Working, investing & retiring in Bali

The standard permit if an Indonesian entity hires you. The employer is the sponsor and carries the legal obligations — you cannot self-sponsor an ordinary work KITAS.

• Passport valid 18+ months with blank pages
• Sponsor's company documents: deed of establishment, NIB, business licence, tax number (NPWP) and its own domicile letter
• RPTKA approval (foreign worker utilisation plan) via tka-online.kemnaker.go.id, matched to a job title on the permitted-positions list
• DKP-TKA levy — USD 100 per month of the permit, paid by the employer
• CV plus a degree certificate and reference letters showing 5 years' relevant experience
• Recent colour photos (red background), health/medical statement and, for most positions, an insurance policy
• After arrival: ITAS card, e-KITAS registration, MERP (multiple exit re-entry permit), police report (STM/SKTT) and local civil registry reporting

One-year permit for people working remotely for a foreign employer or foreign clients. You may not take Indonesian clients or income from an Indonesian entity.

• Proof of employment or client contracts with a company registered outside Indonesia
• Proof of income — commonly USD 60,000 in the prior year
• Bank statements showing at least USD 2,000 for the last three months
• Passport valid 6+ months, photo, and proof of accommodation in Indonesia
• Self-sponsored: no Indonesian employer or RPTKA required

There is no true freelance visa. A B211A business visit visa allows meetings, negotiation and inspection — not delivering paid services. Photographers, DJs, yoga teachers, trainers and content creators have all been deported for 'just one paid gig'.

• For short paid assignments, use a project-based KITAS sponsored by the Indonesian client
• Never accept payment into an Indonesian bank account without a work permit
• Working without a permit: up to 5 years, or deportation plus a re-entry blacklist

A PT PMA lets foreigners own a business, hold land-use titles through the company, and sponsor their own investor KITAS. Set-up is realistically 4–8 weeks.

• Minimum investment plan of IDR 10 billion per business line per location, excluding land and buildings; paid-up capital commonly IDR 2.5 billion
• Notarial deed of establishment and Ministry of Law approval (ahu.go.id)
• NIB and risk-based business licences via OSS (oss.go.id) — check your KBLI business code is open to foreign ownership before anything else
• Company NPWP, domicile address and a corporate bank account
• Passports and tax IDs of all shareholders and directors; at least two shareholders
• Any sector-specific licence: tourism (TDUP), food & beverage, alcohol, construction, education

Available to shareholders in the PT PMA. It does not by itself permit you to work day-to-day in the company; a director role plus a work permit is the safer structure if you're operating hands-on.

• Shareholding of at least IDR 1 billion (1 or 2-year KITAS) — many practitioners advise IDR 10 billion for the director route
• Company deed, NIB, shareholder list and company NPWP
• Personal NPWP, passport, photos and proof of address
• No RPTKA or DKP-TKA levy if you are purely an investor and not drawing an Indonesian salary

Foreigners cannot hold Hak Milik (freehold). Nominee arrangements — putting a local's name on your title — are void under Indonesian law and are the single biggest way foreigners lose money in Bali.

• Hak Pakai (right to use): available to foreign individuals with a KITAS/KITAP, 30 years + extensions, for a home
• Hak Guna Bangunan (right to build): held by a PT PMA, 30 + 20 + 30 years — the normal route for villas and commercial projects
• Leasehold: 25–30 years, usually extendable; must be by notarial deed (PPAT) and registered, not a private agreement
• Always run a due-diligence check at the local BPN land office: certificate authenticity, zoning (green belt land cannot be built on), access rights and existing charges
• Budget for taxes: 5% seller tax, 5% buyer duty (BPHTB), notary and PPAT fees, and 10% VAT plus 11% rental tax if you let the property

A 5 or 10-year stay permit for financially independent people, without a company. Suited to investors who want residency but not an operating business.

• Proof of funds of IDR 2 billion in an Indonesian state bank account, or ownership of qualifying property
• Passport valid 36+ months, CV, photo and proof of address
• Does not permit working or earning income in Indonesia

The classic Bali retirement route: a one-year stay permit, extendable up to five years and then convertible to a KITAP. Sponsored by a licensed agent, not an employer.

• Passport valid at least 18 months
• Proof of pension or passive income — commonly USD 3,000 per month, or USD 36,000 per year, evidenced by pension statements or bank records
• Proof of accommodation in Indonesia: a lease of at least 12 months, or property ownership documents
• Health insurance and a life insurance policy valid in Indonesia
• Statement of intent to employ an Indonesian domestic helper (still required in practice)
• CV, recent photos, and a statement that you will not work or earn income in Indonesia
• Sponsorship by an authorised Indonesian travel/visa agency

Newer 5 and 10-year options for older applicants with larger funds, aimed at reducing yearly renewals.

• Deposit in an Indonesian state bank: roughly USD 50,000 for 5 years or USD 100,000 for 10 years (Silver Hair), higher tiers under the Golden Visa
• Proof of funds must be maintained — early withdrawal can void the permit
• No work rights; investment-linked Golden Visa tiers are separate

A 5-year permanent stay permit, renewable, available after holding a KITAS continuously (typically 3 consecutive years for spouses, 5 for retirement/work streams).

• Continuous KITAS history with no gaps and no overstays
• Sponsor letter (employer, spouse or agent), NPWP and tax compliance
• Local reporting: SKTT, police STM and civil registry registration
• Comes with a multiple exit re-entry permit valid for the full period

If you're married to an Indonesian citizen, a spouse-sponsored KITAS (E31A) is cheaper and faster than the retirement stream and converts to KITAP after two years.

• Marriage certificate — if married abroad, legalised and registered at the Indonesian civil registry (Dukcapil)
• Spouse's KTP, KK (family card) and NPWP
• Sponsor letter and proof of shared address