How to open a PT PMA 2026: steps and timing
The PT PMA is the only company form a foreigner can own directly in Indonesia, and the only lawful way to earn income here. The requirements: share capital from IDR 10 billion, at least two shareholders, a director and a commissioner, and a legal address. Registration takes two weeks to two months. The decisive choice up front is your KBLI activity codes.
Updated: 25 August 2026 · Verified by the Malina Visa team
Why a PT PMA at all
The PT PMA is a foreign-investment company and the only structure a foreigner can own directly in Indonesia. A company counts as foreign with any overseas shareholding at all: one per cent or one hundred.
- ✓Lawful trading and contracts in the company's name
- ✓A corporate account with an Indonesian bank
- ✓Investor KITAS for the owners
- ✓Hiring staff and operating in the local market on equal terms with Indonesian companies
Registration requirements
- ✓Share capital — from IDR 10 billion; how it is evidenced depends on the structure
- ✓At least two shareholders — individuals or companies
- ✓A director and a commissioner — mandatory roles in the structure
- ✓A legal address is required; a virtual office is acceptable in many cases
- ✓Registration time — two weeks to two months
The permitted foreign shareholding depends on the line of business: many sectors allow a full 100 per cent, while some carry restrictions under the investment list.
The stages
Several candidate names are checked for availability — more applications stall here than people expect.
The classification of business activities. It governs both the maximum foreign shareholding and the set of licences required.
Shareholdings, appointment of the director and commissioner, and division of authority.
Incorporation of the legal entity and issue of its tax number.
Permits for your specific activity — the set depends on the KBLI codes chosen.
The corporate account is opened once registration and the core document pack are complete.
Three decisions you cannot postpone
A mistake at the start costs you not money but re-registration — which means the timeline and the fees all over again.
- !KBLI codes. The wrong classification means the wrong licences and the wrong ceiling on foreign ownership. It is fixable only by re-registering, which is why codes are matched to the plan from day one
- !Ownership structure. Who the shareholders are, who holds what, who is director and who is commissioner — this determines whether you clear the thresholds for an investor KITAS
- !Share capital. The amount and how it will be evidenced are settled before registration, not after
What comes next: KITAS and obligations
Registering the company is not the finish line but the start. Two tracks then run in parallel.
- ✓Status for you. On the strength of the founding documents and proof of your stake, an investor KITAS is issued — one to two years with the right to run your own company
- ✓The company's obligations. Accounting and reporting are mandatory from the first month, even before trading begins
If you have no business yet and need time to prepare, the standard first step is the D12 pre-investment visa: 180 days, extendable up to a year, to study the market and assemble the structure without living on tourist visas. A comparison of company forms is in PT PMA or a local PT.
Frequently asked questions
How much money is needed to open a PT PMA?
Share capital from IDR 10 billion. How it must be evidenced depends on the company's structure and its line of business, so the specifics are worked through on a consultation.
Can a foreigner own 100 per cent of the company?
In many sectors, yes. The permitted share is set by the KBLI codes: some industries carry investment-list restrictions, which is why the classification is chosen before registration.
How long does registration take?
Two weeks to two months with documents ready. The spread depends on the business activity and the licences required for the chosen KBLI codes.
Do I need a physical office?
A legal address is required, but a virtual office is acceptable in many cases. The requirement depends on the type of activity.
Does a PT PMA give me the right to live in Indonesia?
The company itself does not, but it is the basis for an investor KITAS for shareholders, directors and commissioners: residency for one to two years with the right to run your own business.
Official sources: the Directorate General of Immigration of Indonesia and the application portal evisa.imigrasi.go.id.
We will open your PT PMA end to end — from KBLI to the bank account
We match the codes to your niche, build the structure around the investor KITAS thresholds, and run the registration and licensing.
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