What visa do I need to live in Bali long term?
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2023
Currently you can arrive in Bali (Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar) and pay for the 30 day visa on arrival which can be extended for another 30 days. The eVOA (electronic VOA) can now be obtained BEFORE arrival. Apply here: https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/
However, if you wish to stay longer than 60 days in Bali, you are going to want to organise a visa that gives you more time and flexibility.
I understand there is a lot of information out there when it comes to finding the right visa to live longer term in Bali, and it has been a confusing topic for many. It doesn’t have to be, and below I break down the various visas that you may consider.
From working remotely, to studying, having a gap year, to investing there is a visa for everyone and I am going to keep it simple by providing you information on the Second-home visa, B211A tourist visa, and a variety of KITAS. My clients are usually looking for a visa for either 3 months, 6 months, 1-2 years, retirement and indefinite stays in Bali, and there is a solution for all of them.
In any case, I have excellent visa agents who can further advise, quote and issue your visa online hassle-free.
As of 10 June 2023, you no longer need to be vaccinated to enter Bali. The government still recommends that you have two COVID shots but it is not required anymore.
Can I live in Bali and still work remotely?
Yes, the good news is that if you want to work online remotely (earn an income from outside of Indonesia) and live in Bali for an extended period of time (for instance 6 months, 1-2 years or indefinite) there are a few visa options for you.
For remote work (i.e. a digitial nomad) and living more than 60 days in Indonesia, allows you to choose between the B211A tourist visa (up to 180 days stay in Indonesia), C14 Sponsored Investment and C317 Dependent KITAS (1-2 years stay in Indonesia). There is also the 212 Multiple Entry visa, however this allows you to only stay up to 60 days in Indonesia at a time.
B211A tourist visa
This visa is applied to those who will visit Indonesia for the purpose of official government activities, tourism, social and cultural activities, sport, business and commercial activities, family visit, journalistic activities, or transit. As mentioned above, you can currently work remotely on this visa (picture those awesome co-working hubs, working from your villa or at a cafe). It allows you to arrive in Bali with 60 days, and then you have the opportunity to do two more 60 day extensions, in total, giving you 180 days stay in Bali.
After 180 days you can start all over again in Bali and apply for a new B211A toursit visa. However, it is a single-entry visa so every time you leave Indonesia the visa is void you have to start it again. If you wish to live in Bali for 12 months, then you could do this visa twice over (i.e. 180 days x 2) but you need to leave Indonesia after 180 days and reapply.
By all means, you can be on this type of visa for a very long time too. The initial 60 day payment to start the visa is at a slightly higher cost than each extension. This visa takes approx 5-7 days to be proccessed but can be fastracked to 3 days depending on immigration.
What is the criteria of the B211A tourist visa?
This single-entry visa includes sponsorship through a visa agent. All that is required to apply is that is your passport is valid for 12 months at a minimum. You cannot apply for a B211A while in Indonesia after arriving on a VOA, you must apply for it and receive one before entering the country.
Is there a digitial nomad visa?
For a long time there has been alot of talk about a digitial nomad visa and many people are asking for it and are waiting for it to happen. However, there is nothing in the near future that tell us it is coming, Instead, the Indonesian Government created the new second-home visa which isnt a solution to those digitial nomads as it requires proof of funds in the form of an Indonesian bank account under your name or that of a sponsor with a value of at least IDR 2 billion.
Not to worry, digital nomads are still enjoying their best Bali life, holding other visas such as the B211A tourist visa and Multiple entry KITAS. If you wish to work remotely and are looking for the best solution to suit your needs I can definitely assist.
Tell me about the different types of kitas
Depending how long you stay, your particular needs and if you need to come and go from Indonesia, then a KITAS may be better suited to you. They give you a lot more flexibikity to come and go from Indonesia.
There is an C314 Sponsored Investment KITAS (Valid 1 & 2 years option – Multiple Entry), Student KITAS, Retirement KITAS, Working KITAS (Full Sponsorship, depending on work category) and C317 Dependent KITAS (Valid 1 year – Multiple Entry). Although a KITAS is the more expensive option (compared to the toursist visa) it definitely has its advantages and essentially it is a form of ID that will be beneficial for living longer term in Bali.
What are some of the benefits of having a KITAS?
– Leave Indonesia as many times as you want during the visa period
– You can be quicker in the immigration line (KITAS holder line) every time you are at the airport – avoid the tourists!
– Your immigration visit is done once for fingerprints and photo and no more trips and extensions within the visa period (set and forget)
– Enjoy better prices and discounts for KITAS holders at places like gyms, yoga clubs, attractions, accommodation and more
– Your first KITAS applied for offshore can also get you VIP airport service so you can go through immigration even quicker
– KITAS holders can also organise insurance policies with local Balinese agents who represent major worldwide insurance companies like Allianz and Prudential (tends to be very cost-effective as opposed to an international policy)
– A child can attend any school they want in Bali
– Open a local bank account (enjoy the banking app and pay for local utilities, Go Jek, local businesses, phone credit etc)
– The ability to buy items like a scooter or car in your name as you will be required to have a KITAS (plus another document called a SKTT)
Student KITAS
If you have a child attending some international schools, the school will require them to be on a Student KITAS (a visa that states they are a full time student studying in Indonesia).
These are issued for one year and are renewable each year during the study period (approx. 14,000,000k per student/per year plus an admin fee).
The school will organise it for you via their legal department and take your child to immigration using their own visa agent but you still have to organise your own personal visas separately.
Schools will also accept a Dependent KITAS as opposed to a student KITAS and this is something I can help arrange for you.
Visas are now issued electronically so there is no need to attend an embassy with your passport to collect a visa. Paid online and they will be emailed or sent via WhatsApp. There will always be changes to regulations (i.e. offshore versus onshore), requirements (documents to present like proof of villa address, passport validity, insurance, flight details etc.) and fees so best to get my visa agents to answer any questions and give you the most cost-effective solution.
The process time for a tourist visa is around 5-10 days (or can be fast tracked), however KITAS can take 1-2 months (subject to change at any time due to immigration processing in Bali).
Hopefully this has given you some further insight and clarification when it comes to choosing the best visa for your upcoming Bali adventure. Feel free to book a call with me to discuss visa options and many other considerations like accommodation, cost of living, transport, medical, schools, childcare, banking, technology and so much more.
Can you process a visa or KITAS for me and how long does it take?
Yes, I can introduce you to my trusted visa agents, who are very easy to deal with, provide you with the most up to date visa requirements and prices. Depending which visa you require, they can process both while in Bali (onshore) and overseas (offshore). Processing time varies on the visa you need and ranges from 5-10 days (tourist visa) to 1month (KITAS). Processing times can also be afffected if there is a problem with the immigration system and holiday closures.
Do you have to be married when you are on a dependent KITAS?
Yes, this applies for when families wish to be dependent to the person holding the Investment Multiple KITAS. If you are not married, couples can proof that they are defacto. You can apply for a defacto document with the Government. For example, you can apply for this at the Births, Deaths amd Marriages department.
Second-home visa for Bali foreigners
Many existing clients and new enquiries have been asking me for more information on the newly announced second-home visa. Not to be confused with a previous announcement with the introduction of a ‘Digital Nomad’ visa that has also been in the works for a while. To clarify, the digital nomad visa is totally different, it is not available and there is no more information but feel free to contact me on how to work digitally in Indonesia.
To coincide with November’s G20 Summit in Nusa Dua in Bali, The Director General of Immigration announced on 25th October 2022, that the second-home visa will be available from 24 December 2022. The second-home visa is intended for foreigners who plan to stay for a long time and contribute to the Indonesian economy. It is a visa suitable for people who are professionals and retirees.
What is the criteria of the second-home visa?
This visa is granted for foreign nationals to enter and stay in Indonesia for 5 or 10 years and can also sponsor family members. You are not able to work in Indonesia on this visa.
You must meet the criteria to be able to apply:
– Proof of funds of at least 2 billion Indonesian rupiah.
OR
– Proof of luxury real estate in Indonesia (category in the name of a foreigner in accordance with the legislation in the land/agrarian sector).
– Minimum of 36 months validity on Passport
I will be updating this post when we get more information and if we do have any clients using this visa, I will aim to do an expat profile interview on them for further insight. I do have an agent who is processing this visa and it costs approximately $800 USD (valid for 5 years) per person.
Do I need to be vaccinated to enter Bali, Indonesia?
As of 10 June 2023, you no longer need to be vaccinated to enter Bali. The government still recommends that you have two COVID shots but it is not required anymore. Indonesia has now been added to the IATA website as a country accepting unvaccinated arrivals.
Can I swap between visas?
Yes you can change from the B211 tourist visa to a KITAS for example if you wish to stay longer and allow yourself multiple entry. There are onshore processing times and costs associated. There is always a solution and we can work the best visa for your circumstance and requirements. Feel free to reach out anytime to discuss your travel plans and commitments.
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