All about the Work and Holiday Visa in Indonesia!
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005 (medical expenses, hospitalisation, repatriation…)
Between 18 and 30 years old
A valid passport for the entire duration of your working holiday
At least AU$5,000
This must be your first participation
Should cover medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation
Must be a citizen of a partner country
01. What is the Work and Holiday Visa?
WHVs are bilateral accords signed between governments to promote youth mobility and cultural exchange. Participating countries allow young adults to spend a set period of time (usually one year) living and working abroad. Most of the accords are signed between countries in Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia. A WHV encourages cultural exchange alongside the chance to gain valuable work experience, though participants are not obligated to work.
02. Which nationalities are eligible?
Young adults from Australia are eligible to apply for the Indonesia Work and Holiday Visa.
03. What documents are required for the application?
Standard items include:
- Passport
- Completed application form
- Medical check declaring you are in good health
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Proof of education qualifications
- Recommendation letter from the relevant government department
04. How long is the visa good for?
The WHV allows holders to stay up to one year in Indonesia.
05. What fees will I need to pay?
You must pay IDN1,000 for the limited stay permit (KITAS), IDN700 for the multiple exit permit ([MREP] Port) and IDN50 for a biometric photograph. (Source)
06. Are there any work or study restrictions?
On your Indonesia Work and Holiday Visa, you must not:
- Be employed by any one employer for more than six months
- Engage in any studies or training for more than four months
(Source)
07. Are there any other requirements I should be aware of?
To be eligible, you must hold tertiary qualifications or have proof you have completed at least two years of undergraduate university study.
You must also prove you have at least basic Indonesian language skills (conversational level is usually accepted).
(Source)
08. Do I need to buy health insurance?
Though health insurance is not required by Indonesian authorities for the WHV application, it is still strongly recommended. Otherwise, even small incidents can lead to significant out of pocket costs. You should choose an insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation.
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They’ve accompanied thousands of working holiday makers in their adventures.
09. What is pvtistes.net and how can it help me?
We are a team of current and former working holiday makers dedicated to providing free information and resources about the working holiday, to Indonesia and other destinations. Read our helpful articles, leave comments if you have questions, and check out our special deals.
We don’t ask for any money, and neither should anyone else in your application process (besides the embassy/consulate and their official partners). Be very careful of online scams where someone might ask you for an exorbitant amount to help you get your visa. Working Holiday Visas are designed to be relatively easy to obtain yourself, so there is absolutely no need to pay any professional service to do it on your behalf.
10. Where can I apply?
You must send your completed application form and supporting documents to the Indonesian Embassy or Consulate.
Once your visa has been granted, you must enter Indonesia through one of the designated airports that accept Work and Holiday Visas.
As mentioned earlier, all WHV-holders in Indonesia should consider purchasing insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation to avoid paying out of pocket for medical expenses.
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They have covered thousands of working holiday makers over the years.
- Chapter 5: Getting WHV health insurance
- What to know about travel insurance for your working holiday abroad
- What to have in your Working Holiday adventure first-aid kit
Indonesia’s official currency is the rupiah (IDR, Rp). There are two main ways to open a foreign-currency account: via 1) a traditional bank or 2) an online neo-bank. Traditional banks usually require you to already be in the country. You would have to make and attend an appointment where a representative would ask you for some documents.
If you want to have an IDR debit card in hand before even arriving in Indonesia, you may want to consider the second option, an online neo-bank like Wise. It is an app that offers multi-currency financial services. Customers receive a physical debit card that can be used to withdraw cash at local ATMs. Your IDR account would also have its own routing and account numbers, so you can set up autopay, direct deposits, or transfer money to recipients in Indonesia. These capabilities could be useful in exchanges with your employer or landlord. Learn more about Wise.
You can register from your home country or once you arrive in Indonesia. Note that if your debit card is issued in Indonesia, you may not be able to use it for domestic payments within Indonesia, so you may want to register in your home country.
There are advantages to both options. Wise registration is simple and quick, but traditional banks offer the possibility of issuing and depositing cheques, if that is something you need. So you could make a Wise account first and then a traditional account once you arrive in Indonesia.
Once your application is approved, you’ll need to think about where to live, especially in the first few days and weeks. If you are planning on renting long term housing, we recommend you wait until you arrive in Indonesia before paying a deposit or signing anything. Never send money to anyone without seeing the place in person.
For your first couple of weeks, you could consider Airbnb or hotels. But the most affordable option is going to be youth hostels. You can find some great ones on Hostelworld.
- Chapter 6: Booking housing for your arrival
- 7 Tips for finding housing during your working holiday abroad
- Couchsurfing abroad: a way to meet friendly locals and save money
After you get your visa, you will have plenty of things you need to take care of. Some of them are more urgent than others, so this list breaks down your to-dos, from the most urgent to the least. It may seem like a lot but don’t worry, take it one step at a time!
As you prepare for your working holiday in Indonesia, check out our library of free articles and guides. Everyone on the pvtistes.net team has done (or is currently on) a working holiday, and so everything we write is from personal experience.
This is the perfect chance to learn or brush up on your Indonesian. Babbel is partnering with pvtistes.net to offer 20% off on language courses (learn more). Also check out our other deals for working holiday makers.
You must be between 18 and 30 years old at the time of application.
You must have a passport that is valid for the entire duration of your working holiday. You must have at least three blank pages left in your passport.
At least AU$5,000 to show that you can support yourself for the initial period of your stay. If you don’t have a return ticket, you should show additional funds to prove you can purchase one later on.
See our chapter on budgeting for an idea of how much more savings you should have for a working holiday.
This must be your first participation. If you have already been granted a Work and Holiday Visa for Indonesia before, then you cannot apply again.
Though health insurance is not required for the Indonesia WHV, it is strongly recommended. You should buy health insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the totality of your stay. Without health insurance, out of pocket costs for healthcare in Indonesia could be very high.
You must be a citizen of a partner country to apply. Indonesia currently has a bilateral accord with Australia.