Bali at a Glance

Expat Info Bali: Visas and Health Care

Rice is one of Bali's main agricultural exports.

Will you soon be moving to Bali to begin a new life on a peaceful tropical island? As tempting as it sounds, moving to Bali – the land of temples – is not only a spiritual experience. InterNations gives you an insight into the practical details of moving to Bali, from housing to health care.

Visa Types

There are numerous types of visas for Bali. Please bear in mind that most of these visas must be applied for well in advance of your arrival in Bali. It is best to contact your local Indonesian embassy to ensure that you have all required documentation and to speed up the application process. It is also wise to visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Indonesia for more concrete information as well as up-to-date visa fees.

A tourist visa for Bali is issued either for sixty days or one year. In addition to the usual passport and application forms, the application for the tourist visa requires proof of a roundtrip itinerary, sufficient funding (bank statement or retirement fund), or proof of enrollment at a university or school in your home country.

A business visa does not equal a work permit for Bali. In Indonesia the business visa is restricted to 60 days and is only assigned to those who have proof of conducting business negotiations or leading a project in Indonesia. This proof includes a letter of purpose by the employer and the written guarantee that all expenses incurred by the holder of this visa will be covered during the foreign national’s stay.

Other Visas

In addition to the above-mentioned tourist and business visa, which are the most common types of visa issued by the Indonesian government, you can also have the following visas for moving to Bali.

The social visit visa can be applied for by persons wishing to visit relatives or to take part in a cultural exchange. To apply for the social visit visa, a letter of invitation from the person/organization requesting your presence, a copy of the ID card of the principal person residing in Indonesia (to act as a guarantor for the foreign national), and proof of a roundtrip ticket will be required.

The journalist visa and the research visa are relatively difficult to get hold of. You will have to contact the Media Services at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Ministry of Research and Technology (in Bahasa Indonesian only) and the Directorate General of Immigration respectively. Please be sure to do so well in advance of your planned trip to Bali.

Health Care

Health care in Bali, although not up to the state-of-the-art clinics in some other countries, can be trusted to have good standards. Health care in Bali varies from small specialized clinics to all-encompassing hospitals complete with ICUs and emergency rooms. As is to be expected, the best and largest hospital on the island is located in the capital Denpasar.

If you are more comfortable getting treated in an international setting where doctors and nurses speak English, Bali can offer the SOS International Clinic and the BIMC Hospital, both located in Kuta. Both offer emergency treatment as well as regular doctor’s check-ups and visits. Due to the fact that these clinics are headed by American, Australian and British doctors, they will be more expensive than care at the local Indonesian hospitals and clinics.

Most expats in Bali, however, end up going to so-called “group-practice medical clinics”, which are less expensive than private hospitals and can offer the same standard of care. These medical clinics are often run by a group of specialists who can take care of most routine medical check-ups as well as some emergency operations.

Health Insurance

As Indonesia does not have any sort of countrywide medical insurance program, it is extremely important for expats to ensure that they have comprehensive medical insurance for themselves and all family members before entering the country.

There are hundreds of insurance companies that serve expats abroad. Allianz Worldwide Care provides a directory of doctors and hospitals in Bali whose services are covered through their insurance policies.

Please also be aware that most of the medical treatment you receive will have to be paid in cash upon completion of the procedure, as credit card machines are very scarce in Balinese hospitals and medical facilities.