You know you have made the right move when you find yourself working remotely, halfway across the world, without the cloudy and grey skies you once called normal.
You are in a place where fresh coconuts cost less than your old morning coffee, and where you can wrap up your workday and surf 20 minutes later. The people are kind, the pace of life more human, and everything around you, from the rice fields to the coastline, reminds you why you chose this change in the first place. Getting the Remote Worker Visa (Index E33G) nor the spouse visa (Index E31B) as the child visa (Index E31C) for your dependents, was not as complicated as you feared (with a little help from your trusted consultant) and now here you are: working legally, living calmly, and quietly grateful that you had the courage to leave your comfort zone behind and settle in Indonesia, perhaps in Bali, where nature and life flow together. That is not a fantasy. That is just a well-made decision.
But to be honest; no life abroad is without bumps. Suddenly, HR back home or your Indonesian agent called. Your KITAS is expiring next week. And just like that, your plans hit pauses. You and your family will have to leave Indonesia to apply again. Meetings postponed, routines disrupted, flights booked at the last minute, and mentally back in freezing weather and queues. A hassle and dazzle you hate so much! Same for you drinking buddy whose Working ITAS (Index E23) expires after 5 years of hard working in Jakarta. He needs to leave as well. After your weekly padel meeting, you used to make plans to visit Singapore for a long weekend, with some expensive fun shopping for the ladies.
Who’s Eligible? • Digital Nomads (VOA → Remote Work KITAS) • Job Hoppers (KITAS → New Employer’s KITAS) • Investors (Upgrading/changing PT PMA structure) • Parents (Switching child’s Dependent → Student KITAS) • Tourists Who Cannot Leave (VOA → Retirement VISA)
For years, that was just the way things worked. If your permit expires, you will leave. No discussion. But in 2024, Indonesia introduced something quietly revolutionary: the Bridging Visa (Izin Tinggal Transisi). It allows you to switch to a new visa without leaving the country. No panic, no airport chaos. Just 60 days of legal time to get your new visa sorted while you are staying where you are.
And yet, surprisingly, most expats still have not heard of it. Why? Because not every agent or consultant offers it. Many HR departments are stuck in the old routine. And some law firms prefer writing quality legal articles about regulations instead of focusing on applying them.
That is all over now. The information is here. The tool is available. It is time to use it.
Exposing The Bridging Visa: How It Works (And Why You Are Being Lied To)
The Bridging Visa might be one of Indonesia’s most useful immigration tools, yet surprisingly few people know it exists.
It offers a 60-day, non-extendable period that gives you time to legally stay in Indonesia while transitioning from one visa type to another. It is a practical solution for many common situations: changing from a Visa on Arrival to a Remote Work KITAS, switching from one employer-sponsored ITAS to another, adjusting your role or capital in a PT PMA, or helping your child move from a dependent permit to a student visa. Even retirees caught out by travel restrictions can use it to shift into the right long-stay permit, without leaving the country.
The process is straightforward. You apply online through evisa.imigrasi.go.id, ideally three days before your current permit expires. That is all! The Bridging Visa gives you more control, here to help, not to confuse. You just need the right information (so read this article once more or find someone reliable who is willing to tell you about it.
For example, if you are a Bali Digital Nomad and your 60-day VOA ends in a week from now, but your Remote Work KITAS needs 3 more weeks, if it is still the old way you’re going to have to do a “quick” trip (the famous visa run!) to abroad. But with The Bridging Visa, you can arrange your legal stay without missing a single day at the beach or postponing an important business meeting.
Documents needed: • A valid national passport. • His current limited stay permits. • Proof of guarantee, depending on his sponsorship status. • A detailed explanation why a transfer is needed. How to process the Bridging Visa: 1. You have to get a Visa Online account first. • Go to website Imigrasi.evisa.go.id • Choose Sign In • Choose Create Account • Choose Indonesian Citizen or Corporate • Fill in all data and upload all documents • Submit (Note: Wait until the account is approved, by email) 2. Log in to the sponsor account • Choose Services • Click your name. • Choose bridging visa • Fill in data and upload all documents • Submit • Pay PBNP (government tax) online • Await confirmation from Immigration Officer • The Evisa will be sent online to your email (Note: As of 15 May, another new regulation came into force. In 2024 Immigration skipped the bio-data sessions for a number of visas, but now it is mandatory again. So, soon you will need to come to the local Immigration office to complete the process)
The bottom line? The Bridging Visa represents more than just a change in paperwork; it signals a broader cultural shift. By introducing this visa, Indonesia is making a clear statement: expats are welcome. Yet outdated practices and intermediaries continue to stand in the way of progress.
If you think it is time to act, start by bookmarking evisa.imigrasi.go.id, (see table) and share this information widely with fellow expats. Now you can go back to finishing your work while sipping coconuts or a delicious, iced coffee with beans curated from a place you are having trouble pronouncing and go back to living the dream.
Below three cases of just the last month that shows Immigration really means business with making life even easier for foreigners eager to visit, stay and live in Wonderful Indonesia!
REAL Cases Where the Bridging Visa Saves Thousands:
Case 1: The Corporate Refugee
Challenge: David’s ITAS expires in 5 days. New employer’s paperwork is stuck in Manpower Ministry limbo. Old Way: Fly to KL, apply for new visa, lose 2 weeks ($1,200) Bridging Visa Fix: 60-day grace period to finalize new ITAS from her Jakarta apartment if she files before Day 31 New visa E23: received before the 60 days period ends!
Challenge: Ronalds’s 60-day VOA ends, but his Remote Work KITAS needs 3 more weeks. Old Way: "Quick" Singapore trip (spoiler: it is never quick). Bridging Visa Fix: Legal stay extension without missing a single Zoom call; but only if he converts before hitting the 31-day wall. New visa E33G: received before 60 days period ends.
Challenge: 17-year-old Anna’s dependent visa is expiring in the summer, but parents do not go on holiday this year and stay in Indonesia Old way: The school wants Anna to EPO her and apply a new visa abroad. Bridging Visa: Just apply for a bridging visa and then for the new Student visa. New visa E30A (student visa): received before 60 days period ends
