Moving to Bali from Australia: the complete guide

Short answer: the flight is the easy bit. A proper move to Bali means picking the right Indonesian visa before you go, sorting a few online forms, and learning which rules are taken far more seriously than at home.

The short version

The 30-day visa on arrival costs IDR 500,000 and can be extended once for another 30 days. It's for holidays and business meetings, not for living or working [1].
Longer stays use proper visas applied for online, such as the E33G remote worker visa or the E33E retirement visa for people aged 55 and over [3][4][5].
Before you fly, fill in the All Indonesia Arrival Card online and pay Bali's IDR 150,000 tourist levy [1][7].
You pay for all medical care and evacuation yourself, so private insurance with medical evacuation is essential [1].
The Australian Consulate-General is in Renon, Denpasar, with a 24-hour emergency line [1][8].

Choose your visa first

Everything else hangs off this decision. Indonesia's immigration directorate lists dozens of visa codes, from visit visas (B, C and D series) to limited stay visas (E series) for work, family, investment, retirement and remote work [2]. For most Australians thinking about a move, the shortlist looks like this.

Your situation	Visa to look at	Key point
Testing the waters for a few weeks	Visa on arrival or e-VOA	30 days, one 30-day extension, IDR 500,000 [1]
Longer trial, still a tourist	C1 single-entry visit visa	First stay up to 60 days, extendable to 180 days in total [6]
Frequent trips over several years	D1 multiple-entry visit visa	Up to 60 days per entry, valid 1, 2 or 5 years [9]
Working remotely for an overseas employer	E33G remote worker visa	One-year stay, income of at least US$60,000 a year [3]
Retired, aged 55 or over	E33E second home (lansia) visa	Up to 5 years, US$50,000 held in an Indonesian state-owned bank [4]
Employed by an Indonesian company	Work visa sponsored by your employer	Your employer drives the process [2]

We go deep on the long-stay options, fees and paperwork in our guide to long-stay visas and villas in Bali.

The rule that trips people up

Visit visas don't let you work locally. Smartraveller is plain about it: you can't work or conduct research in Indonesia without the appropriate visa [1]. Immigration in Bali takes this seriously. In September 2026 the Ngurah Rai immigration office reported deportations and detentions that included visa-on-arrival holders working as DJs in Canggu [10]. "Just a few shifts at a mate's cafe" can end with a deportation and a re-entry ban.

Before you leave Australia

Some jobs are easier from your lounge room than from a co-working space in Canggu.

Check your passport. Smartraveller advises at least six months' validity from your planned entry and exit dates. Indonesia is strict about damage, and even water damage from normal wear can be a problem [1].
Apply for your visa on the official site. Long-stay visas go through evisa.imigrasi.go.id, where you create an account and upload documents [5]. Avoid lookalike agent sites unless you've chosen to use a reputable agent on purpose.
Get an International Driving Permit. Your Australian licence alone isn't enough. You need an Indonesian licence or an IDP alongside it [1].
Buy insurance. Hospitals in Bali usually want proof of insurance, a deposit and a written payment guarantee before treating tourists, and the Australian Government won't pay your bills [1].
Think about rabies. It's present across Indonesia and is fatal once symptoms appear. Smartraveller suggests considering a pre-exposure vaccine [1].
Sort your Australian admin. Tax residency, super, Medicare and bank access all change when you move. Our living-abroad guides cover each one.

Landing at Ngurah Rai

Arrival has gone digital. Here's the order of play.

All Indonesia Arrival Card. Complete it online within 72 hours before you travel. You may be asked to show proof at immigration [1].
Bali tourist levy. IDR 150,000 per international visitor, paid through the provincial Love Bali site or at counters on arrival. You get a QR voucher by email [7]. An exemption option exists on the site, so check it if you already hold a stay permit [7].
Cash rules. Amounts above IDR 100,000,000 must be declared on arrival and departure [1].
Visa on arrival. If you didn't get the e-VOA at least 48 hours ahead, you can still buy a regular visa on arrival at Bali airport [1].

Your first fortnight on the island

Give yourself two weeks in short-stay accommodation before committing to anything.

Stay somewhere that registers you. If you sleep in a private residence, including a private Airbnb, you must register on arrival [1]. Hotels handle this for you.
Get a local SIM. You'll need an Indonesian number for ride-hailing, deliveries and most local services.
Use licensed transport. Stick to metered taxis or reputable ride-hailing apps until you know the roads [1].
Change money at authorised changers only. Unauthorised money changers in Bali have scammed tourists [1].
Ride carefully, or don't. Motorbike crashes have seriously injured and killed Australians in Bali, and riders are often assumed to be at fault. Always wear a helmet [1].
Note the date of Nyepi. On the Balinese day of silence, everyone stays indoors and even the airport shuts. In 2026 it ran from 6am on 19 March to 6am the next day [1]. The date moves each year.

Where Australians tend to settle

Bali isn't one place. Each area has a different rhythm, and your visa, budget and commute (if you have one) will steer you.

Canggu, Pererenan and Berawa. Surf, cafes, co-working and the busiest traffic. Popular with younger remote workers.
Seminyak and Kerobokan. More polished, closer to restaurants and shopping, handy to the airport.
Sanur. Calmer, flatter, a reef-protected beach and a long beachfront path. Popular with families and retirees.
Ubud. Inland, green and cooler, with yoga, arts and rice fields rather than beach clubs.
Uluwatu and the Bukit. Cliffs, big surf and spread-out villas. You'll need your own transport.
Denpasar. The capital, where the Consulate and many government offices are, with far fewer foreigners.

Before you sign a lease, read our guide to renting in Bali. Property disputes over leases and villas are common, and Smartraveller recommends legal advice before you commit [1].

Laws that catch Australians out

Bali feels relaxed. Indonesian law is not.

Drugs. Penalties are severe and include the death penalty. Even small amounts of marijuana can mean heavy fines or jail, and medical cannabis products are illegal even with an Australian prescription [1].
The criminal code. Indonesia's revised criminal code penalises sex outside marriage and cohabitation, acted on after a complaint from a spouse, parent or child [1].
Alcohol. Methanol poisoning from contaminated drinks, including arak, has killed people. Drink only at reputable licensed venues [1].
Gambling. All gambling is illegal, and card-game scams have cleaned out Australians in Bali [1].
Temples and ceremonies. Dress modestly at places of worship, don't climb sacred trees and respect offerings and photo bans [1].

Your Australian lifeline

The Australian Consulate-General is at Jalan Tantular 32, Renon, Denpasar. Consular, passport and notarial services are by appointment, and payment is by card only [1][8]. For emergencies outside office hours, call +62 361 2000 100 and follow the prompts, or ring the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305 [8].

Once you've landed, join Cooee Indonesia, our Facebook group for Australians in Indonesia, to ask about visas, villas and which banjar runs the best Ogoh-ogoh parade.

Moving to Bali from Australia: visas, first weeks and where to land