The visa on arrival only allows for a maximum stay of one month and a two month tourist visa can also be applied for in advance. For longer stays however, you will need to apply for a social visa otherwise known as the Sosial Budaya visa.

The social visa needs to be applied for in advance at your local Indonesian embassy or consulate. The visa is good for 60 days and can be extended on a monthly basis, for a maximum stay of six months. As the name implies that visa is for people wishing to visit friends and family in Indonesia, but does not allow you to undertake any form of work, paid or unpaid.

To apply for a Social Visa, you need an Indonesian sponsor. This can be any friend you have in Indonesia. Your sponsor is required to vouch for you should you get into any trouble in Indonesia and while the person can be anyone you know, if you can, choose someone with a steady job or business in the country.

Where can I find a sponsor?

There are companies that will help organize a sponsor, but if it is your first time to Indonesia, it could be a good idea to come on a tourist visa, make some friends and ask one of them to be your sponsor. I have heard of some people asking for money to be your sponsor and while I don’t think there is a problem giving a gift to someone for going to the trouble of sponsoring you, I don’t think it is a good idea to encourage people to ask for payment.

What do I need from my sponsor?

You need a copy of your sponsor’s KTP (ID card) and a letter from them inviting you to Indonesia. Other websites I have read, said you also need a copy of your sponsor’s family register and a copy of your sponsor’s bank account statement.

I only needed a copy of the KTP and letter of invitation when I applied for my visa in Malaysia.

Where should I apply for the visa?

The visa is reportedly easiest to get at the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur or in Singapore. It might take longer or you might need more documents if you apply in your own country. Your passport can be dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon.

Address and telephone number of the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur

233, Jalan Tun Razak
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan 50400, Malaysia
+60 3 2116-4000
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Address and telephone number of the Indonesian embassy in Singapore

Embassy Of Republic Of Indonesia, 7 Chatsworth Road (S)249761
Singapore
+65 6737 7422


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The visa takes a whole page in your passport and when you get the visa, check that your sponsor’s name appears on the visa.

Should I do it myself or use an agent?

Everyone has their own opinion as to whether you should do the renewals yourself or to use an agent. If you do it yourself, you need to visit the immigration office in person three times for each renewal. The first time to submit your application, the second time to get notified when it will be ready and the third time to pick up your completed visa, over the course of about a week, or sometimes more. Since you need to do this every month and you need to apply for the visa at least one week before your visa expires, you will have to visit immigration almost every week.

This is fine if you are near an immigration office, but if you have to travel a bit to get to the office, you could be wasting nearly a day each time.

It is not surprising that people use agents for their renewals. A renewal costs about 250,000 rupiah each extension if you do it yourself and around 500,000 in total if you use an agent. Some expats just leave their passport with the agent for their whole time in Bali, so they don’t have to worry about dropping off and picking up their passport every month.

If you travel in the country, a photocopy is usually enough to check into a hotel. So, usually this is not a problem. You should make sure your agent is a reliable person, because if you overstay your visa, you will have to pay a fine for each day and long overstays could cause serious trouble with immigration.

On the second renewal, you need to visit the immigration office in person to get finger printed and photographed, even if you are using an agent.

Where to renew your social visa

You need to apply for an extension at least one week before your visa expires. There are three offices in Bali.

Kuta, near the airport:

Jalan Gusti Ngurah Rai Tuban Kuta

Denpasar:

Jl. Jalan D.I. Panjaitan
Desa Sumerta Klod, Denpasar Timur

Singaraja:

If you have any questions about applying for visas or living in Bali, I would suggest joining the Bali Expat Forum.

Here is a list of websites you can advertise your Bali properties for sale or rent for free.

Bali Expat – we have free listings available on this website
Bali Classifieds
Bali Advertising
Craig’s List Indonesia

US based sites:

US free ads
Classified Ads

The most common question I get on this site is “How can I get a job in Bali?”. The second most common question is “How much does it cost to live in Bali?” It is a very difficult question to answer, as everyone has different needs and expenses.

I hope this information can at least serve as a general guide for people wanting to live in Bali.

Some factors which influence the cost of living in Bali:

Location

The closer you are to tourist areas, the more you can expect to pay. The south of Bali is also generally more expensive than the north.

Language ability

The greater your language ability, the better ability you will have to negotiate prices. Bahasa Indonesia is good but Balinese is even better. Another option is to have a Balinese friend purchase things on your behalf to get local prices.

Local markets

If you have some language skills, you can pick up some great bargains by shopping at the local markets (pasar).

Imported goods

Imported goods, particularly alcohol carries high import duties.

Housing

Houses are usually rented in Indonesia on a 12 month basis, with the full 12 months paid in advance. The longer you rent the property for, the bigger reduction in rent you can get.

The Indonesian tourism authority spends very little on marketing Bali to the world, yet millions of visitors every year choose to spend their holidays in Bali. I believe this is partly due to the many books written on Bali mostly by foreigners that create a special sense of Bali for anyone visiting the island.

This is a list of some of the timeless classics on Bali. Please let me know in the comments if you know of any books that should be added to the list.

A House in Bali by Colin McPhee is a timeless classic on Bali. McPhee arrived in Bali in 1931 after hearing a record of Balinese music in New York.

Fragrant Rice: My Continuing Love Affair with Bali by Janet De Neefe tells her story of living in Bali since 1974. The book is part biography, part social anthropology and part Balinese recipe guide.

Balians: Traditional Healers of Bali is a book of interviews and photographs of some of Bali’s traditional healers (Balians). The six interviews are with, Mangku Alit, Jero Sekar Manik, Jero Tapakan, Jero Mangku Srikandi, Mangku I. Made Pogog and I Gusti Gede Raka Antara.

Bali & Lombok Lonely Planet’s guide to Bali.