The short version: Match the visa to the activity you will actually perform, then confirm the current requirements with Indonesian Immigration or qualified counsel before applying.

There is no single “Bali business visa.” Indonesia assigns visa categories by activity, and a permit for foreign-company remote employment is not the same as permission to operate an Indonesian business.

This article is general orientation, not immigration, employment or tax advice. Requirements can change. Use Indonesia’s official visa pages and obtain advice for your circumstances before applying, travelling or working.

Evidence check: 27 July 2026.

Start with the activity, not the nickname

Three categories often confused in founder discussions are:

CategoryWhat the official material describesImportant limit
E33GRemote work in an employment relationship with a company established outside IndonesiaDo not assume it covers self-employment, local work or selling goods or services in Indonesia
E28AInvestment and specified company activities for a qualifying shareholder in the sponsoring Indonesian companySponsorship and a qualifying shareholding are required
C2A single-entry business visit for permitted non-employment business activitiesA visit visa is not permission to take local employment

The official Indonesia visa list is the current category index. Apply through the official eVisa service linked by Immigration, not a look-alike sales site.

E33G: remote work for a company outside Indonesia

Indonesia’s 2023 immigration regulation describes the remote-worker category as an employment relationship with a company that is not established in Indonesia. The supporting documents include an employment contract with a foreign legal entity and evidence of salary or income of at least USD 60,000 per year. The official classification also prohibits selling goods or services and activities outside the authorized category.

That wording matters. “I have foreign clients” is not necessarily the same as “I have an employment contract with a foreign company.” A freelancer, company owner or contractor should not infer eligibility from the digital-nomad label. Check the current E33G page or obtain qualified advice.

E28A: qualifying investment in the sponsoring company

The official E28A investor visa page says the visa can cover investment, related business activity, company establishment and specified director or commissioner activity in the company receiving the foreign investment.

It currently requires a sponsor and evidence of share ownership of at least IDR 10 billion in the sponsoring company. The page offers one-year and two-year stay options and publishes the government fees for each.

That is materially different from casually opening a small shop or cafe. Company formation, investment, licensing, employment and the individual’s role all need to align.

C2: business visit, not local employment

The official visa list now uses C2 for a single-entry business visit. Older articles that still present “B211A” as the current 2026 label should be treated as stale.

A business visit can cover permitted activities such as meetings or negotiations, subject to the current rules. Do not interpret it as permission to perform local employment or operate outside the listed visit activity. Check the current C2 page before applying.

Questions to resolve before you choose

  1. Who pays you and where is that entity legally established?
  2. Are you an employee, contractor, shareholder, director or visitor?
  3. Will you sell to Indonesian customers or perform work for an Indonesian entity?
  4. Will an Indonesian company sponsor you?
  5. Do your shareholding and company records satisfy the current category?
  6. What tax, payroll, licensing and employment obligations apply separately from immigration?

Visa status does not answer every tax or employment question. Time in Indonesia can have consequences that depend on residence, income and treaty facts, so obtain tax advice rather than relying on a travel article.

Primary sources

balivisae33ge28ac2remote-workersfounders