The company is the first step. This page covers the rest: what you must sort out next, what each thing asks of a founder who lives abroad, and what it costs. Every figure has its source. These are the options a founder would look at. No seller pays to be on this page.
1 Form the company
Start here. We compare 12 agencies and what each one charges.
The company needs a rupiah current account (giro) for capital, payroll and tax payments. Banks publish document lists and fees, but only some say what they ask of a foreign director. The main trap: banks check each director's ID and tax number (NPWP), and a foreign director may need a stay permit (KITAS) first.
What to know
BCA's own page lists, for a company (PT): ID and NPWP of all managers and all shareholders, the company NPWP, the deed and articles, the Ministry of Law approval, and the NIB. For a foreign individual it lists passport, NPWP and a stay permit (KITAS or KITAP); for a foreigner who does not live in Indonesia it asks for other documents under its anti-money-laundering rules. bca.co.id/id/bisnis/produk/simpanan-bisnis…
BCA states a minimum opening deposit of IDR 1,000,000 (rupiah account) or USD 1,000 (USD account), and a minimum balance of IDR 1,000,000 or USD 500. bca.co.id/id/bisnis/produk/simpanan-bisnis…
Mandiri's own page lists, for a PT: director or commissioner ID, deed of establishment and changes, articles, NIB, company NPWP and a power of attorney. The page does not mention a stay permit for foreign directors. Mandiri asks IDR 1,000,000 to open and keep, and charges IDR 25,000 a month for a company that is not a government body. bankmandiri.co.id/giro
Two more banks publish figures on their own pages. BNI asks IDR 1,000,000 to open an IDR account and IDR 25,000 a month, and lists deed, NIB, NPWP and management ID. UOB asks IDR 2,500,000 to open a company account on its Giro88 page and IDR 35,000 a month if the average balance is under IDR 50,000,000. Neither page mentions foreign directors. bni.co.id/id-id/korporasi/perbankan-korpor…
Third parties say a foreign director needs a valid KITAS before the bank will do its identity checks, and that at least one resident director must visit the branch. We did not find either rule on a bank's own page, except the KITAS line on BCA's page for foreign individuals. investinasia.id/blog/how-to-open-a-bank-account-… Third party
Aspire says an Indonesian company opens its account online. It asks for the deed, the Ministry of Law approval, the NIB, the company NPWP, the ID or passport of the user and of a director, and proof that the business is real, such as a live website or an invoice. support.aspireapp.com/faq/account-opening-guide-for-in…
BCA's page asks for ID and NPWP of all managers and shareholders, and a KITAS or KITAP for a foreign individual. It does not say a visit in person is needed.
The page lists manager ID, business licence, deed and articles. Its product summary says a foreigner may use a passport instead of a KTP. It does not mention a stay permit.
The corporate list asks for ID or passport, NPWP, a reference letter, the deed, the business licence, the Ministry decree and a domicile certificate. It does not mention a stay permit or a visit.
Aspire says the Indonesian company opens online and sends photos of documents and the passport or ID of the user and of a director. It does not say a stay permit is needed.
Jack says the account is held at a licensed partner bank and covered by LPS deposit insurance. It does not name the bank.
Read 5 Oct 2026
We could not find: Wallex Indonesia publishes no rate table or document list on its pricing page, so we do not list it as an option. Permata Bank's page lists documents in general terms only; we found no deposit, fee or foreign-director rule on its own page. BCA's fee table did not load in full, so its monthly fee is not listed. We could not read an official Bank Indonesia or OJK register entry for Aspire, Jack or Wallex: the Bank Indonesia register is a dynamic table that our tool could not search. No bank page we read says whether a foreign director must visit a branch in person.
3 Take payments from customers
Indonesian customers mostly pay by virtual account (a bank transfer to a number made for that order), QRIS (the national QR code) and e-wallets. Four local gateways publish rates and all four need your company papers. The main trap: every published rate leaves out 11% VAT on the fee, except where a page says otherwise.
What to know
Midtrans and DOKU publish no setup fee or monthly fee on their price pages and charge per successful payment. Midtrans says all charges exclude VAT, except QRIS, GoPay and ShopeePay. midtrans.com/pricing
Xendit's list for a PT, CV or PMA company asks for the ID and NPWP of the owner or director, the company NPWP, the NIB, the latest director deed and its Ministry of Law approval, and any licence the business activity needs. A separate list for foreign companies asks for the director's passport. help.xendit.co/hc/en-us/articles/10891368765593…
Xendit also asks for proof that the business is real, such as a website, a shop photo or social media links. docs.xendit.co/docs/create-account
A third-party review says Midtrans lets you withdraw a payment only after it has been settled for three business days. Check the settlement time before you rely on it for cash flow. paymentprocessingguide.com/processor/midtrans Third party
For a PT PMA the list asks for the director's ID and tax number and the company papers above. A foreign director's passport is listed under foreign entities.
The page marks the e-wallet rate with an asterisk and offers custom plans for higher volume.
Read 5 Oct 2026
We could not find: We did not read Midtrans, DOKU or Durianpay onboarding pages, so what a PT PMA must show to them is not confirmed on their own pages. We could not map Xendit's card, QRIS and e-wallet rates to their methods from its price page, so they are left out. No gateway page we read says whether a foreign director must hold a stay permit.
4 Register for tax and file every month
A PT PMA files tax returns every month, even with no sales, and one annual corporate return. Filing now happens in the Coretax system. The main trap: the filing date and the payment date are different, and a late return carries a fixed fine on top of interest.
What to know
Employee income tax (PPh 21) and unified withholding tax (which covers PPh 23 and 26): pay by the 15th of the next month and file the return by the 20th. VAT: pay and file by the end of the next month. An older rule on the same site (PMK 80/2010) still shows the 10th for payment, so use the 2026 guide. pajak.go.id/sites/default/files/2026-07/Aspe…
The annual corporate income tax return is due within four months after the end of the tax year. For a calendar year that is 30 April. pajak.go.id/id/batas-waktu-lapor
Late filing fines are fixed by law: IDR 100,000 for a monthly return other than VAT, IDR 500,000 for a VAT return, IDR 1,000,000 for the annual corporate return. Late payment adds interest at a monthly rate set by the Finance Minister, up to 24 months, and part of a month counts as a full month. pajak.go.id/sites/default/files/2026-07/Aspe…
Coretax is the tax office's system for registration, returns, payment and services from the January 2025 tax period onward. Tax invoices, withholding slips (e-Bupot) and returns are prepared and sent there. pajak.go.id/id/coretaxdjp
The default is bookkeeping in Indonesian and rupiah. A foreign-investment company may keep books in English and US dollars only with the Finance Minister's written permission. Apply to the regional tax office within 3 months of the company's founding. The permission lasts at least 5 years, and tax payments are still made in rupiah. pajak.go.id/en/node/60974
We did not confirm that Xero produces Indonesian tax invoices or returns.
Read 5 Oct 2026
We could not find: We did not find a published price for monthly tax reporting at Business Hub Asia, Lets Move Indonesia or Legal Indonesia on pages we could read. IndoDesk lists an annual compliance package at USD 300 a month on its PT PMA page, which we did not re-read in full. We did not read an official page on how to register as a VAT-taxable business (PKP) or the VAT threshold fee; the section notes already cover the threshold. Okusi's non-VAT price differs across its own pages.
5 Keep a registered address
The company must show a real business address in a zone the spatial plan allows for offices. A virtual office is the cheap route. The main trap is Bali: reports say the island is tightening on foreign-owned companies that use virtual offices, and zoning can reject a Canggu or Ubud address.
What to know
Reported, not confirmed in an instrument: Bali's governor asked BKPM in January 2026 to close OSS for foreign-owned companies that use virtual offices in Bali. The July 2026 announcement is narrower. It says these companies will get closer supervision, and a law firm says it is too early to call it a ban. This is source type other. lexeronadvocates.com/bali-kbli-restricts-new-pma-lice… Third party
Third parties say OSS checks the address against the spatial plan and rejects addresses in tourism or housing zones, and that many Canggu, Seminyak and Ubud buildings fail. vOffice's own page says its Canggu hub sits in a government-approved commercial zone. We could not settle the conflict, so ask the provider for proof of the zoning before you pay. xpnd.co.id/blogs/virtual-office-bali Third party
Third parties say a company can use a virtual office to register as a VAT business (PKP) only if it has one business location, a service activity, and a lease of at least one year (tax office rule PER-7/PJ/2025). We did not read the rule itself. xpnd.co.id/blogs/why-virtual-office-address… Third party
Check what the price covers. Lets Move Indonesia says its virtual office price excludes the domicile letter, which costs extra. vOffice lists the building domicile letter in its address plan. letsmoveindonesia.com/virtual-office
Price depends on the building. Regus lists Jakarta virtual offices from IDR 450,000 to IDR 1,001,000 a month.
Read 5 Oct 2026
We could not find: We found no published virtual office price for Uptown Indonesia. We could not read an official Bali or BKPM document on virtual offices. All reports about the Bali limit are source type other. We did not confirm any provider's domicile letter price.
6 Register for social security and buy health cover
Two state schemes apply once the company pays wages: BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (work injury, death, old age) and BPJS Kesehatan (health). The law names foreigners who work in Indonesia for at least 6 months as participants. Founders also usually buy private health cover for private hospitals.
What to know
BPJS Ketenagakerjaan lists foreigners who work in Indonesia for at least 6 months as participants. The employer registers them with a copy of the passport and form F1a. bpjsketenagakerjaan.go.id/search.html
BPJS Ketenagakerjaan rates on wages: work injury (JKK) 0.24% to 1.74% by job risk, paid fully by the company; death (JKM) 0.3%, paid by the company; old age (JHT) 5.7%, of which 3.7% is the company's share and 2% the worker's. bpjsketenagakerjaan.go.id/search.html
BPJS Kesehatan names foreigners who have worked in Indonesia at least 6 months as people who must join. For private employees the rate is 5% of wages: 4% paid by the employer and 1% by the worker, on wages up to IDR 12,000,000 a month. web.bpjs-kesehatan.go.id/uploads/information/4bd28c6ea8f0…
We found no official page that says whether a foreign director who takes no salary must enrol. The rules above speak of workers paid wages. Ask the BPJS office or an adviser before you assume either way. bpjsketenagakerjaan.go.id/search.html
Feather's comparison page says Essential has a EUR 1,000 yearly deductible.
Read 5 Oct 2026
We could not find: We found no official page that fixes private health insurance as a condition of an investor KITAS; Covered Abroad says Indonesia does not require insurance for it, and Feather says most KITAS visas do. We did not resolve this. We could not read the BPJS Kesehatan rule on whether a KITAS holder is enrolled automatically; Feather says work permit holders are enrolled after six months. Cigna, IMG and AXA price on quote only. We found no starting price on their own pages.
7 Pay yourself and hire your first employee
A foreigner who works in Indonesia needs a work visa or stay permit, and the company must hold an approved plan to use foreign workers (RPTKA) unless an exemption applies. Staff cost more than salary: BPJS contributions, income tax withholding and a holiday bonus (THR). The main trap: the foreign worker levy is owed per person per month.
What to know
Every employer of a foreign worker must hold an approved foreign worker plan (RPTKA) from the Ministry of Manpower. Applications go through the ministry's TKA Online system. jdih.kemnaker.go.id/asset/data_puu/2021PERMEN8.pdf
The compensation fund (DKPTKA) is USD 100 per position per person per month. A stay under one month still pays one full month. The fee is a condition of RPTKA approval, and it is not owed by government bodies, foreign missions, international bodies, social and religious institutions, and some education posts. We found no later change. jdih.kemnaker.go.id/asset/data_puu/2021PERMEN8.pdf
Third parties say RPTKA approval is not required for a director or commissioner who holds the share level the law sets (PP 34/2021, Article 19). The person still needs a visa and stay permit. We did not read the shareholding level. pasal.id/peraturan/pp/pp-no-34-tahun-2021… Third party
Holiday allowance (THR): pay one month's wage to staff with 12 months' service, and a share (months worked divided by 12) to staff with 1 to 11 months. Pay in full, not in instalments, no later than 7 days before the holiday. setneg.go.id/baca/index/terbitkan_edaran_thr_…
Minimum wages are set each year by the provincial governor, and in some districts by a district rate. For 2026 the Jakarta provincial minimum is IDR 5,729,876 a month (Governor Decree 1142/2025). Bali's provincial minimum is IDR 3,207,459 and Badung's district minimum is IDR 3,791,002.57, as reported by Kompas. llg-bwi.org/file_publish/Keputusan%20Gubernu… Third party
Dependent KITAS costs USD 350 per person on the same page.
Read 5 Oct 2026
We could not find: We did not read an official page on the steps to register a new employer for the labour reporting duty (WLKP) or on the payroll registration steps beyond BPJS. We did not confirm the DKPTKA rate in a 2026 instrument; Permenaker 8/2021 is the text we read. Mekari Talenta publishes no price on the pages we read. A Rp25,000 per employee figure in the research file comes from a blog and is not used. We could not read the Ministry of Manpower or immigration pages for the visa fee itself; the section notes already give the state fees.
Setup Costs