You have landed in Bali, collected your bags, and you are ready to start your new life. The last thing you want is to discover your phone has stopped working on the local network because you missed a registration step you did not even know existed.
It happens more often than you would think. IMEI registration is one of those practical admin tasks that do not come up in most Bali relocation guides, but it is genuinely important, especially if you are planning to stay longer than 90 days. Get it right at the airport, and the whole thing takes minutes. Leave it too late, and it gets complicated fast.
Here is everything you need to know, written for expats and long-term movers rather than tourists passing through.
What Is IMEI and Why Does Indonesia Require Registration?
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It is the unique 15-digit code assigned to every mobile phone, essentially the device’s individual fingerprint. You can find yours by dialling *#06# on your phone, or by going to Settings > General > About on iPhone, or Settings > About Phone on Android.
Indonesia introduced mandatory IMEI registration in 2020 to reduce the circulation of illegal phones and protect consumer rights. The system works through a centralised database called CEIR (Centralised Equipment Identity Register). If a phone’s IMEI is not recognised for Indonesian cellular networks, the device may still work on Wi-Fi, but local SIM and eSIM cellular connectivity will stop working.
In short, if your phone is not registered, it will eventually lose all mobile network access in Indonesia. You can still use Wi-Fi, but that means no Grab, no Gojek, no mobile data when you are out, and no local calls. For anyone relocating to Bali for more than a holiday, this is not a workable situation.
Do You Actually Need to Register? It Depends on Your Stay
This is where most people get confused, so let us break it down clearly.
If you are staying under 90 days, the process is simpler. Short-stay visitors can buy a tourist SIM card at the airport or an official operator store, and staff will handle the IMEI whitelisting for you. Your phone will work on the local network for up to 90 days without needing to go through customs registration or pay any taxes.
If you are staying longer than 90 days, which applies to most expats, digital nomads, retirees, and anyone on a longer visa, you need to register your phone’s IMEI with Indonesian Customs (Bea Cukai) at the airport on arrival. This is where timing becomes critical. Registering on the day you land gives you access to the most favourable tax conditions. Leaving it until later changes the calculation significantly, and in some cases means paying tax on the full device value rather than just the portion above the threshold.
The good news is that Indonesia has made the pre-arrival part of this process easier. Since 1 October 2025, the official arrival declaration system is now called All Indonesia, an integrated platform that handles what used to require separate forms and the older Bea Cukai online portal. Before your flight, you complete your declaration through All Indonesia, which includes the IMEI registration step, and you will receive a QR code to present at the customs counter when you land. It takes a few minutes to fill in and saves you time in the arrivals hall. The step-by-step process is covered in the next section.
Step-by-Step: How to Register Your IMEI at Bali Airport
Here is the process for expats planning a long-term stay, done on arrival day.
Before your flight, register your device through the All Indonesia arrival declaration system. You will need your passport number, flight details, and IMEI number. Once completed, you will receive a QR code. Save this as a screenshot on your phone or print it out.
On arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, the IMEI registration area is located after the baggage claim belt, before you exit the arrivals hall. Look for the Customs (Bea Cukai) counter. Present your QR code, passport, boarding pass, and the device itself. A customs officer will process the registration.
You are allowed to register a maximum of two devices per person. Bringing more than two devices for personal use may result in the extras being treated as commercial imports, which involves a significantly more complex and costly process.
How Much Does IMEI Registration Cost?
This is where the numbers matter and where registering on arrival day makes a real difference.
IMEI registration for phones valued at under $500 USD is free of charge, but only on the day of arrival. For phones worth more than $500 USD, the tax for foreigners is 40% of the value exceeding $500. As an example, if your phone costs $800 USD, the 40% tax applies to the $300 above the threshold, so the tax owed would be $120.
If you miss the arrival day window and register later at the Bali Office of Taxes and Duties (near the airport), the tax is calculated on the full value of the device, not just the amount exceeding $500. This can make registration significantly more expensive if you have a high-value phone.
The practical takeaway: sort your IMEI registration the moment you land, before you exit the arrivals hall.
Registering a SIM Card in Bali: What You Need
Getting a local SIM card sorted is the second part of the puzzle. The rules around this have also tightened.
To register a SIM card as a tourist or new expat, you generally need your valid passport (the one you used to enter Indonesia), your active visa or entry stamp, including a Visa on Arrival or e-VOA, and your phone’s IMEI number.
Where you buy your SIM matters more than most people realise. Corner shops and unbranded kiosks can sell a SIM but often cannot complete foreigner registration, which is why many people end up with a non-working card until they visit a carrier store. For expats, buying from an official operator store or airport counter is always the right move.
Which SIM Card Provider Is Best for Expats in Bali?
Three providers dominate the market in 2026: Telkomsel, XL Axiata, and Indosat. Telkomsel remains the gold standard for coverage, and their 5G network now covers most of southern Bali. It is the best option for expats who travel frequently to other parts of Indonesia or need the most stable connection for work calls.
Telkomsel’s GraPARI service centres are located across Bali in Kuta, Ubud, Denpasar, Bukit, and Gianyar. XL Axiata and Indosat also have official service centres and are worth considering for competitive data pricing if you are predominantly based in Bali.
KITAS holders can register for postpaid plans such as Telkomsel Halo or XL Prioritas, which offer better customer service and billing cycles compared to prepaid tourist packages.
What About eSIMs?
eSIMs are an increasingly popular option for expats arriving in Bali, particularly for those with newer iPhone and Android devices. Providers like Telkomsel and Indosat offer local eSIM services, but you will still need to register your IMEI with Customs if your stay exceeds 90 days, which means an eSIM alone will not bypass the registration requirement for long-term expats.
Global eSIM options like Airalo, Holafly, and Saily can be activated before you land and give you instant connectivity on arrival. These are worth considering as a bridge while you sort your local registration and long-term SIM setup in the first few days.
Getting Your Phone Sorted Is Just the Beginning
IMEI registration is one of those tasks that feels minor until it goes wrong. Sort it at the airport on arrival day and you will never think about it again. Miss it, and you could spend your first week in Bali troubleshooting your phone instead of actually settling in.
The truth is, IMEI registration is just one very small item on a much longer to-do lis when moving to Bali. There are visas to navigate, housing to find, healthcare to set up, schools to research, and a hundred small practical things that no Google or AI search will fully prepare you for. The families and individuals we work with at Our Year in Bali consistently tell us that having someone who already knows the answers saved them weeks of confusion and more than a few costly mistakes.
When you are ready to talk through your specific situation, our free discovery call is a no-pressure conversation where we map out exactly what your move looks like, step by step. You do not have to figure this out alone. And you really do not have to show up unprepared.
