You have found the villa — now, how do you actually stay? Indonesia's visa options confuse almost every new buyer, and choosing wrong wastes time and money. This is the plain-English overview of your routes in 2026, who each suits, and the deep-dives for the details.
First, a Key Point
You do not need a visa or residency to buy property in Bali via leasehold — plenty of owners hold villas while living abroad. Residency (a KITAS) is only needed for the Hak Pakai structure. So investing and living are two separate decisions; you can do one without the other.
Your Main Routes
| Visa | Best for | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist (eVOA / B211) | Short stays, scouting | 30–180 days |
| Second Home Visa | Investors, semi-retirees with funds | 5–10 years |
| Golden Visa | Larger investors wanting long stability | Long-term |
| Retirement KITAS | Over-55s living in Bali | 1 yr, renewable |
| Investor / Work KITAS | Those running a PT PMA business | Tied to company |
Rule of thumb: scouting → tourist visa; investing and living without working → Second Home or Golden Visa; over 55 → retirement KITAS; building a business → investor KITAS via a PT PMA. Read the detail in our Second Home & Golden Visa guide and what a KITAS actually lets you do.
Don't Get It Wrong
Visa rules and thresholds change, and the wrong category can limit what you are legally allowed to do (for example, earning rental income or working). Confirm current requirements before you apply, and if you are also renting your villa, make sure your income is handled compliantly — see rental-tax compliance.
Not sure which visa fits you?
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