For many visitors, the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) is the bridge between short tourist trips and full residency permits. Confusing rebranding from B211A to C-type visit visas, different agency explanations, and ever-evolving regulations often leave people unsure which visa they’re really getting. You can always start by checking the official Indonesia e-visa portal on the Directorate General of Immigration e-Visa website for current Single-Entry Visit Visa categories.
In today’s framework, this visa is usually issued as a Single-Entry Visitor Visa C1 or similar index, replacing what used to be called B211A. It is designed for foreigners who want to stay in Indonesia, including Bali, for more than 30 days but do not yet need a KITAS or long-term stay permit. To understand the legal foundation for Single-Entry Visitor Visas, it is wise to compare your situation with the visit visa and stay-permit rules summarized on an official immigration information page.
At the same time, practical experience in Bali matters as much as formal rules. Agencies, sponsors, and immigration offices all interpret the regulations through real-life workflows: how quickly approvals are issued, how busy extension counters become during high season, and what documents officers actually ask for at appointments. Before you commit to a mid-term stay, it can help to review the broader Indonesian embassy visit visa guidance such as the general visit visa information from an Indonesian embassy, then adapt it to the Bali reality of remote workers, surfboards, and co-working spaces.
This guide brings everything together into one consultant-style explanation. You will learn what the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa is, how it connects to the former B211A label, who can apply, how long you can stay, how extensions work, and what mistakes trigger problems at immigration. By the end, you should feel confident treating this visa as a flexible but rule-bound tool, not a loophole to bend.
Table of Contents
- Bali Single Entry Visit Visa basics and key benefits for Bali 🧾
- Bali Single Entry Visit Visa eligibility and requirements 📂
- How to apply for a Bali Single Entry Visit Visa online 🖥️
- Length of stay and extensions for Bali Single Entry Visit Visa ⏳
- Using Bali Single Entry Visit Visa for tourism or business 🧳
- Real Story — Bali Single Entry Visit Visa for a digital nomad 📖
- Common mistakes with Bali Single Entry Visit Visa applications ⚠️
- Future of Bali Single Entry Visit Visa and long-stay options 🔍
- FAQ’s About Bali Single Entry Visit Visa and practical rules ❓
Bali Single Entry Visit Visa basics and key benefits for Bali 🧾
The Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) is essentially Indonesia’s mid-term visitor vis a single-entry permit designed for stays beyond a simple 30-day Visa on Arrival, but still limited in time and purpose. Under the current classification it falls into the family of Single-Entry Visitor Visas, commonly indexed as C1 for tourism and similar indices for other visit purposes, replacing the older B211A label while keeping a comparable function.
For most applicants, the headline benefit is time. Instead of landing on a 30-day clock, you typically receive an initial stay of up to 60 days, with the possibility of extending in chunks (often 60-day periods) up to a maximum stay of around 180 days in Indonesia, including Bali, as long as you follow extension rules on time. This makes it attractive for digital nomads, slow travelers, and Bali lovers who want several months on the island without committing to a work or investor visa.
Another major advantage is that Single Entry Visit Visas are planned in advance. You or your sponsor secure approval before arriving (or before starting a new stay), meaning fewer surprises at the airport and more predictable timelines for housing, schooling, or project work. At the same time, it remains clearly a visit vis it is not a work permit, not a company-owner visa, and not a permanent solution for long-term relocation, even if people sometimes treat it that way 😉.
For Bali specifically, this visa fits well with how the island actually operates. Many visitors come for multi-month yoga trainings, surf seasons, long client projects, or extended “try-before-you-move” stays. The Bali Single Entry Visit Visa gives enough time to explore these options legally, while keeping you inside the rules of Indonesian visit-stay regulations instead of patching together repeated short visits.
Bali Single Entry Visit Visa eligibility and requirements 📂
Eligibility for the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) starts with the basics that Indonesia applies across its visit visas. You need a passport with sufficient remaining validity (often at least six months, ideally more), empty pages for visas and stamps, and a clear record of compliance with previous Indonesian stays. Many applicants also need a local sponsor, which can be an Indonesian citizen, a company, or another qualifying entity depending on the visa index and purpose.
For tourism-focused versions (often aligned with a C1 single-entry tourist visa), the sponsor may be an individual or a registered travel or visa agency that meets immigration requirements. For business-oriented versions, the sponsor is usually an Indonesian legal entity, such as a PT or PT PMA, capable of inviting you for meetings, negotiations, or training, but not for working as staff. In all cases, the sponsor’s details are checked, so using a reputable sponsor is as important as your own documentation.
On top of sponsorship, you can expect to provide:
- A recent color photograph that matches typical visa standards 🙂
- Evidence of return or onward travel, usually within the maximum allowed stay
- Proof of sufficient funds, such as bank statements or credit limits
- A clear purpose-of-visit explanation and, where relevant, supporting documents like invitation letters, event confirmations, or proof of study or courses
Indonesia’s visit-visa regulations also allow immigration to request additional information or reject applications if they are unconvinced about your plans, previous travel history, or sponsor. Treat this visa as a privilege that must be justified with clear, tidy paperwork, not as an automatic entitlement. Applying early, answering forms carefully, and keeping copies of everything will make life at Bali’s immigration counters much easier later on.
How to apply for a Bali Single Entry Visit Visa online 🖥️
For most foreigners, applying for a Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) is now primarily an online process. The typical flow begins with your sponsor initiating the application through Indonesia’s official e-visa system or, in some cases, through an embassy or consulate that uses the same backend approvals. Once the sponsor submits your data, immigration reviews your application, checks risk factors, and issues an electronic approval that becomes your Single Entry Visit Visa when paid and finalized.
From your side, you prepare digital copies of your passport, photo, bank evidence, travel plans, and any extra documents that support your purpose of stay. Many applicants also sign a simple letter confirming that they will not work, respect local laws, and leave the country before their stay permit expires. After payment is processed, you receive an e-Visa document, normally by email. You must carry a printout or at least a clear digital copy when you travel, as airlines and border officers will want to see it 🧾.
Processing times vary. In straightforward cases, approval can arrive within several working days, but delays happen during high demand, national holidays, or regulation changes. Because you are planning a mid-term stay in Bali, it is smart to apply well before your intended arrival date instead of waiting until the last moment. If you are already in Indonesia on another status and changing to a Single Entry Visit Visa, your sponsor or agent will explain extra procedures, as in-country changes are more sensitive than offshore applications.
Once the visa is granted and you enter Indonesia, the clock starts. The date printed or recorded on your first entry is the reference point for your visit stay permit, not the date you applied. From there, you must plan extensions and any potential conversions (for example, to a KITAS) around current immigration practice, keeping in mind that overstays—even by a few days—can lead to fines, interviews, or longer-term restrictions.
Length of stay and extensions for Bali Single Entry Visit Visa ⏳
Under the current framework, the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) is usually granted with an initial 60-day stay permit from your arrival date. That means you generally have a full two months to enjoy Bali before you must decide whether to extend or leave. In many cases, this stay permit can then be extended in discrete blocks (often 60 days each), allowing a total stay of up to around 180 days in Indonesia on the same single-entry visa, provided you follow immigration rules and pay the relevant fees. (Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi)
Each extension is a separate administrative process. In Bali, your sponsor or agent typically books an appointment at a local immigration office, submits your passport and paperwork, and may ask you to attend for biometric data capture such as fingerprints and a photo. Extensions are not instant; there is processing time, occasional back-and-forth on documents, and sometimes unexpected queues ⏳.
The safest strategy is to begin your extension process well before your current stay permit expires—ideally two to three weeks in advance. That buffer gives time to handle public holidays, system updates, or minor mistakes in forms. If immigration grants the extension, the new expiry date is stamped or recorded, and your mid-term stay in Bali continues legally. If you miss deadlines or ignore reminders, you risk falling into overstay territory, which can mean daily fines and, in more serious cases, detention or removal.
Remember that single entry means what it says: if you leave Indonesia while your Single Entry Visit Visa is still valid, that visa is generally considered used, and you cannot re-enter on the same permit. Any plan involving regional side trips to other countries needs to be coordinated with a new visa strategy, rather than relying on coming back on the same Single Entry Visit Visa.
Using Bali Single Entry Visit Visa for tourism or business 🧳
The Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) is not a one-size-fits-all work permit; it is a visit visa with clearly defined allowed activities. For tourism-oriented versions (commonly aligned with C1-type tourist visas), you can enjoy typical holiday activities: staying in villas, joining retreats, surfing, exploring Bali’s cultural sites, and meeting friends or contacts. Business-oriented Single Entry Visit Visas may allow you to attend meetings, conferences, or training sessions, and to explore potential investments, but still within a non-employment framework. (Tampubolon Law)
What you cannot do is work as staff for an Indonesian company, run day-to-day operations of a local business, or provide services in Indonesia that are clearly aimed at the local market in exchange for local payment. Those activities usually require a combination of work authorization and a limited stay permit (ITAS/KITAS). While many remote workers use Single Entry Visit Visas to work for foreign clients online, that is still a gray area and does not change the fact that immigration can look at your actual behavior if they suspect abuse.
If your goal is genuinely exploratory—testing Bali as a base while serving overseas clients, attending business meetings, or taking extended courses—the Single Entry Visit Visa can be a sensible choice. It gives you enough time to understand Bali’s cost structure, internet reliability, co-working ecosystem, and lifestyle before deciding if a more formal relocation visa is worth pursuing 🌴.
However, you should always keep a mental line: visitor versus resident worker. When your presence shifts from short-term visits to clear on-the-ground operations, it is time to speak with a qualified consultant or lawyer about moving toward more appropriate stay permits rather than stretching this visa beyond its intent.
Real Story — Bali Single Entry Visit Visa for a digital nomad 📖
When Sofia, a UX designer from Portugal, decided to base herself in Bali for several months, she quickly realized that a 30-day Visa on Arrival would not be enough. She wanted at least four to six months on the island to settle into a routine, explore co-working spaces, and visit other Indonesian regions on short trips. After researching, she and her advisor agreed that the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) was more appropriate than stringing together multiple VoAs.
With help from a trusted sponsor, Sofia applied offshore for a Single Entry Visit Visa aligned with tourism and remote work for foreign clients. She provided scans of her passport, bank statements showing stable savings, and a clear explanation that she would not work for Indonesian employers. A few days after payment, she received her e-Visa, printed it, and boarded her flight feeling prepared rather than nervous 📖.
On arrival in Bali, immigration scanned her passport and e-Visa, and stamped her for an initial 60-day stay. Sofia spent her first month settling into a co-living space in Canggu, joining a local church on Sundays and a yoga class twice a week. Around day 30, her sponsor reminded her about extensions and helped book an appointment at the Denpasar immigration office. She brought her passport, filled out forms, and completed fingerprinting and photos. Two weeks later, she collected her passport with a new stamp adding another 60 days.
By planning ahead, Sofia repeated the extension process a second time and reached the maximum 180-day stay without overstay risk. She used her time to understand Bali’s lifestyle and business environment, then flew out to Singapore to reset and think about a more permanent visa option. The Single Entry Visit Visa had done exactly what she needed: it gave her enough time to learn, build relationships, and make informed decisions—without pretending to be a work or residency visa.
Common mistakes with Bali Single Entry Visit Visa applications ⚠️
One of the most common errors with the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) is treating it as a casual, no-sponsor product like Visa on Arrival. In reality, sponsorship, documentation, and purpose-of-visit explanations are crucial. Submitting incomplete bank statements, vague plans, or weak sponsor information can delay approvals or trigger rejections, especially when overall immigration policy is tightening.
Another mistake is underestimating extension timelines. Travelers often assume that extensions are automatic, available at the last minute, and purely administrative. In Bali, extension offices can become crowded, and holidays or system changes may slow everything down. Starting the process a few days before expiry is risky; if anything goes wrong, you may have no buffer before overstay fines begin to accumulate.
Misuse of activities is another major red flag. Using a Single Entry Visit Visa while running a local business, teaching classes for local clients, or working daily in an office for an Indonesian entity goes beyond what a visit visa is designed for. Even if “everyone seems to do it”, immigration can and does take action when they discover patterns that look like disguised employment. Thinking of this visa as a testing and exploring tool rather than a long-term work solution keeps you on safer ground ⚠️.
Finally, people sometimes forget that this visa is single entry. Booking cheap side trips to nearby countries without understanding that leaving Indonesia usually ends the visa can lead to awkward surprises at check-in. Before you plan border runs or regional travel, make sure your overall visa strategy makes sense instead of relying on assumptions or outdated forum advice.
Future of Bali Single Entry Visit Visa and long-stay options 🔍
Looking at recent changes, the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa (Formerly B211A) has already shifted classification once, moving from the old B211A label into the broader C-index Single-Entry Visitor Visa family. This reflects a wider effort by Indonesian authorities to standardize visa categories, clarify which visas are for tourism, business, or other purposes, and align visit visas with their corresponding stay permits. (Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi)
At the same time, Indonesia has introduced and refined other options such as long-stay tourist arrangements, investor routes, and residence-style visas that target wealthier or more committed foreigners. For many people, the Single Entry Visit Visa will remain a gateway vis a relatively accessible tool that lets them experience Bali for several months while they decide whether to move toward more serious relocation or investment paths.
Digitalization is likely to deepen. Applications, payments, and status checks are increasingly handled through online systems rather than physical queues, and communication with sponsors and agencies now often happens by email or messaging apps. That makes your digital record—correct names, careful spellings, consistent data across documents—more important than ever 🔍.
For visitors, the best approach is to plan assuming that regulations can tighten. Build your strategy around what the law and practice say now, not around rumors about possible “guaranteed” conversions or indefinite extensions. If you treat the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa as a structured, mid-term visit tool inside a bigger immigration ecosystem, it will serve you well without exposing you to unnecessary risk.
FAQ’s About Bali Single Entry Visit Visa and practical rules ❓
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How long can I stay in Bali with a Single Entry Visit Visa (formerly B211A)?
In many cases, you receive an initial 60-day stay that can be extended in similar blocks up to a total of around 180 days, as long as you follow extension procedures and do not leave Indonesia prematurely.
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Do I need a sponsor for the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa?
Yes, most Single Entry Visit Visas require a sponsor—either an Indonesian citizen or a legal entity such as a company or organization, depending on your visit purpose and the specific visa index.
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Can I work in Bali on a Single Entry Visit Visa?
No. The visa is for visits, including tourism and certain business activities like meetings or research, but it does not allow you to be employed by an Indonesian company or run local operations as staff.
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Is the former B211A still valid, or is it now called something else?
The old B211A label has largely been integrated into the C-index Single-Entry Visitor Visa structure (such as C1 for tourism), but many agencies still use “B211A” informally so people recognize the product. The underlying legal category, not the nickname, is what matters.
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Can I leave Indonesia and come back on the same Single Entry Visit Visa?
Usually no. Once you exit Indonesia, a Single Entry Visit Visa is considered used, and you would need a new visa for re-entry. If you plan frequent travel in and out, you should discuss other visa types with a consultant.
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Can the Bali Single Entry Visit Visa be converted into a KITAS?
In some situations, certain visit visas can be converted into limited stay permits, but the exact rules and feasibility depend on current regulations and your sponsor. Treat conversion as a possibility, not a guarantee, and seek updated professional advice before relying on it.
