Getting a KITAS or Bridging Visa in Bali? Important Changes You Need to Know About in 2026
KITAS and Bridging Visa rules are becoming more closely monitored in 2026. Immigration is applying stricter checks to visa applications, extensions, and supporting documents.
If you're applying for or renewing your KITAS any time soon, there are some big changes that you’ll want to know about.
Immigration and the Ministry of Manpower are now paying a lot closer attention to the details of applications. Across the board, from bridging visas, Working KITAS, Investor KITAS and Remote Worker KITAS, scrutiny has increased and making sure you have genuine paperwork to back up your application is necessary. Although some of these rules have always been in place, enforcement was previously much more relaxed, whereas now we are seeing regulations being followed much more closely.
Let us fill you in on the most important changes in 2026, and what you need to do if applying for or renewing your KITAS.
Investor KITAS
If you hold an Investor KITAS and it's time to renew it, your company's compliance will be assessed. Before applying, make sure you check that the following areas are in order:
Your company's annual SPT tax reports, dating back to when it was established.
Your company's LKPM (investment activity) reports, submitted continuously since establishment.
You must be able to provide the KTP of a local Indonesian employee who will act as the guarantor. The employee must hold a Manager-level position or above, or an HR-related position within your company, have active BPJS Ketenagakerjaan coverage, and have a valid employment contract with the company. The employee may also be interviewed regarding your business and the company’s activities.
An active NIB (business licence) with at least one active KBLI (business classification code).
Company bank statements for the last two months with an ending balance of at least $2,000, showing genuine and consistent business transactions rather than just monthly bank fees or tax payments.
Your company’s account registered on the latest Immigration website, along with active login credentials.
Have an access to the email address registered to your PT’s Immigration account, as important notifications, verification requests, and application updates will be sent to this email address.
Investor KITAS holders should make sure their company remains compliant before applying for an extension.
If you don’t have these, then your extension can stall or fall through, so review this list well before your KITAS expiry date. If your LKPM or SPT filings have gaps, it’s important to sort them out before renewing. Kindly be reminded too that as Indonesian authorities continue to place greater emphasis on local employment and compliance with Indonesian manpower requirements, having properly employed local staff is becoming increasingly important for PT companies.
Furthermore, during a KITAS extension, you will be interviewed by an Immigration officer, particularly regarding your business operations. If the business has been inactive, for example, if it is only holding assets such as land with construction planned for next year, the officer may reject the Investor KITAS extension and suggest applying for another visa instead. In this case, a D12 Visit Visa may be more appropriate as it covers pre-investment activities, since the business is not yet actively operating and is either dormant or still in the early stages of development.
Working KITAS
The changes for Working KITAS apply to both new applications and extensions, so they matter whether you're applying for the first time or bringing on a new hire.
Your Job Title Needs to Match the Role
Occupations without an official title in the Ministry of Manpower system (such as yoga teachers, Pilates instructors, padel coaches and similar fitness roles) used to be filed under the general title ‘Sports Consultant.’ While it wasn’t an exact fit, it was accepted practice for years.
Nowadays, this is no longer considered the correct title. If your role isn't on the official Working KITAS occupation list, you’ll need a recommendation letter from the relevant ministry in Jakarta known as Kementerian Pemuda dan Olahraga (Kemenpora).
Fitness-related roles, such as yoga or Pilates instructors, may require additional documentation from the relevant Ministry in Jakarta before a Working KITAS application can be submitted.
The process for obtaining this recommendation letter is still being worked out by the ministry, and we are currently seeing delays for clients in fitness-related roles. This can affect your ability to proceed with a Working KITAS and, in some cases, may require you to remain on another appropriate visa while the process is being completed, meaning you would not be permitted to carry out the relevant work activities during this period. If you are a yoga, Pilates, fitness or similar instructor, we recommend taking this into account when planning your visa application or extension.
Shareholders Can Now Be Managers
Despite tightening restrictions, shareholders now have greater opportunities available to them than before. Previously, holding shares in a PT, even without a Director or Commissioner title, blocked you from applying for a Working KITAS in a hands-on managerial role within that same company. For example, if you owned a stake in a restaurant and wanted to work as General Manager, it would not have been allowed.
That restriction is now gone as long as you're not a Director or Commissioner. You can hold shares and still apply for a Working KITAS in a managerial position, such as a General Manager, Marketing Manager or Finance Manager, provided the role fits the company's licensed business activities.
BPJS Registration Now Strictly Enforced
All Working KITAS holders need to be registered with both BPJS Kesehatan (health insurance) and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (employment insurance). This has technically been required for a while but wasn’t really enforced, so many people treated it as optional. That’s no longer the case, so make sure yours is active before you renew.
Remote Worker KITAS
Extending a Remote Worker KITAS now means a more thorough process. Extensions require an in-person biometrics appointment, and immigration may ask you to open your live banking app there to confirm your bank statements are genuine and that the income shown was actually received.
Remote Worker KITAS applicants should keep their financial documents genuine, consistent, and easy to verify.
If your paperwork is genuine, this shouldn't cause problems. But it's a reason to keep your bank statements consistent and your documentation in order well ahead of your renewal date, not just scrambled together the week before.
Bridging Visa
A bridging visa lets you move from one visa type to another, or renew your KITAS, without having to leave Indonesia. If you're on a VOA and want to switch to a KITAS, or if your existing KITAS is expiring and you're changing sponsorship, the bridging visa is the step in between, giving you 60 days to complete the move.
Applying used to be simple, as you only needed a passport photo, a portrait photo, a bank statement and proof of address. The new changes mean that you have to submit the paperwork for the KITAS you intend to apply for at the same time as the bridging visa application itself. This is to make sure applicants follow through on the KITAS they intend to apply for. So when you make your application, you need to know exactly which KITAS you're heading toward.
Need Help?
Planning your KITAS in 2026? Proper preparation can help you understand the requirements before starting your application.
Between the new occupation title requirements, closer scrutiny of investor and remote worker paperwork, and the bridging visa changes, 2026 is a year where preparation matters more than usual. We are Bali Solve, a visa and business consulting agency based in Pererenan, Canggu, and we make it our mission to track these shifts as they happen so you don't have to. If you're planning a KITAS application or extension, or you're just not sure your current paperwork would hold up, reach out via WhatsApp or drop by our office in Pererenan, Canggu. We'll walk you through what your options are and help you figure out the best path ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My company's LKPM or SPT filings have gaps. What should I do before renewing my Investor KITAS?
A: Get caught up before you apply. This is one of the most closely checked items for Investor KITAS extensions now, so talk to us if you're behind and we'll help you figure things out.
Q: I'm a yoga or Pilates teacher. Can I still get a Working KITAS in Bali?
A: It's more complicated now as those specific job titles are not listed on the Ministry of Manpower’s official list of job titles. That means you'll need a recommendation letter from Kemenpora and need to plan ahead.
Q: I hold shares in my company. Would that stop me from getting a Working KITAS in Bali?
A: Not anymore, as long as you're not a Director or Commissioner, and the managerial role fits the company's licensed business activities.
Q: Do I need to show my banking app every time I extend a Remote Worker KITAS?
A: It's possible, yes, immigration may check your bank statements against your live banking app during the extension appointment. Keep your documentation genuine and consistent from the start and it won’t be an issue.
Written by Bali Solve Team
24 September 2026
