Your phone in Bali: IMEI registration and the 90-day block

Short answer: Indonesia blocks phones it doesn't know about, so if you're staying longer than a holiday, register your handset at the airport or plan to buy one locally.

The short version

• Indonesia keeps a register of phone IMEI numbers. A phone bought overseas only works on Indonesian SIMs for a limited time unless it's registered with customs [1][2].
• Short-stay visitors can get about 90 days of local network access through a mobile operator's counter at the airport. After that the local signal stops [1][3].
• Staying longer? Register your phone with customs at Ngurah Rai on arrival, or at a customs office within 60 days. Up to two devices per passenger, and you may pay import tax [1].
• Your Australian SIM keeps working on roaming without any registration, and Wi-Fi always works [2][4]. That's handy for keeping your Aussie number for banking codes.

Why your phone suddenly loses signal

In Australia, a phone is a phone. Buy it in Tokyo, bring it home, pop in a Telstra SIM and off you go. Indonesia does it differently. The government keeps a central register of IMEI numbers, the 15-digit code that identifies each handset. Phones sold through official Indonesian channels are already on it. A phone you bought in Australia isn't.

When an unregistered phone connects to an Indonesian network with an Indonesian SIM, it can be blocked. For tourists there's a softer version: the phone gets a temporary pass for about 90 days and then the local network cuts out [1][3]. People who've been here a while describe the same pattern. Everything is fine for weeks, then one morning there's no signal on your Telkomsel or XL card, even though calls on Wi-Fi still go through.

Two things don't trigger the block:

1. Roaming on your Australian SIM. An inbound roamer doesn't need IMEI registration [4].
2. Wi-Fi. You can use Wi-Fi networks without registering anything [2].

So the block only bites when you put an Indonesian SIM (or an Indonesian eSIM) in an Australian phone and stay beyond the temporary window.

Your three options, side by side

Most long-stayers end up with a mix: a local SIM in a registered phone for everyday data, and the Aussie number kept alive somewhere for texts from the bank.

Registering your phone with customs

Customs at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (Bea Cukai Ngurah Rai) runs the registration for passengers arriving in Bali [1]. You can register up to two devices per passenger [1][4].

Before you fly

1. Find your IMEI. Dial *#06# on the phone. Dual-SIM and eSIM phones show two IMEIs. Screenshot both.
2. Fill in the online form. Customs uses an online IMEI registration on beacukai.go.id, or the Mobile Beacukai app, to generate a QR code [1].
3. Pack the paperwork. Have your passport, boarding pass and, if you've got it, the purchase invoice. An Indonesian tax number (NPWP) lowers one of the taxes, so bring it if you have one [1].

At the airport

4. Clear immigration first. Registration happens in the customs area of the international arrivals terminal, after passport control [1].
5. Show the QR code, passport with arrival stamp, ticket and boarding pass, and the phone itself at the customs counter [1].
6. Pay any tax due, then wait for the IMEI to show as registered. Keep your receipt.

If you missed it at the airport

You can still register at the nearest customs office, but only within 60 days of the arrival date in your passport. After 60 days, customs says permanent registration at an office is no longer possible [1]. Don't leave it until week eight.

What customs charges

Phones you bring in count as imported goods. Ngurah Rai customs lists the charges as 10% import duty, 11% VAT and 10% income tax (PPh), with the income tax rising to 20% if you don't have an NPWP [1]. Passengers who register on arrival through the customs area and online QR process can get a US$500 allowance off the phone's value [1]. A 2024 report quoted a VAT figure of 12% for passengers registering outside that process, so check the current rate at the counter [3].

Here's a rough worked example for a phone valued at US$1,000, registered on arrival with the US$500 allowance, no NPWP. Treat it as an illustration, not a quote.

At the Reserve Bank's rate of about IDR 12,500 to the dollar in November 2026, that's somewhere around A$330 [6]. For an older phone with a lower declared value, the bill is much smaller. For a two-year-old phone you're replacing soon anyway, buying locally might make more sense.

Tourist SIMs, local SIMs and your KITAS

On a visa on arrival or e-VOA

If you're in Bali for under 90 days, Smartraveller's advice is straightforward. Buy access from a mobile provider's booth at the airport. It's usually valid for 90 days and may come with a customs payment, or you can buy a tourist SIM [2]. Customs confirms this temporary activation happens through operator outlets, not customs [3][4]. One quirk: you can't check a temporary tourist IMEI on the customs website. Foreigners who want to check have to contact the customs contact centre [4].

On a KITAS or long-stay visa

Once you've got a KITAS, you're living here, and a 90-day tourist pass won't cut it. Smartraveller says that if you're staying longer than 90 days with a phone bought outside Indonesia, you need to register its IMEI with customs [2]. In practice that means either registering on arrival or buying a phone locally.

Indonesia Expat reported that foreigners can't check their IMEI status online "until further notice", and that foreigners living in Indonesia can hold no more than two unique phone numbers [5]. If you're on a work KITAS, your employer or agent often helps with the SIM registration paperwork. Remote workers on the E33G and retirees on the E33E sort it out themselves at an operator store with their passport and permit.

Buying a phone in Bali is easy enough. The big malls in Kuta, Denpasar and around Seminyak have official brand stores and operator shops. Ask for a phone sold through official channels. Grey-market handsets without a registered IMEI are the ones that end up blocked.

Keeping your Australian number for 2FA

This is the part Aussies forget until they're locked out of their bank. Most Australian banks, the ATO via myGov and plenty of super funds send one-time codes by SMS. If your Australian number lapses, getting back in from Bali is a pain.

1. Keep the number alive. A cheap long-expiry prepaid plan or a low-cost postpaid plan both work. Check how long your provider lets a prepaid service sit without a recharge.
2. Use dual SIM. Most recent phones take one physical SIM and one eSIM. Keep the Australian line in one slot with data roaming switched off, and your Indonesian SIM for data.
3. Check what roaming costs for incoming texts. Many plans charge little or nothing to receive SMS overseas, but confirm with your provider before you leave.
4. Move logins off SMS where you can. myGov offers the myGov Code Generator app as an alternative to SMS codes, and many banks have app-based approvals. Set these up while you're still in Australia.
5. Write down your recovery details. Recovery codes for email and password managers, stored somewhere that isn't your phone.

Our guide on keeping Australian accounts while abroad covers the banking side in more detail.

If your phone gets blocked or stolen

A blocked phone isn't broken. Wi-Fi still works, so you can sort things out from home. Contact the customs contact centre with your IMEI and passport details, or visit your operator's store [4]. If you're past the 60-day window, buying a local phone is usually the fastest fix.

If your phone is stolen, report it to the local police for your insurance, and contact your Australian provider to block the SIM so nobody can intercept your bank codes. If your passport went with it, the Australian Consulate-General in Denpasar can help with a replacement. Their number is +62 361 2000 100 [2].

New to the island and swapping SIM tips? Join Cooee Indonesia, our Facebook group for Australians in Indonesia, and ask which operator gets the best signal in your village.

Sources

1. Registrasi IMEI bagi penumpang – Bea Cukai Ngurah Rai
2. Indonesia travel advice – Smartraveller
3. WNI mudik ke Indonesia: IMEI sementara 90 hari hanya untuk turis asing – DDTCNews (2024)
4. Situs cek IMEI Bea Cukai belum bisa untuk mengecek IMEI sementara WNA – DDTCNews (2024)
5. IMEI status is inaccessible for foreigners in Indonesia – Indonesia Expat
6. Exchange rates – Reserve Bank of Australia

Keep reading

• Moving to Bali from Australia: the complete guide
• Banking in Bali: local accounts, QRIS and moving money from Australia
• Cost of living in Bali vs Sydney and Melbourne
• Keeping your Australian bank accounts while abroad