C11 Exhibition Visa: when you need it

C11, C2 or C10: your role decides

People come to the same trade fair for very different reasons. Some staff their own booth and demo a product, some walk the halls looking for suppliers, and some speak on the business programme. Indonesian immigration treats these as three different purposes of visit, and each has its own visa index.

C11 is the visa for exhibitors: people who come to exhibit and promote their own products or services. C2 is the business visa for business visits: meetings, negotiations, and attending conferences and exhibitions as a guest. C10 covers speakers and lecturers at business events.

When you actually need a C11

You need a C11 when promotion is the main point of the trip and you are doing it on behalf of your own company. Typical cases:

• ✓You rent a booth at an international exhibition and work on it
• ✓You are coming for a promotional campaign for your product or service
• ✓You officially represent your company as an exhibitor
• ✓You have an invitation from the event organiser that names you as an exhibitor

If you are going to the same event to look at booths, find partners or negotiate, a regular C2 business visa is the right fit. We cover the line between business activity and work in detail in our C2 visa guide.

Duration and extensions: C11 vs C2

Mechanically, the C11 works just like the C2. It is a single-entry visa: it is cancelled when you leave Indonesia, and the next trip needs a new one.

In practice a trade fair lasts a few days, so extensions are rarely needed. They help if you stay on after the show for distributor meetings or factory visits. We extend a C2 for IDR 2,800,000 turnkey per 60 days.

Documents for a C11

The basic set is close to the C2 package, but the organiser's invitation carries the most weight. Without it, immigration has no clear evidence that you are travelling as an exhibitor.

• ✓Passport valid for at least 6 months
• ✓Invitation from the event organiser stating your role as an exhibitor
• ✓Letter from your company explaining the purpose of the trip
• ✓Return ticket or onward ticket to a third country
• ✓Passport-size photo

Check your passport before you apply: validity, blank pages and personal data. The three standard checks are in our article on passport requirements.

How to apply for a C11

Leave yourself a buffer, as organisers do not always issue invitations straight away. For comparison, we process a C2 in 10 business days on the Minimal package (IDR 4,200,000) and in 5–6 business days on the Regular package (IDR 5,700,000), all fees included.

Common exhibitor mistakes

• !Working a booth on a tourist visa or eVOA. The declared purpose of your trip has to match what you actually do in the country.
• !Getting the whole team the same visa. Booth staff and a manager who only comes for negotiations may fall under different indices.
• !Applying without an organiser's invitation. That letter is what confirms exhibitor status.
• !Treating a C11 or C2 as a work permit. Neither allows employment or earning a salary in Indonesia.

If you travel often or plan to stay and work

If you attend several trade fairs and business trips a year, applying for a new single-entry visa each time gets tedious. For regular visits there is the D2 multiple-entry visa: valid for 1–2 years, for business purposes including conferences and exhibitions, from IDR 5,500,000 per year. More in our article on D1 and D2 multiple visas.

If the exhibition leads to an office in Indonesia and local hires, you will need a Work KITAS (KITAS is a limited-stay residence permit). The employer also takes on its own duties, such as WLKP workforce reporting.

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