The options at a glance
Bali has no visa of its own. These are Indonesian visas, issued by the national immigration office, and the rules are the same in Bali as in Jakarta.
| Visa | Stay | Main condition | Government fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa on arrival, B1 | 30 days, one extension to 60 | Eligible nationality | Rp 500,000, same again to extend |
| Visit visa, C1 | 60 days, two extensions to 180 | Proof of funds, return ticket | About Rp 2M, plus extensions |
| Multiple entry visit visa, D1 | 1, 2 or 5 years, 60 days per visit | Proof of funds | From about Rp 3M |
| Remote worker KITAS, E33G | 1 year | Income of about $60,000 a year from abroad | About Rp 7M |
| Retirement KITAS, E33F | 1 year, renewable up to 5 | Retirement age, steady income | About Rp 7M to Rp 9M with permit fees |
| Investor KITAS, E28A | 1 or 2 years | Shares in an Indonesian company | Depends on length |
| Second home visa, E33 | 5 or 10 years | About Rp 2 billion in a state bank or in property | Higher, paid once |
Up to 60 days, the visa on arrival
The visa on arrival costs Rp 500,000 and gives 30 days. You can buy it at the airport or online before you fly, and extend it once for another 30 days.
It is fine for a holiday and for a scouting trip. It is a poor fit for a long stay, because after 60 days you have to leave the country. People who chain visa runs to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur every two months spend more on flights than a proper visa costs, and immigration officers do notice the pattern.
Up to 180 days, the C1 visit visa
The C1 is what most people use for a stay of three to six months. You apply online before arrival. It gives 60 days and can be extended twice, 60 days each time, for 180 days in total.
What to know:
- It is single entry. If you leave Indonesia, the visa ends.
- Since 2025, extensions involve a visit to the immigration office in person for a photo and fingerprints. An agent prepares the file, but you still show up.
- Start each extension at least two weeks before the current stay expires. Overstaying costs Rp 1M per day.
- It does not allow work for Indonesian clients or any local income.
With an agent, the visa and two extensions cost roughly Rp 8M to Rp 11M in total. Spread over six months, that is about Rp 1.5M to Rp 2M a month.
If you plan to come and go, the D1 multiple entry visit visa is valid for one, two or five years. Each stay is limited to 60 days, so it suits people who split their year between Bali and somewhere else.
A six month stay pairs well with a monthly rental in Bali, or with a six month deal negotiated directly with an owner.
One year for remote workers, the E33G
Indonesia introduced the remote worker stay permit in 2024. It is the closest thing to a digital nomad visa.
The conditions, as published:
- an employment contract with a company outside Indonesia, or proof that you own one
- income of at least $60,000 a year
- bank statements for the last three months, with a minimum balance of about $2,000
- a passport valid for at least six months, and health insurance
The permit lasts one year. The government fee is about Rp 7M, and agents charge their service on top.
Two limits matter. You may only work for your foreign employer, so no Indonesian clients and no income paid in rupiah. And holding a stay permit longer than 183 days makes you an Indonesian tax resident. Rules introduced in 2022 can exempt foreign income for the first years under conditions, and guidance issued in 2025 changed how residency is assessed. Get advice from a tax consultant before you apply, not after.
Freelancers with several clients and no employment contract often fail the paperwork for this permit. They usually stay on the C1 and leave every 180 days, or set up a company and take the investor route.
Retirement, the E33F
The retirement KITAS lets older foreigners live in Indonesia without working. It is valid for one year and can be renewed each year, up to five years, after which a permanent stay permit becomes possible.
The usual conditions:
- minimum age of 55, with some 2026 guidance applying 60, so confirm for your case
- proof of a pension or regular income, from about $1,500 a month
- health insurance
- a rental contract in Indonesia
- a sponsor, which in practice is a visa agency
- a statement that you will employ a local domestic worker
You cannot work on this permit, in Indonesia or for Indonesian clients. With agency fees, expect $1,000 to $1,500 for the first year.
There is also a senior version of the second home visa for people over 60 who place a deposit in an Indonesian state bank instead of proving monthly income. It gives a longer permit in one go.
The rental contract requirement makes a long term rental in Bali the natural match. Retirees most often choose Sanur and Ubud. The guide on retiring in Bali covers the rest.
Investors and company owners
If you want to run a business in Bali, or work for your own Indonesian company, the route is a foreign-owned company, called a PT PMA, and an investor KITAS.
The capital requirements are high on paper, in the billions of rupiah per shareholder for the investor permit. The company has real obligations too, including accounting, tax filings and investment reports. This is a route for people who are building something in Indonesia. Setting up a shell company only to get a permit is expensive, and immigration has been checking dormant companies.
A work KITAS, sponsored by an Indonesian employer, is the other legal way to earn local income. The employer applies, pays, and has to justify hiring a foreigner.
Five or ten years, the second home visa
The second home visa targets people with capital who want to stay long without annual renewals. The headline condition is about Rp 2 billion, roughly $130,000, held in an Indonesian state-owned bank for as long as the visa is valid, or property of a set value.
It gives five or ten years. It does not allow employment in Indonesia. If you were going to keep that amount in savings anyway, it buys a lot of peace. Many people who use it also take a long lease on a home. See the leasehold listings in Bali and the guide on leasehold vs freehold.
Which visa for which stay
| Your plan | Visa to look at |
|---|---|
| Two months to try Bali | Visa on arrival with one extension |
| Three to six months | C1 visit visa |
| Half of each year, for several years | D1 multiple entry visa |
| A year or more, employed by a foreign company | E33G remote worker KITAS |
| A year or more, retired | E33F retirement KITAS |
| Running a business in Bali | Investor KITAS with a PT PMA |
| Many years, with savings | Second home visa |
Agent or do it yourself
The visa on arrival and the C1 can be done yourself on the official site. It works, with some patience for the payment page.
For any KITAS, almost everyone uses an agent. The retirement permit requires a sponsor anyway. Ask for the price in writing, with what it includes: government fees, the stay permit card, the re-entry permit, and the local police and residence registration. A quote far below the others usually leaves something out.
What each visa means for housing
Your visa sets how long you can commit to a home.
- On a visa on arrival or a C1, rent by the month. Do not prepay a year on a visa that ends in six months.
- On a KITAS, a yearly rental costs far less per month, and immigration will ask for your address in any case.
- Your landlord has to report foreign guests to the local authorities. With a KITAS you also register your residence. Ask the owner if they have done this for previous tenants.
The guide on how to rent in Bali explains deposits and contracts.
Common mistakes
- Working on a visit visa. Teaching yoga, taking photos for a villa or selling services to people in Bali is work, even when the payment goes to a foreign account.
- Overstaying. It is Rp 1M per day, and after 60 days it means detention and a ban.
- Letting the passport run under six months of validity, or run out of blank pages.
- Paying for a yearly rental before the visa is approved.
- Assuming last year’s rule still applies.