Long term stay Bali
HOW TO GET A LONG-TERM STAY VISA IN BALI
Every year millions of foreigners visit the Republic of Indonesia, fall in love with the country and wonder how to live permanently in Bali.
It is totally understandable with its delicious food, strong economy, respectful culture, beautiful landscapes, and friendly people over its 17,000 islands from Bali to Sumatra.
Whether you are American, Australian, French, or any other nationality you may want to stay longer in Bali or any other island.
Generally, when you visit as a tourist you will get a VOA (Visa On Arrival) which allows you to stay 60 days. 30 days plus an extension of 30 days. We encourage you to visit our Visa Application Assistance page if you need to know how to do so.
If you have already been using your tourist visa and want to stay for a longer period you have several options between permits and visas to stay for the long term in Bali:
At Tampubolon Legal Solutions we are committed to helping you choose the best option regarding your personal and professional situation.
Keep in mind that Indonesia does not allow double visas so only the latest one will be valid.
Please also keep in mind that you must always comply with immigration and Indonesian law and authorities or it might be a reason for deportation out of the country.
1. SINGLE ENTRY VISIT VISA B211A
If you want to stay mid-term to long term in Bali (like 1 to 6 months) this is the most often option chosen by Bali lovers and digital nomads that want to extend their time on the Island of the Gods. The ease and the low cost of the procedure to obtain the single entry visit visa (compared to VITAS and KITAS) makes it the first visa to consider.
There are various types of Single Entry Visit Visa, and the 2 most common types which are applied by the visitors are:
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Tourist Visa: You need to have an Indonesian Citizen to sponsor you and allow you to stay and conduct tourism activities in Indonesia.
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Business Visa: In this case, you need to have an Indonesian company sponsor you. This visa allows foreigners to have business meetings in Indonesia.
Please note that the single entry visit visa B211A does not allow foreigners to work for an Indonesian company or own a business in Indonesia. If you want to work you need a permit and a limited stay permit (ITAS / KITAS).
The visa allows for stays of up to 6 months in Indonesia. The initial period of stay is 60 days. After that, you can apply for another 60 days up to 2 times. Therefore, the total maximum stay possible with this visa is 180 days.
How to obtain this visa?
There are 2 (two) ways to obtain this visa: (1) Online through the Indonesian immigration authority's platform; or (2) through the Indonesian Embassy of your home country. Please be advised that applying for the visa online would require an Indonesian citizen sponsor to submit the request. Meanwhile, the application via the Indonesian embassy at your home country will not require such sponsor.
Keep in mind that authorities may investigate the compliance of your case if you repeat this process too often.
Please also be aware that if you leave Indonesia during the validity period of the visa, the said visa will be invalidated and you have to reapply the visa again.
2. MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA
Multiple Visa entry is very appreciated by foreigners that fell in love with Bali and need to travel frequently from Indonesia.
The visa is valid for 12 months and during these 12 months, the foreigner can visit Indonesia multiple times for stays of up to 60 days per visit.
Only Indonesian companies can sponsor this type of visa. Indonesian individuals cannot act as sponsors for multiple entry visas.
The multiple-entry visa can be used for business purposes as well as family visits, seminars, sports, art, and culture.
The multiple entry visa does not allow foreigners to work in Indonesia.
3. LIMITED STAY PERMIT (ITAS/KITAS)
If you want to stay a number of years in Bali and not only a few months you need to consider the limited stay permit.
The validity period is up to two years (depending on the type of stay permit), and allows for in-country extensions.
In addition, limited stay permit allow multiple re-entry permit. This allows the holder to travel in and out of Indonesia without having any impact on the validity period of the permit.
Several types of limited-stay permits exist:
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The investor stay permit: this permit is for foreigners who own shares in a PMA, an Indonesian limited liability company. The investor permit has a several advantages: (1) It is valid for two years as opposed to the one year validity of other stay permits; and (2) you don't have to get a work permit from the ministry of manpower, which will lower government costs.
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The working stay permit: Foreigners who are working for a company in Indonesia usually apply for the working stay permit. It allows foreigners to work and stay in Indonesia. The foreigner obtains both a work permit (from the ministry of manpower) and a stay permit (ITAS / KITAS) from immigration.
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The family stay permit: we explain below in details how it works.
4. SPOUSE-SPONSORED VISA
We already made an article regarding marriage between a foreigner and an Indonesian citizen.
Once you are married you can get the sponsorship of your spouse through a spouse-sponsored marriage visa or spouse visa.
It will allow you to get two different immigration documents:
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KITAS/ITAS (Kartu Izin Tinggal Terbatas) which is a Limited Stay Permit.
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KITAP (Kartu Izin Tinggal Tetap) which is a Permanent Stay Permit.
There are 2 ways to get married to an Indonesian citizen, in Indonesia or abroad.
Please keep in mind that if you married abroad you need to file the marriage certificates to the Indonesian Embassy before you can register the marriage in Indonesia in order to have it recognized by the Indonesian government.
The Spouse Visa essentially has several advantages, among others:
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2 years travel permit MERP (Multiple Exit/Re-Entry Permit)
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Eligibility for Indonesian permanent residency (KITAP) – which then entails KTP and SIM (driving license)
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Eligibility to work and start a business in Indonesia
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Ability to open bank accounts, apply for loans and credit cards
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Eligibility for local prices
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Eligibility for Indonesian citizenship.
5. SECOND HOME VISA
As we have explained in our Visa Application Assistance section, Second Home Visa has recently been announced in 2022 by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration. This new type of Indonesian visa opens up opportunities in providing more interest from foreigners in staying in Indonesia, especially in Bali.
Ex-Indonesian citizens (ex-WNI) can also apply for this Second Home visa.
The Second Home visa is made to motivate foreigners and ex-Indonesian citizens to contribute to Indonesian economic growth.
This visa provides several advantages. One of which is the flexibility of bringing family members, including spouses, children, and also parents. Therefore, foreigners can apply to live in Indonesia in groups, which will create the process much more seamless.
With this Visa, you are able to live, make investments in business without actively generating income from the country, and choose Indonesia for retirement.
However, you should take note that holding a Second Home Visa does NOT mean that you are allowed to work in Indonesia.
For those who need to work, you need to ensure that you find an employer who is willing to support you as a sponsor and complete all the taxpayer obligations as you generate income within Indonesia.
If you wonder how to get a Second Home Visa, several requirements are needed:
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Recent color photograph;
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CV;
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Original passport still valid for a minimum of thirty-six months;
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Proof of Funds in the form of an account with a minimum value of IDR 2,000,000,000 or equivalent.
For the family members, they must also apply with the following documents :
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Recent color photograph;
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Evidence of having a family relationship with a foreigner holding a Second Home Visa;
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Marriage certificate or marriage book, for husband/wife, holding a Second Home Visa;
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Birth certificate or family card stating that the foreigner is the parent or child of the holder of a Second Home Visa. the document must be translated into Indonesian by a sworn translator;
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Original passport still valid for a minimum of thirty-six months.
6. PERMANENT RESIDENCY (ITAP/KITAP)
After staying 5 years consecutively (or 10 years non-consecutively) on a KITAS you will be eligible to apply for the Indonesian Permanent Residency: the famous KITAP to extend your time in Bali, Indonesia.
The KITAP has several advantages, among others:
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A KTP: Indonesian ID, five years validity;
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A SIM: Indonesian driver’s license, five years validity;
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Open bank accounts, credit cards, and loans;
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A five-year valid stay permit;
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A two-year valid MERP (the travel permit).
You will be eligible to apply for Indonesian KITAP if you are in the following situation:
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Indonesian regaining citizenship;
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Foreigner with an Indonesian spouse;
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Foreign investors, directors, or commissioners in an Indonesian company (PT or PMA) who have worked in the same Indonesian company for at least four years.
Applying for the KITAP can be quite challenging and we recommend getting some help to make sure all requirements are met. It can take up to 12 weeks and can cost up to $4,500, but costs do vary.
7. INDONESIAN CITIZENSHIP
How to get Indonesian Citizenship is a question we are often asked about. The process can be complex and long but we recommend you to visit the dedicated article on how to obtain Indonesian Citizenship.
You will learn how you can permanently stay in the country as long as you don't lose your citizenship.
Why work with us?
At Tampubolon Legal Solutions, our team of Indonesian lawyers provides a full range of immigration services. Part of our activity is dedicated to simplifying the arduous task of obtaining a long-term stay visa in Bali. Our experienced professionals will be with you throughout the entire process, helping you navigate through the often-challenging Indonesian bureaucracy.
We look forward to helping you achieve your Bali long-term stay goals.
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