Planning a long-term stay in Indonesia requires more than just a passport and a dream. For many travelers, the standard 30-day visa on arrival is simply too short to properly explore the diverse cultures of Bali or finalize complex business negotiations in Jakarta. The pressure of a looming expiration date often leads to rushed decisions and administrative stress.
The anxiety of navigating shifting regulations can overshadow your travel experience, especially when facing potential overstay fines of IDR 1,000,000 per day. Many visitors mistakenly believe they can easily work or manage local staff on a short-term entry, only to face strict enforcement and immediate deportation by immigration officers. Without a clear roadmap, your six-month stay in Indonesia can quickly turn into a legal nightmare.
The solution is a pre-arranged Visit Permit with multiple extensions. This guide breaks down the 2026 framework and application steps to ensure your journey remains fully compliant. For official submissions, always refer to the Directorate General of Immigration portal.
Table of Contents
- Understanding the C-Index Visa Framework
- Tourist vs. Business: Selecting the Right Index
- Financial and Sponsorship Requirements for 2026
- Step-by-Step E-Visa Application Guide
- Real Story: Marco’s Business Expansion in Canggu
- The Extension Process: Reaching 180 Days
- Conversions and Upgrading to Resident Permits
- Common Pitfalls: Overstays and Work Bans
- FAQ's about Single Entry Visa
Understanding the C-Index Visa Framework
The 2026 immigration landscape is primarily defined by the Permenkumham 22/2023 regulation, which introduced a more granular classification system. Under this regime, the primary tool for those seeking a stay beyond the standard 60-day window is the Single Entry Visa. Unlike the on-arrival options, this index is a pre-arranged document that must be secured before your flight lands on Indonesia soil. It provides an initial 60-day stay permit that serves as a legal foundation for longer residency in Bali.
This specific C-Index Authorization is categorized within the “C” family of visit permissions. It is designed for a one-time journey, meaning that if you depart Indonesia, the permit automatically expires regardless of the remaining days. For travelers who do not need to exit and re-enter frequently, this 60-day Entry Pass is the most cost-effective and flexible way to stay for up to half a year. It bypasses the 60-day hard cap associated with visa-on-arrival schemes, making it the favorite of slow travelers and digital nomads in Bali.
Tourist vs. Business: Selecting the Right Index
Selecting the correct sub-index is vital for staying compliant. The C1 index covers tourism, family visits, and social activities, making it ideal for those exploring the Gili Islands. While perfect for leisure, holders of this Single Entry Visa must remain vigilant: any form of local income generation is strictly prohibited under this “General Visit” classification.
For professional trips, the C2 index is the standard for business activities, such as attending seminars or negotiating contracts. While this single entry visa allows for significant professional interaction, it remains a non-work permit. You cannot hold a local job or manage daily operations in Bali; respecting this boundary is essential to avoiding immigration violations.
Financial and Sponsorship Requirements for 2026
The 2026 requirements emphasize financial stability and local accountability. To apply for a C1/C2 Permit, you must provide a bank statement from the last three months showing a minimum balance of USD 2,000 or its equivalent. This “evidence of funds” ensures that you can support yourself without seeking illegal employment while in Indonesia. Immigration authorities have become increasingly strict on this point, requiring stamped or signed documents from your banking institution rather than simple online screenshots.
Sponsorship is the second pillar of the application. Every applicant needs a sponsor in Indonesia—either a local individual for family visits or a registered legal entity (PT or PT PMA) for business purposes. This sponsor issues a letter of guarantee, taking legal responsibility for your conduct during your stay in Bali. If you are staying in a high-end property, a trusted villa management company can often provide the necessary domicile documentation to support your address registration, which is a key component of the vetting process.
Step-by-Step E-Visa Application Guide
The transition to the e-Visa portal has streamlined the process significantly. The first step to obtaining your Indonesian Visit Permit is to create a registered account on the immigration website. You will need to upload a high-resolution scan of your passport’s biodata page, ensuring it has at least six months of validity. A recent color photograph with a white background is also mandatory. Once the account is verified, your sponsor or agent will input the data into the “Visit Visa” section.
After the data entry is complete, the system will generate a billing code for the government fee. For a tourist C1 Single Entry Visa, the base fee is typically IDR 1,500,000. Once payment is confirmed via the SIMPONI system or a major credit card, the application enters the processing phase. Usually, approval takes between 5 to 7 working days. Once the electronic document is sent to your email, you have 90 days to use it to enter Indonesia, otherwise, it will expire and require a new application.
Real Story: Marco’s Business Expansion in Canggu
Meet Marco, a 42-year-old furniture designer from Milan. Marco arrived in Jakarta during the peak of the 2026 humidity, the thick air and chaotic traffic a far cry from his quiet studio in Italy. He was here to scout sustainable bamboo suppliers for his new collection. Initially, he thought a visa-on-arrival would be enough, but he soon realized that the quality inspections and contract negotiations in the Gianyar region of Bali would take months, not weeks. He felt trapped by the 30-day limit and worried that he would have to leave his business projects half-finished.
To solve this, Marco used the C2 C-Index Authorization, which allowed him to stay for an initial 60 days. This gave him the breathing room to visit factories in Indonesia without the constant fear of overstaying. He remembers the sound of rain on the tin roofs of the workshops and the smell of fresh sawdust as he finalized deals with local artisans. Because he had a proper business sponsor, he was even able to extend his stay twice. By the time he flew back to Milan, he had secured a 180-day window of legal residency, ensuring his expansion in Bali was built on a solid, compliant foundation.
The Extension Process: Reaching 180 Days
The real power of this permit lies in its ability to be extended twice, with each extension adding 60 days to your stay. This allows for a total of 180 days in Indonesia. However, you must initiate the extension of your 60-day Entry Pass at least 14 days before your current permit expires. Leaving it to the last minute is a dangerous gamble that can result in technical overstays if the immigration system experiences downtime or if the local office in Bali has a backlog.
Since mid-2025, a critical update to the extension process is the requirement for mandatory in-person biometrics. Even if your agent handles the paperwork, you must physically visit the local immigration office—such as the one in Jimbaran or Renon—for a photograph and fingerprint capture. This verification ensures that the person staying in Indonesia matches the digital records. Failure to attend this appointment will result in the rejection of your extension, forcing you to leave Bali immediately.
Conversions and Upgrading to Resident Permits
For some, 180 days is just the beginning. One of the most significant advantages of the 2026 C1/C2 Permit indices is the potential for “Alih Status” or conversion. Under Permenkumham 22/2023, certain visit permits can be converted into a Limited Stay Permit (ITAS) without the need to exit Indonesia. This is a game-changer for those who decide during their visit that they want to invest in a PT PMA or marry a local citizen.
However, not every index is convertible. It is crucial to verify at the point of application if your specific Single Entry Visa sub-index allows for this upgrade. Generally, a C1 tourist visa can be transitioned into a resident permit if the correct sponsor is identified from the start. This offshore-to-onshore path saves you the cost and time of a “visa run” to Singapore or Perth, provided you have all the necessary corporate or marriage documents ready for the high-level vetting process at the regional immigration office in Bali.
Common Pitfalls: Overstays and Work Bans
The most severe risk associated with the Pre-arranged Visit Visa is the blurring of lines between “visiting” and “working.” Immigration officers in Bali are highly trained to spot foreigners who are actively managing businesses or providing services for pay. Whether it is teaching a yoga class or managing a villa’s daily staff, these activities are strictly prohibited. Being caught “working” on a visit visa is grounds for immediate deportation and a multi-year ban from re-entering Indonesia.
Additionally, overstaying is treated with zero tolerance in 2026. The fine is currently IDR 1,000,000 per day. If you overstay your Single Entry Visa by more than 60 days, you are no longer just facing a fine; you are looking at detention and a formal deportation process. Many travelers mistakenly count their 60 days from the day after arrival, but the law counts the day you land as Day 1. Always check your arrival stamp carefully to ensure your countdown is accurate and your extension is filed well in advance at the immigration office.
FAQ's about Single Entry Visa
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Does the extension require me to leave the country?
No, the 60-day extensions are handled "onshore" while you are still inside Indonesia.
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Can I exit and re-enter Indonesia on this permit?
No, the Single Entry Visa is a one-time entry document. If you leave, the visa is automatically void.
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How long does it take immigration to process the e-Visa?
Standard processing takes 5 to 7 working days, but VIP services can often expedite this to 48 hours.
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Is the USD 2,000 bank balance mandatory for children?
Usually, one statement per family is sufficient if the main applicant is the legal guardian.
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Can I change my sponsor after I enter Indonesia?
It is extremely difficult and often impossible. Choose your sponsor or agency very carefully before applying for your C-Index Authorization.
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What happens if my extension is rejected by immigration
You must leave Bali before your current stay permit expires to avoid overstay penalties.
