Converting a visa to a KITAS: without flying out
A visit visa can be changed into a residence KITAS without leaving the country. One rule applies: you move upward, to residency, but never from one visit visa to another. The Bridging Visa covers the gap — 60 days of lawful waiting with no fines. From visa-free entry conversion is not possible at all.
Updated: 25 August 2026 · Verified by the Malina Visa team
One rule: upward only
Changing status inside the country is possible, but not in every direction. Moving from a visit visa to a residence status works; swapping one visit visa for another does not.
- ✓Visit visa → KITAS — the working scenario: from an e-VOA, C1, C2, D1/D2 or D12 to an investor, family, work or remote-worker status
- ✓D12 → investor KITAS — the classic: study the market, register a PT PMA, move to residence
- ✓C6 → KITAS — possible provided the sponsor stays the same
- !Visit to visit is not allowed. A C1 does not become a C2, nor an e-VOA a C1 — a different visit visa requires leaving
- !From visa-free entry, nothing at all. No extension, no change of status: visa-free explained
The Bridging Visa: covering the gap
The main fear when changing status is that the old visa expires before the new one is approved. That is what the bridging status is for.
- ✓It gives 60 days of lawful waiting inside the country
- ✓No overstay accrues during that time
- ✓It is issued only alongside an application for a new status — never on its own
- ✓It works only inside the country: fly out and it is gone
The full explanation is in our Bridging Visa article. It is a bridge between two statuses, not a way to extend a holiday.
What a conversion costs
Moving from a visit visa to the E33G remote-worker KITAS costs IDR 16,000,000 turnkey. That covers the bridging permit, the filing and the status itself, with no exit from the country. Other KITAS categories depend on the grounds: a work contract, a company or a marriage are each processed differently and are priced separately.
How a conversion runs
We look at what you are moving from and to, and whether that move is allowed at all. Half the problems are solved here, before filing.
Different for each KITAS: PT PMA founding documents, an offer and employer permits, a marriage certificate, proof of income.
The application for the new status, and with it the bridging status for the wait.
Once approved, the limited stay permit is issued, with biometrics.
Three mistakes that break a conversion
- !Starting in the final week. Conversion is not quick: assemble the basis, file, wait. Begin with room to spare, not with five days left
- !Entering visa-free. The most expensive mistake: status cannot change at all, so you must leave and re-enter on the right visa
- !Assuming the basis will appear along the way. No company yet, no offer yet, no registered marriage — nothing to convert into
What to prepare in advance
A conversion turns not on the filing but on the basis — the reason you would be granted residence at all. Assemble it before your current visa runs out.
- ✓Investor — a registered PT PMA and evidence of your share in its capital
- ✓Work — the employer's permits, RPTKA included, and your qualification documents
- ✓Family — a marriage or birth certificate with an English translation, plus the sponsor's documents
- ✓E33G — passport, selfie and address; the shortest pack of them all
Check your passport separately: annual statuses have stricter validity requirements than visit visas. Explained in our passport rules article.
Frequently asked questions
Which visas convert to a KITAS?
Visit visas: the e-VOA, C1, C2 and the D1/D2 and D12 multiple-entry visas. You can move to an investor, family, work or remote-worker status. From visa-free entry a change of status is prohibited.
Can I swap a C1 for a C2 inside the country?
No. One visit visa does not become another — that requires leaving and re-entering on the visa you want.
What is the Bridging Visa?
A transitional status of 60 days for people already in the country awaiting approval of a new permit. No overstay accrues meanwhile. It is issued only together with an application.
Does bridging expire if I fly out?
Yes. The status works only inside the country; leaving cancels it.
How long does a conversion take?
It depends on the KITAS type and how complete your basis is. In 2026 the change-of-status function is busier than usual, so start early rather than in your final weeks.
We will check your conversion route before you file
We tell you honestly whether the move is possible from your visa, what to assemble and how much time to allow.
KITAS and KITAP