steps that I need to take to retire in Bali? visa requirements

It's pretty easy to retire to Bali.  Take the first step and just Google, "Bali retirement visa."  Lots of pages full of information come up.

Your first step would be to come in with a 60 day visit visa (renewable here on Bali for up to 4 times, each time good for an additional 30 days).  During that time you'll want to chose an agent who will sponsor your retirement visa, and you'll be needing a permanent residence here.   

I can personally recommend PT Bali Ide as a very good and long standing visa agent...again, just Google their name.   

In my opinion, the best areas of Bali to consider retirement living is around the Ubud area and north of Ubud in the hills.  I say this for a number of reasons, but primarily climate.  The year around climate in these areas is perfect and without need of air conditioning.   

Good luck with your retirement! 

Cheers, Roy

Thank you Roy!

Roy, you can apply for a retirement visa also while you are still outside Indonesia. After all required documents are approved then the telex visa will be issued and send to the nominated consulate overseas (Perth ?)

Just have to make sure that the agent is holding all valid licenses to sponsor the retirement visa (KITAS Lansia)

Tom, are you saying that someone who plans to retire to Bali, but has never been here can apply for the retirement visa from outside of Indonesia?

If so, how can they possibly fulfill the requirement of proof/statement of living accommodation?  Or has the requirement of proof of set minimal housing/residence standards been eliminated?

Now I am so confuse! ok I will try to find out more!
I also ask the ladies that have migrated by themselves, how safe is for a female to take this adventure?
Regards

You can work out your confusion by way of a quick phone call to the Indonesian Consulate in Perth:

http://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy4970/

Ask them if you can apply for the retirement visa directly from their consular office.  And please, post their answer here. 

However, if you've not been to Bali before, or are largely unfamiliar with it, I can't see any point in you applying for a retirement visa (more expensive) in advance of you spending several months here first...finding good accommodations, and deciding if Bali is really for you.   

As for safety, rest assured there are many single expatriate women living on Bali.  Safety is rarely an issue for them, but, on occasion, for those who chose to live in obscure and remote areas, in the middle of rice fields and without making themselves part of the local community…robberies will happen from time to time.  Violent crimes against women on Bali, be they local or foreign is quite rare, but, when it happens it’s just as likely to be western on western as local on western.

Hi I'm likely to retire to Bali (Ubud) early next year unless I get some work in Australia very soon.

Thank you for posting this question.  I'll be reading all the entries as I need this information too.

Good luck with the move.

Hi Rose
I am going to sort accomodation in January! I also like Ubud! Are you coming by yourself? Maybe we need to keep in touch so we can pass info to one another!

Regards
Margarita
Western Australia

Hi Margarita
That sounds like a great idea.  I'm planning a visit sometime very early in the new year.  Maybe we'll meet up
Rose

That will be great! I will be from the 15/1 to 23/1 I am meeting an agent there! she sounds really professional!
Regards

I don't have dates yet because I'm still hoping to get work for a short while.  Let's keep in touch.

Good luck with everything!

Thank you Rose! I will keep you posted!

Hi Roy
I normally agree with everything you say on the forums but I have to correct something that affected me when applying for a 60 day visa.

The 60 day visa is not extendable.  That's a fact made clear to me by the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne. 
That said, I think if anyone's thinking of retiring here it's a good idea to spend 60 days getting to know people and finding a sponsor.  You then need to get all your paperwork together and submit it to the correct authorities (via an agent?)  You must then leave the country and pick up your retirement visa at an offshore Indonesian consulate or embassy.

2 months is a good period to know if Bali is for you.  You must also find a sponsor and a permanent place to stay as part of the retirement visa requirements.

I'm 4 days into my 60 day visa and loving it.

Hi Rose,

Great to hear that you have arrived and are settling in.   

Since you are already close to the process of applying for your retirement visa here, rest assured that your 60 day visa is extendable should you need to do that before completing your retirement visa.  In reality, the Indonesian consulate in Melbourne has absolutely nothing do with extending 60 day visit visas…rather, that is totally up to immigration here in Bali.  And, this is done all the time, albeit by way of a visa agent. 

I’m sorry to disagree with your statement that “the 60 day visa is not extendable” because it most certainly is extendable, up to four times, each renewal being good for an additional 30 days, but these extensions will require using an agent who will also act as your sponsor. 

If you find yourself in the position that the 60 day visa you have isn’t going to be long enough for you…you only need to get in touch with a visa agent to initiate the process of extending your 60 day visa, but that process should begin at least two weeks prior to the expiration date of your 60 day visa. 

For some new retirees to Bali, a 60 day visit in advance may well be enough time to make the crucial decisions like where to live, and finding the perfect place.  For others, it could take longer.  For those who need longer, the option to extend is very much “alive and well.”

Here are two licensed visa agents that can help you to extend your 60 day visa, should that be necessary:

http://www.mas-travel.com/single-entry-visa.htmlhttp://www.bali-expat-business.com/

Well isn't that interesting!  I'll be sure to check it out.
Thanks
Rise

I am glad that you are enjoying Bali!! I am already in my 5th month here in Sanur! and I am loving it!

I'm really please about that.  I did wonder how you were going. 
I'm in Kuta at the moment and intend to do some volunteer work with conserving sea turtles.  Then I have no idea.  It will take me a few weeks to adapt to the climate.  Right now I'm still adjusting, but I know it's just a short matter of time (it's only been 5 days so far!).

Good news that you're enjoying your new life.

rosefirth wrote:

It will take me a few weeks to adapt to the climate.  Right now I'm still adjusting, but I know it's just a short matter of time (it's only been 5 days so far!)..

The climate - I take a quick cold shower when I feel sticky.
A minute is enough, just to freshen up.

Rose, good to hear about your volunteer work with the sea turtles.  The efforts of those organizations are really starting to pay off, and the police have been aggressively pursuing poachers.

These days, even in East Bali, it is near impossible to find sate penyu anymore, and the few temples which require sea turtles as part of their odalon ceremonies have adjusted their needs to just a small number.

Ubudian wrote:

the few temples which require sea turtles as part of their odalon ceremonies have adjusted their needs to just a small number.

Just a thought....

I'm guessing the temples look after the turtles pretty well, so perhaps the temples could become part of the solution by initiating breeding programs.
They get their turtles, and the world gets more turtles - win win.

Opinion?

Fred right now I'm taking 4 quick showers a day!  I can't wait for my body to adjust - it's a gradual thing and I've promised myself to be patient.  I love humidity but i tend not to 'look my best'!!

Thank Ubudian - the very least I can do is to volunteer my help with anything environmental where I can.  It's a small thing but everything helps I believe.  I don't want to just come to this beautify island and lounge around.  I must be useful otherwise what's the point!

rosefirth wrote:

Fred right now I'm taking 4 quick showers a day!  I can't wait for my body to adjust - it's a gradual thing and I've promised myself to be patient.  I love humidity but i tend not to 'look my best'!!

I've been here almost 9 years and I still takes lots of cold showers.
Usually when I'm hot, but sometimes because I see hot ladies.

More seriously; it's a hot place so it's really refreshing to take a quick shower.
Makes you feel good.

rosefirth wrote:

Thank Ubudian - the very least I can do is to volunteer my help with anything environmental where I can.  It's a small thing but everything helps I believe.  I don't want to just come to this beautify island and lounge around.  I must be useful otherwise what's the point!

Rose, I cannot overstate just how important are your thoughts and feelings about “giving back.”

Virtually every expat I know that failed to make it here in Bali also failed to understand the essential importance of giving back. 

I salute you, especially considering that you started your efforts to give back just days after arriving! 

Fred wrote:

Ubudian wrote:

the few temples which require sea turtles as part of their odalon ceremonies have adjusted their needs to just a small number.

Just a thought....

I'm guessing the temples look after the turtles pretty well, so perhaps the temples could become part of the solution by initiating breeding programs.
They get their turtles, and the world gets more turtles - win win.

Opinion?

The turtles...just like all the other animals that are essential to all Balinese ceremonies are sacrificed.  Other animals commonly sacrificed are young chickens, ducks, and even puppy dogs.   

The use of turtles as a sacrifice in Bali Agama Hindu is pretty much limited to temples near the coast (availability),  but as I said, the numbers used are much less these days than in the past.

Blood sacrifice is an essential element in Bali Agama Hindu, and while it might seem somewhat barbaric, the belief is that any animal so sacrificed immediately reaches Nirvana, thus bypassing any reincarnations. 

It is this blood issue which is the reason why one can often find signs outside of Balinese temples forbidding entry of women "during their time of the month."  In fact though, even a man with an actively bleeding wound is restricted from entering a Balinese temple.

It's just early days yet. Something tells me that Bali will give me much more than I can give back but every bit helps. Baby steps at the moment so no praises just yet ☺😊😀

The praise is warranted, if only because you immediately “jumped in” with the idea and commitment of giving back, even as perhaps all your bags were not yet unpacked.

That is not common Rose…most expats need some time before they realize just how important giving back is in order to have a wonderful and fulfilling life here on Bali.

But you are right…Bali will always give far more than she ever asks for in return…up to a point of course!   

Selamat, and "on, on."   

Ubudian wrote:

Rose, I cannot overstate just how important are your thoughts and feelings about “giving back.”

That's impossible to argue with.

The notion of going to a country just to take or gain is beyond me; you have to return something to the people who give you so much.

All, This is excellent input on immigration. I'm in the states and I've spoken with friends who have visited Bali. They say they had some issues with illness from food/water. Is that still an issue? I've also noticed that most sites recommend a number of vaccinations.  What processes have you followed to prevent illness? Thank you.

Water isn't an issue. There are many good brands of drinking water available cheaply. Aqua is the market leader in Indonesia, and is well known for its consistent quality.
Don't drink tap water and watch out for ice in street restaurants.

I think you are talking about " Bali Belly".

Usually if you drink only bottled water then you'll be fine. It's the tapwater that might make you sick. Similarly, only have drinks with ice from proper restaurants as these are more likely to order "clean" ice from the ice supplier. Street food and drinks vendors may have made the ice themselves from tapwater and that might make you sick.

Food is a gamble as you can get stomach problems from even the best restaurants. However, if you don't take too much spicy hot chili sauce and stick to proper restaurants and away from street foods then your chances of staying healthy during your trip will increase.

For vaccinations most people seldom bother. At one time people would take Malaria tablets but I don't know if that even exists anymore. But make sure that while you are here that you use mosquito repellent on your body (ankles, feet, neck etc) and use a mosquito spray in your room if you are staying in a cheaper hotel. If you happen to catch Dengue Fever then it can be a lot worse than Bali Belly.

Thank you, All. This is very helpful. Theda

Thank you, very helpful.

Thank you, very helpful. So no need for yellow fever, hepatitus a, b, and c? What about Bangkok? Do you know if it's pretty safe, too? Theda

Hansson wrote:

Food is a gamble as you can get stomach problems from even the best restaurants. However, if you don't take too much spicy hot chili sauce and stick to proper restaurants and away from street foods then your chances of staying healthy during your trip will increase.

I totally disagree with this statement, mostly because it makes Indonesian food sound about as dangerous as playing Russian roulette, something that is clearly untrue as there aren't queues of serious ill people with food poisoning outside the hospitals and piles of dead bodies around food stands.

The posh restaurants generally adopt western standards so are as clean as anything you'd expect to find in any very developed country. Any suggestion they're 'a gamble' is seriously misguided at best, is very clearly misinformation, possibly even libelous.
The same goes for the western chains such as pizza hut or Dominos. All these are run with the same standards you find in the UK, and all are safe to eat from (and delicious).
Whilst it isn't impossible to get a dodgy stomach in any good restaurant here, it is very very rare, exactly as it is in the UK or America.

Street stand vary wildly and hygiene laws are few and poorly enforced.
Whilst the paper laws are often ignored, the laws of capitalism are not so duff places tend to close down pretty quickly due to lack of customers.

Apart from obviously dirty places, the problems with street food are mostly poor dish washing because they have no running water, so just order your meal wrapped up (Dibunkus) and the problem is solved.
That and make sure the food is cooked freshly, avoiding stuff that's left out in the open.

Suggesting street stalls are a gamble is also untrue, and could take away income from poor people who are taking the time, effort and trouble to earn an honest income; that making the quoted post a bit of a crime in my eyes. Anything that takes income away unfairly because of the spreading of totally untrue rumours is bad news and shameful.
The vast majority of street food is fine and won't give you the slightest problem.
As long as you avoid the obviously dirty places there isn't an issue.

There is no gamble, just selection.

I don't see there as being any need to Hepatitis jabs or Yellow Fever vaccinations. Most visitors just arrive in Bali and off they go. Obviously if you get injured or use needles and stuff then the risks are there, but for normal activities I see no reason for jabs.

Bangkok is pretty much the same as Bali and Thailand is similar to Bali in many ways. Same thing, don't drink tap water and be careful with street food.

And some free advice that you can take or leave, if you do like to visit bars then watch your drink in case someone slips Rohypnol into your drink. It probably will never happen, but I always advise my family and my friends teenage kids to be aware about this.

tbara wrote:

Thank you, very helpful. So no need for yellow fever, hepatitus a, b, and c? What about Bangkok? Do you know if it's pretty safe, too? Theda

Immunisations are always important, but only against disease you're likely to encounter.
Forget the bit about Zika as there has only been one case and that was a while ago.
The water is mentioned and that includes ice made from tap or ground water.
You can tell the difference easily as the street ice is in rough rocks.

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destination … /indonesia

I found anti malaria tablets gave me a very bad stomach (Common and it's noted on the box) so just stick to good insect creams.

Hansson wrote:

I don't see there as being any need to Hepatitis jabs or Yellow Fever vaccinations. .

The British NHS and US CDC disagree with you on this issue.

http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/destinations/asia-(east)/indonesia.aspx#immunisations

(The link won't post properly, so just copy the whole line and paste it into your address line)

In fact every serious travel or medical site I've visited disagrees with you.

Hansson wrote:

And some free advice that you can take or leave, if you do like to visit bars then watch your drink in case someone slips Rohypnol into your drink. It probably will never happen, but I always advise my family and my friends teenage kids to be aware about this.

There was a case in a dodgy expat publication a few weeks ago, all based on a story told by a liar.
The story was seriously busted as total rubbish.
Bars and clubs all over the world attract the odd dodgy person so the usual care rules apply, but there is nothing extra to add for Indonesia.