You’re a foreigner in Bali who has met the love of your life, and now you’re married to your Indonesian partner. Hooray, you’ve now got a Spouse KITAS! Congratulations, that means you can stay in Bali and Indonesia for at least a year, with the freedom to enter and exit as you wish, without having to go back and forth to immigration to renew or extend.
But what does a Spouse KITAS entitle you to? What can or can you not do while holding the Spouse KITAS or KITAP? Can you work? Can you open a business? What about opening a local bank account?
Here is everything you need to know.
What Is A Spouse KITAS?
A Spouse KITAS is a Limited Stay Permit (ITAS) issued to a foreign national who is legally married to an Indonesian citizen.
The current immigration classification is E31A – Family Visa for the Husband/Wife of an Indonesian Citizen and it allows you to live in Indonesia for either one or two years, depending on the permit you apply for, and is extendable.
Your Re-Entry Permit also allows you to leave and return to Indonesia while it remains valid.
Who Can Get A Spouse KITAS?
If you’re a foreigner in Bali who is legally married to an Indonesian citizen, you can get yourself a Spouse KITAS. You can also get married outside of Indonesia – just make sure that your marriage is legally registered here with the civil office and appropriate Indonesian authorities and that you have all the right documentation in place.
Your Indonesian spouse acts as your sponsor for the E31A application.
The great thing about having a Spouse KITAS is that you no longer have to start a new application from scratch every year; the E31A can be issued for one or two years, and our amazing team at MPG Bali Visa can help you with your yearly extensions.
What Can you Do With A Spouse KITAS?
Live in Indonesia
Your Spouse KITAS allows you to reside in Indonesia for the period stated on your ITAS.
You can live with your Indonesian spouse, rent or own property where legally permitted, arrange your day-to-day affairs and establish your life in Indonesia without relying on repeated tourist visas.
Travel in and out of Indonesia
A valid Re-Entry Permit means you can leave Indonesia and return while the permit remains valid.
So, yes, you can take that holiday to explore Asia, visit family back home or spend Christmas overseas without having to start the Indonesian visa process all over again.
Just make sure you check the validity of your Re-Entry Permit before travelling.
Open an Indonesian bank account
A foreigner holding a KITAS or KITAP can open certain Indonesian bank accounts.
Most Indonesian banks would require that foreign customers provide a valid passport and a KITAS or a KITAP as the required stay-permit documentation.
However, having a KITAS does not mean every bank will automatically approve your application. Banks can have their own requirements, including NPWP, proof of address, minimum deposits and other documentation.
Can You Work With a Spouse KITAS?
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the Spouse KITAS.
The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower recently clarified that foreigners in mixed marriages can work to support themselves and their Indonesian family. It also states that holders of an ITAS or ITAP can work and/or establish a business to meet their own or their family’s needs.
However, the rules depend on the type of work.
If you work for a legal entity or company, the employer generally needs to obtain approval for the use of a foreign worker through an RPTKA. The Ministry specifically lists companies, PTs, foundations, foreign companies, educational institutions and other permitted organisations among the situations where the RPTKA requirement applies.
For mixed-marriage foreigners, there is also a simplified process: the marriage certificate can be submitted as an additional document, and the foreign spouse does not have to leave Indonesia simply to change from their existing spouse-sponsored stay permit to a work-related arrangement.
So if you’d like to work in Bali on a Spouse KITAS, please make sure your particular work arrangement complies with both immigration and employment regulations.
Can You Open a Business?
The Ministry of Manpower’s latest guidance specifically states that a foreign spouse of an Indonesian citizen can establish or operate a business to support themselves and their family. It also says that a mixed-marriage foreigner running their own micro or small-scale business does not require an RPTKA.
This does not, however, mean you can simply start any business you like under your KITAS.
If you want to establish a larger business, particularly one involving foreign ownership or a PT PMA, separate investment and business-registration rules apply.
The Indonesian Investment Ministry/BKPM currently states that PT PMA companies are subject to foreign-investment requirements, including minimum paid-up capital of IDR 2.5 billion and investment requirements that can be significantly higher depending on the business activity.
In other words: being married to an Indonesian does not automatically turn a Spouse KITAS into a blanket business licence.
Major Don’ts When Holding a Spouse KITAS
There are still some important things you cannot simply do.
Don’t work outside the activities permitted by your immigration status
The official E31A immigration page specifically states that foreigners must not undertake work that is inconsistent with their stay permit and prohibits the sale of goods or services except where permitted as part of the relevant work.
Don’t assume your KITAS replaces a business licence
Your KITAS gives you the right to stay. It does not automatically register your business, give you an NIB or make an otherwise restricted business activity legal.
Don’t let your permit expire
Keep track of your KITAS and Re-Entry Permit validity and start the extension process before you are suddenly staring at an expiry date.
What About a KITAP?
If you have been married to your Indonesian spouse for at least two years, you may be eligible to change your ITAS to an ITAP (Permanent Stay Permit), subject to the applicable requirements.
The Immigration Office at Ngurah Rai specifically lists a foreign national married to an Indonesian citizen for at least two years among those who may apply to change from ITAS to ITAP.
A KITAP gives you a more permanent immigration status, but it is still not the same thing as Indonesian citizenship.
And just like the KITAS, your rights to work or operate a business still need to be considered alongside Indonesia’s employment and business regulations.
Get Your Spouse KITAS With MPG Bali Visa Today
Ready to get your Spouse KITAS and enjoy your new life in Bali and in Indonesia? Contact MPG Bali Visa now. Our team of friendly, professional Bali visa experts are on hand to assist you with your application.
Efficient and reliable, we have had more than two decades of experience in assisting foreigners in Bali with their Bali visa and stay permits.
Whether you’re applying for a Spouse KITAS, Retirement KITAS, KITAP, Visa Extension, VOA, or setting up a PT PMA company in Indonesia, MPG Bali Visa is here to help make the process smooth and stress-free.
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