Visas and residence permits
Indonesia has several long-stay permits for foreigners who want to live on Sumba. They differ in who qualifies, how much money you must show and whether you may work.
- Second home visa: the official e-visa page lists a stay of up to 5 years, extendable, for a fee of IDR 21,000,000 (stay and entry permit included). You need a personal bank account holding at least IDR 2 billion, a passport valid for at least 36 months and a commitment statement. Work is not allowed.
- The second home visa was created by Director General of Immigration Circular IMI-0740.GR.01.01 of 2022, dated 25 October 2022 and in force from 25 December 2022 (PwC, 2022). It must be used within 90 days of issue, and family members can be included.
- Retirement KITAS (E33F): one consultancy (XPND, 2026) gives a minimum age of 55 and a stay of up to 1 year at a time. The decree sets no fixed amount of funds, so ask the immigration office for the current figure in writing.
- Another guide (Emerhub, updated 2025) lists common retirement KITAS requests: health and life insurance, a one-year lease for your home and a domestic helper. It also cites a pension or funds of at least USD 18,000 a year. Figures differ between sources, so check before you apply.
- Retirees in the second-home category can move to a KITAP (permanent stay permit, valid 5 years) after at least 3 consecutive years in Indonesia, filed before the KITAS expires (XPND, 2026).
- Investor KITAS (E28A): you must hold shares worth at least IDR 10 billion in a PT PMA (foreign-owned company). The permit runs for 1 or 2 years (XPND, 2026). The Director General can change the threshold, so confirm it before you plan.
- Golden visa (launched 25 July 2024): an individual who does not set up a company needs USD 350,000 for 5 years or USD 700,000 for 10 years, placed in government bonds, listed shares or deposits. With a company the figures are USD 2.5 million and USD 5 million (Bangkok Post, The Star, 2024).
- Remote worker visa (E33G): you need at least USD 60,000 a year of income from outside Indonesia and USD 2,000 in the bank over the last three months. It lasts 1 year and cannot be extended (Emerhub, 2026).
- A residence permit can make you an Indonesian tax resident, either by staying more than 183 days in 12 months or by holding a KITAS (Emerhub, 2026). Take tax advice before you move.
Sources: evisa.imigrasi.go.id, pwc.com, aseanbriefing.com, xpnd.co.id, emerhub.com, xpnd.co.id, bangkokpost.com, thestar.com.my, emerhub.com
Checked 2026-11-08. Not legal or financial advice.
More guides
Opening a bank account
A personal account is much easier to open once you hold a KITAS. A company account for a PT PMA needs the company's full set of papers and, in most banks, the director in person.
Sending money to buy property
Large payments for property usually go by bank transfer and are paid in rupiah inside Indonesia. Banks report cross-border transfers, and cash over IDR 100 million must be declared at the border.
Annual property tax and running costs
The yearly land and building tax (PBB-P2) is set and collected by each regency, within a national cap of 0.5%. A foreign-owned company also has recurring reporting duties.
Building permits: PBG and SLF
Before you build you need a zoning approval and a building approval (PBG), and before anyone moves in or rents the building you need a certificate of fitness (SLF).
Solar, water and internet
Sumba has long, dry seasons and patchy grid power and mobile data. Many owners plan for their own solar, water storage and satellite internet.
Culture, land and respect
On Sumba, land is tied to clans, ancestors and ritual. Disputes over coastal land for tourism have turned violent, so slow, respectful contact with the village matters as much as the paperwork.