The E28A Bali investor visa is Indonesia’s 1–2 year residence permit for foreign shareholders who invest at least IDR 10 billion in a PT PMA (foreign-owned company) and sit as director or commissioner. It’s open to most nationalities, but documents, screening intensity, and risk of refusal can vary by passport.
What the E28A investor KITAS really is (and what it isn’t)
Let’s start with the basics. The E28A investor KITAS is the main long-stay visa for serious foreign investors who want to live in Bali and legally manage their Indonesian company as a director or commissioner.
To qualify in 2026, you generally need to show:
- Share ownership of at least IDR 10,000,000,000 in a PT PMA that will sponsor you.
- A formal director or commissioner role in that PT PMA.
- Personal bank balance from USD 2,000+ over the last 3 months, plus proof of company activity.
- A passport valid at least 18 months if you want a 2-year stay permit.
This visa lets you live in Indonesia, manage your business, enter and exit freely, and in many cases bring eligible family members. It does not automatically legalise every type of “work” you might imagine; your activities must match your position in the sponsoring company.
If you want the broader strategic comparison, read: E28A investor KITAS vs other Bali visas: which one should you choose?
Nationalities eligible for E28A Bali visa in 2026
The most important point first: the E28A is not restricted to a “favoured” list of Western passports. The regulation is investment-based, not nationality-based. In practice, we routinely process E28A files for:
- US citizens
- UK passport holders
- EU / Schengen citizens (Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, etc.)
- Australian investors
- Canadian investors
- Singaporean directors
- Indian citizens
- And a long list of other Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American nationalities
The key is that your PT PMA structure, share allocation, and documentation are solid. Where nationality becomes visible is in:
- How often Immigration requests extra documents by nationality for E28A.
- Whether your home country is considered higher-risk for overstay, illegal work, or security issues.
- How your past Indonesian visa history looks on the system.
Let’s break it down by the passports I’m asked about every week.
E28A Bali requirements for US citizens
If you’re Googling “e28a bali requirements for us citizens”, here’s the short answer: structurally the same as everyone else, but there are two practical twists.
- Investment threshold: You still need at least IDR 10 billion in fully subscribed shares in the PT PMA that sponsors you.
- Personal finances: For Americans, Immigration pays attention to whether your bank statement supports your lifestyle in Indonesia. For a 2026 file, we aim for at least USD 10–20k average balance if you’re making Bali a primary base.
- Tax visibility: US citizens are globally taxed. While Indonesian Immigration doesn’t police IRS compliance, they do look for consistency between your “investor” status and your real-world financial footprint.
- Clean history: Frequent past stays on tourist visas with extended overstays, “cash jobs” or unpaid fines can push you into a higher scrutiny lane and raise E28A Bali visa rejection by nationality risk.
Handled properly, we still see a very high approval rate for US clients.
E28A investor KITAS for UK passport holders
The search term “e28a investor kitas for uk passport” keeps popping up because a lot of British founders are moving teams from London or Dubai to Bali.
For UK citizens, the key points:
- Brexit doesn’t matter here. Indonesia isn’t treating UK as “EU” or “non-EU” for E28A purposes; it’s simply another foreign passport.
- Standard document set: Passport, bank statement, CV, PT PMA legal pack, share certificate, MoLHR decree, company bank statements, address in Indonesia, and in some cases a simple business plan summary.
- Risk factors: Long history of visa runs, using “sponsored” social visas without a real relationship, or unclear source of funds can hurt your file.
In my experience, UK passports are firmly in the “routine processing” category when the company structure is clear and capitalisation is real.
Can EU / Schengen citizens get E28A investor KITAS?
Yes: can EU citizens get E28A investor KITAS? Absolutely — and for most Schengen nationalities, the process is straightforward.
Here’s what’s different for EU investors:
- Do Schengen citizens need sponsor for E28A? Yes, everyone does. Your sponsor is your PT PMA (or occasionally an eligible Indonesian sponsor tied to the company structure). No special shortcut for EU.
- Extra documents: Some EU embassies are stricter with police clearances for their own purposes, but Indonesian Immigration rarely forces it for E28A unless something flags in your history.
- “Digital nomad” histories: Many EU founders have bounced around Asia for years on short-stay visas. If your past in Indonesia includes long stays with zero tax footprint, expect more questions about your actual business model.
Overall, Schengen passports sit in a relatively low-risk band. The main cause of refusal isn’t nationality — it’s undercapitalised companies and sloppy documentation.
E28A Bali visa for Australian investors
“e28a bali visa for australian investors” is probably my single most common Whatsapp opener. Australians are heavily present in Bali, and Immigration knows this.
- Positive: Australia is seen as a developed, stable origin country. No systemic disadvantage.
- Negative: Australians also top the charts for past overstays and informal work in hospitality, surf schools, and retail. If your name pops up with prior warnings, you’ll feel it.
For Aussies we are extra-careful with:
- Showing a real business model with realistic projections, especially for F&B and hospitality.
- Matching your professional background to your role in the PT PMA. A surf instructor suddenly becoming “CFO” of a villa development company will invite questions.
If your records are clean and your company is properly funded, Australia is a very workable passport for E28A.
E28A Indonesia visa for Canadian investors
For anyone searching “e28a indonesia visa for canadian investors”: Canada is routinely accepted; the system doesn’t apply special penalties to Canadians.
The main points for Canadian files:
- Financial evidence: Canadian banks sometimes redact more information on PDF statements. We make sure name, period, and balances are crystal-clear, otherwise your file can be bounced back for resubmission.
- Address consistency: If your Canadian tax residence differs from your actual living address (for example, you’ve been in Asia for years), we pre-emptively explain that in the application notes.
With clean paperwork, Canadians enjoy approval rates similar to EU / UK investors.
E28A Bali visa for Singaporean directors
Searches for “e28a bali visa for singaporean director” are usually from founders shifting part of their ASEAN structure to Bali.
Singaporeans are generally viewed as low-risk, but there are two technical issues to watch:
- Corporate layering: Many Singaporean investors hold their Indonesian PT PMA shares via a Singapore entity. Immigration is increasingly asking to “see through” the structure to the ultimate beneficial owners.
- Tax residency: If you’re a Singapore tax resident spending long stretches in Bali, Indonesian authorities may eventually question where management and control of the business truly sit. That’s more a tax issue than a visa one, but your E28A file is often the first document they’ll inspect.
Handled correctly, Singaporean applications are among the smoothest we see.
E28A investor KITAS for Indian citizens
Now to a key question: “e28a investor kitas for indian citizen”. There is no regulation saying Indian nationals can’t obtain E28A — we have multiple Indian clients holding valid investor KITAS right now.
Where things get trickier is risk analysis:
- Immigration may request extra documents by nationality for E28A for some Indian applicants: clearer source-of-funds explanation, additional company records, or more detailed CVs.
- If your prior Indonesian history includes overstays, informal work, or rejected social visas, your E28A Bali visa rejection by nationality risk rises — but the root cause is history, not the fact you’re Indian.
With clean records, a solid PT PMA, and transparent banking, Indian applicants are fully viable for E28A.
Is E28A easier for certain passports?
This is the blunt question: is E28A easier for certain passports?
From what I see daily:
- Yes, in practice some passports face fewer “random” questions. Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore often move quickly when the company is well-presented.
- No, officially there is no published “tier list.” The regulation is neutral: meet the investment and corporate requirements, get the visa.
- In reality, most rejections blamed on “nationality” are actually due to:
- Underfunded or dormant PT PMA.
- Share capital that only exists on paper.
- Bank statements that don’t match your claimed profile.
- Previous immigration trouble in Indonesia.
So yes, your passport colour influences the depth of scrutiny, but it’s rarely decisive if the file is strong.
How to reduce E28A rejection risk, whatever your nationality
If you want to keep your name off rejection lists, focus on fundamentals:
- Build a real PT PMA with correct line of business (KBLI), minimum capitalisation, and realistic scope. Avoid “shell” setups that only exist to get you a KITAS.
- Show real share funding. Don’t just sign paperwork; we structure capital injections so they are traceable and defensible if questioned.
- Clean up your history. If you’ve overstayed, worked illegally, or had a prior refusal, tell us upfront so we can handle it in the narrative.
- Match your background to your role. A chef becoming “Head of Fintech Innovation” overnight will look odd. We frame your CV so your role in the company is logical.
If you want a deeper dive on failure points, read: 25 common E28A Bali investor KITAS mistakes (and how to avoid rejection).
3 quick E28A nationality FAQs
1. Can my E28A be refused just because of my passport?
Purely on paper, no. In practice, certain nationalities trigger closer inspection, and if your company or finances are weak, that extra scrutiny turns into a refusal. The solution is strengthening the file, not changing your nationality.
2. Do I need a local Indonesian sponsor, or is my PT PMA enough?
For E28A, your sponsor is normally the PT PMA itself. Some structures use an eligible Indonesian individual tied to the company, but you don’t “buy” a random sponsor. If anyone offers you that, walk away.
3. Can I switch from a tourist or VOA to E28A inside Indonesia?
In many cases yes, but the rules and processing times shift frequently. Before you start the conversion from inside the country, we check your current status, overstay history, and company readiness to avoid getting stuck mid-process.
Next steps: make your E28A file investor-grade
If you’re serious about investing IDR 10 billion+ into Indonesia, the last place to cut corners is your immigration strategy. At e28a Bali (I’m Marco Voss, and I’ve been doing this in Bali for over a decade), we design your structure and application with your nationality and future tax footprint in mind.
To see where E28A sits among your options, start at our home page, or if you’re ready for white-glove help from the first WhatsApp message to your KITAS card in hand, look at our concierge service.
Want an honest “yes/no” on your chances with your nationality and current company plan? Message us on WhatsApp now and ask for Marco’s direct assessment of your E28A investor KITAS options.
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General information, not legal advice; fees are agency estimates, not government fees. We confirm the latest rules for your case before you apply.