Which Visa Do You Need for Bali? The Complete Guide

Indonesia has simplified its visa system a lot over the past few years, but the options still confuse almost everyone: tourist visas with three different names, KITAS permits for workers, investors and retirees, and rules that change faster than most blogs update. This guide walks you through every realistic option for Bali, from a two week holiday to a permanent move.

Good to know Immigration rules move quickly in Indonesia. This guide reflects the situation as of its last update date. Always confirm on the official portal evisa.imigrasi.go.id or with a licensed agent before booking anything.

The quick answer

Your situation	Visa to look at	Stay
Holiday up to 30 days	Visa on Arrival (VOA / e-VOA)	30 days, extendable once to 60
Long holiday or scouting trip	C1 tourist visa	60 days, extendable
Frequent trips all year	Multiple entry visitor visa (D series)	1 to 5 years validity, limited stays per entry
Remote worker with a foreign income	Remote worker KITAS (E33G)	1 year, renewable
Buying property or opening a company	Investor KITAS (E28A) via a PT PMA	2 years, renewable
Retiree 55 or older	Retirement KITAS (E33F)	1 year, renewable
High net worth, long horizon	Second Home or Golden Visa	5 to 10 years

Short stays: VOA and the C1 tourist visa

Visa on Arrival (30 to 60 days)

Citizens of most Western countries, including the US, UK, EU countries, Australia, and most of Latin America, can get a Visa on Arrival. You can buy it at the airport or, better, apply online in advance as an e-VOA. It costs around IDR 500,000, is valid 30 days, and can be extended once for another 30 days without leaving the country.

The extension is where people trip up: it involves the local immigration office (or an agent doing it for you), and you should start the process at least a week before your first 30 days expire.

C1 tourist visa (60 days and more)

If you already know you want more than 60 days, apply for a C1 single entry tourist visa before you fly. It grants 60 days on arrival and can be extended in-country, which makes it the standard choice for a serious scouting trip: enough time to test areas, visit villas and meet lawyers without watching the calendar.

Warning Working for an Indonesian company or serving local clients on any tourist visa is illegal, and Bali has stepped up enforcement. Deportations for visa misuse are real. If you plan to work, get the right KITAS.

Living in Bali: the KITAS family

A KITAS is a limited stay permit: your resident card. Different codes match different life situations.

Remote worker KITAS (E33G)

Designed for digital nomads who work for an employer or clients outside Indonesia. The headline requirements are a work contract with a company registered abroad and a documented annual income of around USD 60,000. In exchange you get a one year renewable permit, legal residence, and no Indonesian income tax on foreign income as long as you respect its conditions.

Investor KITAS (E28A)

The standard route for anyone opening a business or structuring a property investment through a foreign owned company (PT PMA). You must hold a meaningful share position in the company (the benchmark is IDR 10 billion in shares, around USD 615,000, in the paid up capital plan). It grants two years of residence and the right to act as a director without a separate work permit. It is the visa most villa investors end up with.

Retirement KITAS (E33F)

Available from age 55 with proof of pension or passive income and a long term rental contract. One year, renewable, and after several years it can convert to a permanent KITAP.

Second Home and Golden Visa

For those with capital who want a long horizon without a company: the Second Home visa (5 to 10 years, requires proof of significant funds held in Indonesia) and the Golden Visa program (5 or 10 years, tied to investments starting around USD 350,000 for individuals). Both are overkill for most people, but unbeatable for stability.

How to choose in practice

Testing the island for a month or two: e-VOA, then extend.
Serious scouting trip with villa visits: C1 tourist visa, 60 days minimum.
Working remotely while you decide: E33G remote worker KITAS.
Buying a villa to rent out: structure with a PT PMA and an E28A investor KITAS. Take legal advice first, the structure determines what you can own.
Retiring: E33F from 55, Second Home if you want ten quiet years.

Planning a move or an investment?

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Frequently asked questions

Can I buy a villa on a tourist visa?

You can visit, negotiate and even sign while on a tourist visa. But the ownership structure (leasehold in your name, or a PT PMA company) is what matters legally, not the visa you entered with. Long term, an investor KITAS makes your life much easier. Read our guide on leasehold vs freehold first.

What happens if I overstay?

Overstaying costs IDR 1,000,000 per day (roughly USD 60) and becomes a criminal matter beyond 60 days, with detention and deportation on the table. Never overstay: extensions are cheap and easy by comparison.

Do visa agents make sense?

For a simple e-VOA, no, do it yourself online. For extensions, KITAS applications and anything involving a PT PMA, a reputable licensed agent saves real time and prevents expensive mistakes. Avoid anyone promising shortcuts that sound too good to be legal, because they usually are not.

Is there a real digital nomad visa for Bali?

Yes, in practice the remote worker KITAS (E33G) is exactly that: one year of legal residence for people employed abroad, with an income requirement around USD 60,000 per year. For shorter workations under 60 days, most nomads simply use the VOA or C1, keeping in mind that their work must remain fully foreign facing.