work permits and visa regulations in indonesia

There are several visas and work permits Indonesia has for foreigners looking to stay or work in Indonesia. In this article I will guide you through the types of visas available and which one you should choose, skipping the ones not relevant for business travelers and entrepreneurs.

Note that Indonesia passed a new Immigration Law in 2011 and therefore any article written before that will contain most probably inaccurate information.

Tourist visa

Tourist visas are the easiest to get as for many nationalities they can be obtained on-arrival in the airport or seaport. Tourist visa can be obtained for 7 or 30 days and extended once in a local immigration office without having to leave the country.

In order to qualify for the visa, you need to have a return ticket out of Indonesia and passport valid for at least 6 months. Visa fee can be paid in US dollars, so you don’t need to exchange Indonesian Rupiahs beforehand.

Business visa

Business visa purpose is doing business activities in Indonesia without taking up employment. While it is easy to get one from your local Indonesian embassy, you will need to get a sponsor letter from a company registered in Indonesia.

Business visa has two benefits over tourist visa. Firstly, you can apply for a one year multiple entry business visa (maximum 60 days stay at a time) and save yourself from having to apply for a new visa every time you come to Indonesia.

KITAS

KITAS is the limited stay permit commonly used by expats employed in Indonesia. KITAS can be obtained by foreigners employed by Indonesian company, foreigners married to Indonesian citizens or kids of the foreigners who are married to Indonesian citizen.

Indonesia is strict about letting foreigners to be employed in Indonesia. In the KITAS application process, the company needs to demonstrate why this position needs a foreign specialist. Ministry of Manpower also rejects applications when they find that company is already hiring too many foreigners, usually if it over 20% of the overall staff.

KITAP

KITAP is the permanent stay permit, which can be issued to investors, elderly and foreigners married to Indonesian citizens.
Permanent stay permit can be obtained for 5 years and extended indefinitely and extension is free of charge.

As an investor, you are eligible for KITAP after having KITAS for three consecutive years. Be careful when hiring foreign workers, because your KITAP can be terminated in case you are caught having illegal foreigners working in your company.