Immigration, Visas & Work Permits

Visas and work permits remain the most wearing part of settling in Indonesia, and the rules change constantly. The framework was rebuilt between 2024 and 2026: the old embassy "telex" system, the sosbud and MEBV categories, and cash US-dollar fees are gone, replaced by an online e-visa portal and an alphanumeric index (C-series visit visas, E-series stay permits). Any guide written before 2024, earlier versions of this page included, will mislead you. Confirm current fees and eligibility with immigration or a qualified agent before you act.

One rule has not changed and matters more than any other: no tourist, visit or business visa permits paid work. Immigration reads "work" broadly, enforcement through 2025 and 2026 has been aggressive, and foreigners have been deported for working on the wrong visa.

Short stays: visa-free, VOA and visit visas

Citizens of the nine fellow ASEAN states enter visa-free for 30 days, which cannot be extended. Around 90 other nationalities qualify for the electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VOA), roughly IDR 500,000 for 30 days and now extendable once, in-country, for a further 30 days at an immigration office. For longer visits the single-entry visit visa (index C1, formerly B211A) gives an initial 60 days extendable to around 180; multiple-entry D-series visas run one to five years. All except the VOA need an Indonesian guarantor and an online application, and passports must be valid at least six months from the date of arrival.

Living here: KITAS, KITAP and the Golden Visa

Long stays use E-series limited-stay permits (KITAS): E23 for employment, E28A for investors, E31 for family members, E33F for retirees aged 55 and over, E33G for remote workers on foreign income. Held consecutively for several years, a KITAS can lead to permanent residence (KITAP). Newer options include the Golden Visa (five to ten years for substantial investors) and the non-working Second Home Visa (index E33), each backed by a large state-bank deposit or qualifying property.

Working legally

Employment is sponsored by the employer, never by the individual. A registered Indonesian company first obtains an RPTKA foreign-worker plan approved by the Ministry of Manpower and pays the DKPTKA levy (US$100 per worker per month); only then is a Work KITAS issued. The residence permit follows the work permit, not the other way round.

For current, case-specific advice, consult a qualified immigration agent.