Indonesia work visa (E23) and work KITAS

Any foreigner taking up employment with a company or organisation in Indonesia needs a work visa. The general E23 is the standard route; immigration also lists specialised versions such as E23A for special economic zones, E23Y for digital-sector experts and the E25 series for directors, commissioners and managers.

The visa always requires a sponsor (penjamin), normally the employer, which must hold an account on evisa.imigrasi.go.id and files the application on the worker's behalf.

Immigration will only issue the E23 once the employer can upload the work permit for the foreign worker issued by the Ministry of Manpower (Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan). The employer handles that step; the worker's role is to supply qualifications and personal documents.

The work allowed is limited to the position in that permit. Doing other work, or selling goods and services outside the job, breaches the stay permit.

The state fees (PNBP) are IDR 5,250,000 for a stay of up to 180 days, IDR 7,000,000 for up to one year and IDR 9,500,000 for up to two years. They cover the visa, verification, the stay permit and the re-entry permit.

The employer pays through the designated banks with the billing code shown after submission. Ministry of Manpower charges for employing foreigners are separate from these immigration fees.

After the employer submits the application and pays, immigration checks the documents, verifies payment, creates and verifies the worker's profile and approves the visa. The decision comes four working days after payment.

The worker must enter Indonesia within 90 days. At the border the officer admits the worker and the limited stay permit (ITAS, often called KITAS) and re-entry permit are issued automatically, so no separate collection appointment is needed.

The sponsor extends the stay online through its e-Visa account before it expires. The stay permit can also be transferred to another type when the holder's activity changes, for example to an investor permit.

Long-term workers belong to the categories that may later convert their ITAS into a permanent stay permit (ITAP).

The E23 allows the holder to bring family members. A spouse applies for the E31B visa for spouses of ITAS or ITAP holders and children for the E31E, each with a one- or two-year stay and fees of IDR 6,000,000 or IDR 8,500,000.