To work legally in Bali you need one of two visas: an employer-sponsored work KITAS (Index C312) if an Indonesian company is paying you, or a remote worker visa (E33G) if your employer is based outside Indonesia. Those are the core Bali work visa requirements, and choosing the wrong one — or working on a tourist visa — exposes you to up to five years in prison and fines of up to 500 million IDR under Indonesia’s Immigration Law.1Law of the Republic of Indonesia. Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 6 of 2011 on Immigration The rest of the process — documents, employer paperwork, post-arrival registration, tax, and exit — flows from that first choice.
Which Visa Applies to You
The deciding question is simple: where does your income come from?
The Index C312 work KITAS is the route when an Indonesian-based company hires you directly. Your employer sponsors the application through the Ministry of Manpower, and the permit ties you to that specific company and job title. Durations run from 180 days to two years, with government fees of roughly Rp 5,250,000 for up to 180 days, Rp 7,000,000 for up to one year, and Rp 9,500,000 for up to two years.2Directorate General of Immigration. General Information and FAQ – Work KITAS
The remote worker visa (E33G series) is for people employed by a company outside Indonesia. It permits stays of up to one year and costs Rp 7,000,000. You have to show at least $60,000 USD in annual income and a personal bank balance of at least $2,000 USD across the previous three months. In exchange, the rules are strict: you cannot sell goods or services inside Indonesia, and you cannot accept wages from any Indonesian individual or company.3Directorate General of Immigration. General Information and FAQ – Remote Worker Visa
This is where people slip up. A freelancer on the remote worker visa who picks up a local client in Canggu is breaking the terms. If any of your income comes from within Indonesia, you need the employer-sponsored work KITAS.
Documents You Need to Provide
For the Work KITAS
- Passport valid for at least 18 to 30 months from your intended entry. That is much longer than the six-month floor on tourist and remote worker visas.
- Legalized university degree relevant to the position. Since Indonesia joined the Apostille Convention in June 2022, applicants from member countries use an apostille rather than embassy legalization.4Consular Office of the Republic of Indonesia in the United States of America. Document Legalization
- Proof of at least five years of professional experience in the relevant field, in the form of a reference letter or professional certification.
- Health insurance issued by an Indonesian-licensed provider.
- Recent color photograph on a white background (not red, despite what some older guides say).
- Sworn translations of any document not already in English or Indonesian.
Some applicants also have to submit a medical certificate. Depending on the job type and KITAS category, that can include blood tests for HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis, plus a tuberculosis test and chest X-ray.
For the Remote Worker Visa
The document list is lighter: a passport valid for at least six months, a personal bank statement showing the $2,000 USD minimum balance across the past three months, proof of the $60,000 USD annual income, an employment contract with a company established outside Indonesia, a CV, a travel itinerary, and a recent photograph.3Directorate General of Immigration. General Information and FAQ – Remote Worker Visa
What Your Sponsoring Company Must Have
For the work KITAS, most of the paperwork sits on the employer’s side before your application even enters the system. The sponsor needs a valid Business Identification Number (NIB), which the TKA Online portal validates automatically at submission.5Directorate General of Immigration. Register – Guarantor
Foreign-owned companies (PT PMAs) also have to meet a paid-up capital threshold of 2.5 billion IDR (roughly $160,000 USD).6UNCTAD. Indonesia – Lowers Paid-Up Capital Requirement for Foreign-Owned Limited Liability Companies
Before hiring any foreign worker, the company must get an approved RPTKA (Rencana Penggunaan Tenaga Kerja Asing) from the Ministry of Manpower. The plan justifies why a foreign hire is needed, names the position and duration, and sets out how knowledge will transfer to an Indonesian counterpart. The ministry reviews the application in about two working days when documents are in order, and may schedule a video conference for clarification. Operating without RPTKA approval draws administrative penalties starting at IDR 1 million per day per foreign worker, and in serious cases deportation of the worker and loss of the company’s licensing access.
Job Titles Closed to Foreigners
Indonesia keeps a list of positions that are entirely off-limits to non-Indonesians. The most significant closure covers human resources: HR director, HR manager, industrial relations manager, and similar titles cannot go to foreigners under Minister of Manpower Decree No. 40 of 2012, which is still in force. Your employer’s RPTKA has to name a job title that matches your actual duties, and inspectors do check.
How the Application Moves
The employer-sponsored work KITAS runs through several stages, and the whole thing typically takes three to five weeks.
- Company and position verification by the Ministry of Manpower via the TKA Online portal — roughly three to seven working days.7Indonesia Travel. Indonesia Opens Online Onshore Visa Application Services
- RPTKA review — about five to ten working days after position verification.
- DKP-TKA payment, the compensation fund at $100 USD per month of employment, paid by the employer through the Simponi system.
- Visa issuance by email. You have 90 days from the issue date to enter Indonesia, and no embassy appointment is required.
The remote worker visa is far simpler. Apply directly through the official portal at evisa.imigrasi.go.id, upload your documents, pay the fee, and receive the electronic visa by email.8Directorate General of Immigration. The Official e-Visa Website for Indonesia
What You Must Do After You Land
Getting through immigration in Denpasar is not the end of the process. Several steps have to happen in the first days after arrival, and skipping any of them creates compounding problems.
Police reporting (STM). Your host, landlord, or sponsoring company has to report your presence to the local police within 24 hours of your arrival at your accommodation. The result is a Surat Tanda Melapor (STM). You need a new one every time you change address.
Biometric registration and E-KITAS. Within the first few working days, you visit the local immigration office for digital fingerprints and a facial photo. Immigration then issues your E-KITAS, the electronic residency card that acts as your main ID in Indonesia for the life of the permit.
Multiple Exit-Reentry Permit (MERP). A MERP is not automatic. If you plan to travel out of Indonesia and come back during your stay, apply for one at the immigration office. A six-month MERP is around IDR 1,000,000 (about $70 USD), a one-year MERP around IDR 2,000,000 (about $140 USD). Leaving Indonesia without a MERP cancels your stay permit.
Temporary Residence Card (SKTT). After your ITAS and MERP are in hand, register for a Surat Keterangan Tempat Tinggal at the local Population and Civil Registration Agency (Disdukcapil). Bring copies of your passport, stay permit, and ITAS, plus recent photos.
Tax Residency and the 183-Day Rule
Spend 183 days or more in Indonesia within any 12-month period and you become an Indonesian tax resident. That applies regardless of which visa you hold, and it means your worldwide income falls under Indonesian progressive rates:
- Up to IDR 60 million: 5%
- IDR 60 million to 250 million: 15%
- IDR 250 million to 500 million: 25%
- IDR 500 million to 5 billion: 30%
- Over IDR 5 billion: 35%
Non-residents (under 183 days) pay a flat 20% withholding tax on Indonesian-sourced income instead.
Tax residents must register for an NPWP (Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak), Indonesia’s taxpayer ID. Employer-sponsored KITAS holders usually have this handled by the company. Remote worker visa holders whose income comes entirely from overseas still need to watch the 183-day line, because crossing it makes you a tax resident with filing obligations.
BPJS Enrollment for Work KITAS Holders
Foreign workers on an employer-sponsored KITAS who stay longer than six months must be enrolled in Indonesia’s national social security programs. Active BPJS membership is a prerequisite for KITAS extension and renewal, so the employer cannot skip it.
BPJS Kesehatan (health) is 5% of salary, split 4% employer and 1% employee. BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (employment) has several components: old-age protection at 5.7% (3.7% employer, 2% employee), work accident protection at 0.24% to 1.74% (employer only), death protection at 0.3% (employer only), and pension at 3% (2% employer, 1% employee). Your employer handles enrollment; you’ll see the employee shares on your payslip.
Bringing Family
Spouses and children need their own dependent visas in the E31 index series. Indonesia applies a strict one-person-one-visa principle, so each family member holds a permit reflecting their actual activity. A dependent visa is a family reunification permit, not a work permit. If your spouse later wants to work, they need their own employer-sponsored work KITAS.
Leaving Indonesia the Right Way
When your job ends, your contract expires, or you decide to leave for good, you cannot simply fly out. You need an Exit Permit Only (EPO) first. The same applies if you are changing employers or if your KITAS is expiring.
The EPO returns your immigration documents to the authorities and formally closes your file. Your employer files the application on company letterhead, and once processed you generally have seven days to leave the country. The paperwork includes your original passport, original ITAS, original RPTKA documentation, proof of DKP-TKA payment, and a copy of your return ticket, among others.
Leaving without an EPO means applying for an Exit Re-entry Permit from abroad using your flight tickets, exit stamp, and original KITAS documents. An unresolved status can create problems the next time you try to enter Indonesia.
Penalties for Getting It Wrong
Indonesia treats unauthorized work as a criminal matter. Under Article 122 of Immigration Law No. 6 of 2011, any foreigner who deliberately misuses a stay permit or engages in activities that don’t match the purpose of the visa faces up to five years in prison and fines of up to 500 million IDR.1Law of the Republic of Indonesia. Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 6 of 2011 on Immigration The same penalties apply to anyone who helps a foreigner misuse a permit. Immigration authorities can also impose administrative sanctions, including deportation and blacklisting from future entry.
Overstays carry a separate fine of IDR 1,000,000 per day for each day past your visa’s expiration. Even a short overstay gets expensive quickly, and longer ones lead to detention and deportation. Tracking your permit dates and starting renewals or the EPO well before expiry is the cheapest way to stay clear of all of it.