS requires shares worth at least IDR 10 billion (about USD 559,000) in your own name. The Golden Visa starts at USD 350,000 in bonds, listed shares or deposits without a company, or USD 2.5 million through a company.

Can a foreign director work without a work permit?

Only directors or commissioners who are also shareholders above the threshold set by the Ministry of Manpower are exempt from RPTKA approval. The ministry put that at a stake worth more than IDR 10 billion in 2025. Everyone else needs an RPTKA.

Can I work as a freelancer in Bali?

No. There is no freelance visa. You can deliver services through a sponsoring company that contracts and invoices the clients, or set up your own company and get an RPTKA for your role in it.

Can I switch from a tourist visa to a KITAS without leaving Bali?

Only from a single entry C visa such as the C1, C2 or C12. A VOA, a visa-free entry or any D multiple entry visa cannot be converted, so you would have to leave and re-enter on the new visa.

How do I get permanent residence in Bali?

Through a KITAP. You can apply after 3 consecutive years on a work, investor or retirement KITAS, or after 2 years of marriage to an Indonesian. A 5 year ITAP costs IDR 7,000,000 plus the re-entry permit.

Sources

  1. Directorate General of Immigration: List of Indonesian visas (Daftar Visa Indonesia)
  2. Directorate General of Immigration: C1 Tourist Visit Visa (Visa Kunjungan Wisata)
  3. Directorate General of Immigration: C2 Business Visit Visa (Visa Kunjungan Bisnis)
  4. Directorate General of Immigration: C12 Pre-Investment Visit Visa (Visa Kunjungan Pra-Investasi)
  5. Directorate General of Immigration: D1 Multiple Entry Tourist Visit Visa
  6. Directorate General of Immigration: D2 Multiple Entry Business Visit Visa
  7. Directorate General of Immigration: D12 Multiple Entry Pre-Investment Visit Visa
  8. Directorate General of Immigration: E23 Working Visa (Visa Kerja)
  9. Directorate General of Immigration: E28A Investor Visa
  10. Directorate General of Immigration: E28B Company Investor Visa (Golden Visa)
  11. Directorate General of Immigration: E31A Family Visa, Spouse of an Indonesian Citizen
  12. Directorate General of Immigration: E31B Family Visa, Spouse of an ITAS or ITAP Holder
  13. Directorate General of Immigration: E31E Family Visa, Child of an ITAS or ITAP Holder
  14. Directorate General of Immigration: E33 Second Home Visa (Visa Rumah Kedua)
  15. Directorate General of Immigration: E33E Second Home Visa for Seniors, 5 Years
  16. Directorate General of Immigration: E33F Second Home Visa for Seniors, 1 Year
  17. Directorate General of Immigration: E33G Remote Worker Visa
  18. Directorate General of Immigration: Alih Status ITK menjadi ITAS (visit permit to limited stay permit)
  19. Directorate General of Immigration: Alih Status ITAS menjadi ITAP (limited stay to permanent stay permit)
  20. Kantor Imigrasi Jakarta Pusat: Daftar Tarif PNBP Keimigrasian (immigration fee list)
  21. Directorate General of Immigration: Press release, new immigration service fees, VOA and VITAS unchanged (April 2022)
  22. BPK legal database: Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 22 of 2023 on Visas and Stay Permits
  23. BPK legal database: Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 11 of 2024
  24. BPK legal database: Minister of Immigration and Corrections Regulation No. 3 of 2025
  25. BPK legal database: Government Regulation 34 of 2021 on the Use of Foreign Workers
  26. JDIH Kemnaker: Minister of Manpower Regulation 8 of 2021
  27. BPK legal database: Law 6 of 2011 on Immigration
  28. BPK legal database: Law 63 of 2024, Third Amendment to the Immigration Law
  29. BPK legal database: Law 24 of 2011 on BPJS
  30. SSEK: Employer Sponsorship and Work Permits in Indonesia
  31. SSEK: Employment of Foreign Workers, Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 8 of 2021
  32. ABNR: Indonesia Amends Immigration Law to Tighten Supervision and Enforcement
  33. Hukumonline: Jerat Hukum WNA Kerja Ilegal di Indonesia
  34. Hukumonline: Advokat Ini Beberkan Aturan Penggunaan TKA
  35. Bisnis: Kemnaker Ungkap 6 Warga Asing Tanpa Dokumen Jabat Direksi-Komisaris (25 September 2025)
  36. Bisnis: Kemnaker Usir 94 WNA Imbas Tak Punya Dokumen RPTKA (26 October 2025)
  37. Bisnis: Kemnaker Denda Rp2,17 Miliar Perusahaan Smelter Gegara TKA Ilegal (7 February 2026)
  38. Tirto: Gelar Yoga Retreat Ilegal di Bali, WN Australia Dideportasi (6 August 2026)
  39. RRI: Immigration Oversight in Bali Strengthens Public Order, 342 Foreigners Deported (5 July 2026)
  40. Bangkok Post: Indonesia launches Golden Visa to lure foreign investors (July 2024)
  41. Withers: Indonesia eases foreign capital rules, key takeaways from BKPM Regulation No. 5 of 2025 (October 2025)
  42. PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Indonesia, individual residence
  43. GOV.UK: Indonesia visa overstay and deportation
  44. DDTC News: PP 30/2026 terbit, jenis dan tarif PNBP Kementerian Hukum diatur ulang
  45. BCA Sekuritas, citing Antara: Imigrasi kaji penyesuaian tarif PNBP (January 2026)
  46. Databoks Katadata: Rupiah exchange rate at IDR 17,903 per US dollar (2 October 2026)