Investor KITAS to KITAP in Indonesia: Why Preparation Should Start Early

For many foreign shareholders who have operated businesses in Indonesia for several years, obtaining a KITAP can be the next step toward establishing a more stable long-term presence in the country.

However, an Investor KITAS does not automatically become a KITAP simply because the investor has lived in Indonesia for several years.

The immigration authority will assess both the foreign national's immigration history and the continued validity of the underlying investment structure.

This means that foreign investors should review their immigration and corporate records well before submitting an ITAS-to-ITAP conversion application.

In formal terminology, Indonesia uses:

• ITAS — Izin Tinggal Terbatas, commonly referred to as KITAS; and
• ITAP — Izin Tinggal Tetap, commonly referred to as KITAP.

Foreign investment is specifically included among the activities for which an ITAS may be converted into an ITAP under current Immigration guidance.

1. Start With Your Current Investor KITAS Status

Foreign investors commonly hold an Investor ITAS based on the E28A Investor Visa.

According to the Directorate General of Immigration, the E28A allows a foreign investor to conduct investment and business activities, establish a company, serve as a member of the board of directors or commissioners in the company where they have invested, and supervise the production of goods or services.

The current E28A framework provides a stay period of up to two years, depending on the permit selected.

For E28A eligibility, Immigration currently lists several key requirements, including:

• proof of share ownership of at least IDR 10 billion in the sponsoring company;
• approval of the company's establishment from the relevant Ministry of Law authority; and
• company bank statements for the previous two months.

The sponsoring company must also be registered with the Ministry of Investment/BKPM.

Importantly, Immigration states that if the foreigner's shareholding is below the Investor Visa threshold and the foreigner serves as a director or commissioner, the appropriate work visa based on the position should be used instead.

This makes the company's shareholding structure particularly important when planning a future KITAP.

2. How Long Must an Investor Hold an ITAS Before Moving to ITAP?

Current Immigration guidance published in July 2026 states that an ITAS-to-ITAP conversion can generally be available to foreigners who have held an ITAS for:

3 consecutive years, or
5 non-consecutive years.

The same guidance also lists proof of three years of residence as part of the conversion documentation.

For investor applications specifically, the Jakarta Barat Immigration Office currently states that the foreign investor should have held an ITAS for more than three consecutive years when the application is submitted.

Foreign investors approaching this threshold should therefore review their complete ITAS history rather than relying only on the issue date of their latest KITAS.

Any interruption, change of immigration category, sponsor change or previous permit history should be assessed before the application is prepared.

3. Investor KITAS to KITAP Requirements in 2026

Exact supporting documents can depend on the applicant's circumstances and the competent Immigration Office.

However, current official Immigration guidance shows that foreign investors should expect to prepare documentation covering both personal immigration status and the Indonesian company supporting the investment.

Core documents to prepare

Document / Requirement	Why It Matters
Valid passport	Establishes the foreign investor's identity and immigration status
Current ITAS/KITAS	Required for the status conversion
Application letter	Formal request for ITAS-to-ITAP conversion
Guarantee/sponsorship statement	Confirms the responsible sponsor
Sponsor ID documents	Required where a sponsor is involved
Statement of integration	Generally required for adult ITAP applicants
NIB / business licensing	Confirms the company's legal business status
Company deed	Confirms corporate structure and shareholders
Ministry of Law/AHU approval	Verifies the company's legal establishment and amendments
Company bank statements	Demonstrates current company financial activity
Proof of share ownership	Establishes eligibility as a foreign investor
Company NPWP	Requested by several Immigration Offices
Latest company profile	May be requested close to filing
Evidence of residence history	Supports the required ITAS period

For example, the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office currently lists company bank statements, company deed, NPWP, NIB, Ministry approval, shareholding evidence and an up-to-date company profile among the supporting documents for investor ITAS-to-ITAP applications.

4. The Shareholding Threshold Deserves Special Attention in 2026

This is currently one of the most important areas for foreign investors to review.

For the E28A Investor Visa and Investor ITAS framework, the Directorate General of Immigration currently publishes a minimum foreign shareholding requirement of:

IDR 10 billion.

Some current Immigration Office guidance for ITAP conversion also continues to reference IDR 10 billion. For example, the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office lists a minimum foreign ownership amount of IDR 10 billion for investor ITAS-to-ITAP applications.

However, a Jakarta Barat Immigration service page published in July 2026 specifically lists:

IDR 15 billion in personal shareholding

for an Investor ITAS-to-ITAP conversion, supported by the company's deed and AHU approval.

What does this mean for foreign investors?

Do not assume that satisfying the shareholding requirement for an Investor KITAS automatically means the same shareholding will be accepted for a KITAP conversion.

Because current publicly available Immigration pages are not completely harmonized on this point, an investor—particularly one holding between IDR 10 billion and IDR 15 billion in shares—should obtain confirmation from the competent Immigration Office before submitting the application or restructuring the company's ownership.

This verification should be done early enough to allow corporate amendments if necessary.

5. Review the Company's Deed and AHU Records Before Filing

An investor's immigration status is closely connected to the corporate structure supporting the investment.

Before starting a KITAP application, foreign investors should check whether the following information is consistent:

• investor's full legal name;
• passport details;
• number and value of shares;
• percentage ownership;
• position as director or commissioner, if applicable;
• latest deed of amendment;
• AHU approval or acknowledgement;
• NIB and OSS company information; and
• sponsoring company details.

A discrepancy between the latest company deed, AHU records, immigration documentation or current shareholding can create unnecessary complications during verification.

If the company has recently changed shareholders, directors, commissioners, capital or other corporate information, the immigration documents should be reviewed against the most recent corporate records.

6. Keep Company Bank Records Current

Bank statements are another document investors should not prepare at the last minute.

The official E28A Investor Visa page currently requires the company's checking account records for the previous two months.

Jakarta Barat Immigration likewise lists company bank statements from the previous two months for Investor ITAS-to-ITAP applications.

Other ITAS-to-ITAP guidance also allows Immigration to request evidence supporting investment commitments, including recent bank statements, financial reports, corporate tax documents and updated evidence of share ownership.

Investors should therefore maintain a clear and consistent record showing that the sponsoring Indonesian company remains properly established and operational.

7. Do Not Wait Until the KITAS Is About to Expire

Timing is critical.

Current Immigration guidance provides that an ITAS-to-ITAP application must be submitted while the existing ITAS is still valid.

Jakarta Barat Immigration specifically states that at least 30 days must remain on the ITAS when an investor's conversion application is submitted.

Foreign investors should therefore avoid using the final month of their KITAS as the starting point for document preparation.

A safer internal preparation timeline could be:

6 months before target application

Review:

• ITAS history;
• current visa category;
• shareholding;
• company deed;
• latest AHU records; and
• eligibility for the investor route.

3 months before target application

Check:

• passport validity;
• NIB;
• NPWP;
• latest company profile;
• sponsor details;
• corporate amendments; and
• current business and banking records.

45–60 days before KITAS expiry

Finalize:

• application and guarantee letters;
• integration statement;
• updated bank statements;
• sponsor identification;
• immigration records; and
• electronic document scans.

Before the ITAS reaches the final 30 days

Submit the application in accordance with the procedure of the competent Immigration Office.

This preparation timeline is a practical recommendation rather than a statutory deadline, but it provides room to correct corporate or immigration inconsistencies before filing.

8. How Long Does the ITAS-to-ITAP Process Take?

Official Immigration service standards currently state that after payment of the immigration fee, the Head of the Immigration Office should forward the application to the Directorate General of Immigration within a maximum of three working days.

The Directorate General of Immigration may then issue its decision within a maximum of five working days after receiving the application.

However, foreign investors should not treat this as a guaranteed end-to-end processing time.

Additional time may be required for:

• document corrections;
• biometric procedures;
• verification;
• coordination with the competent Immigration Office; or
• additional supporting documents.

Current guidance also states that where an applicant is notified of missing or incorrect documents, corrections may need to be completed within two days of notification, otherwise the application may be rejected.

Preparation before filing is therefore significantly more important than relying on the formal processing period.

9. How Long Is a KITAP Valid?

Current Immigration service information lists an ITAP with a validity period of five years.

The published government fee for issuance of a five-year ITAP is currently:

IDR 5,000,000 per application.

A Re-Entry Permit or Izin Masuk Kembali (IMK) is a separate component of the immigration process and should also be included when calculating the overall government charges.

Foreign investors should confirm the applicable billing generated by Immigration at the time of application because immigration fees and permit components may change.

10. Common Areas Investors Should Check Before Applying

Before an Investor KITAS-to-KITAP conversion, review these potential risk areas:

Shareholding mismatch
The amount stated in the latest deed should correspond with the supporting corporate and immigration records.

Outdated corporate documents
Using an old deed or previous AHU approval can cause inconsistencies.

NIB or company information has changed
Corporate licensing information should reflect the company's current activities and legal data.

Sponsor data is inconsistent
The sponsor used for the immigration application must match the required legal documentation.

Recent corporate restructuring
Changes in shareholders, directors, commissioners or capital should be assessed before filing.

Incomplete immigration history
Investors should confirm that their ITAS residence history satisfies the applicable conversion requirement.

Waiting too close to expiry
A KITAS that is already approaching expiration may leave insufficient time to correct documents.

11. Is Investor KITAP Automatic After Three Years?

No.

Meeting the residence-period requirement does not by itself guarantee approval.

Immigration may still verify:

• the applicant's immigration status;
• the permitted activity;
• sponsoring company;
• investment status;
• shareholding;
• corporate validity;
• supporting financial documents; and
• compliance with other applicable immigration requirements.

Foreign investors should therefore think of the three-year residence period as an eligibility milestone, not automatic approval.

12. Can Family Members Move to KITAP as Well?

Indonesia also provides ITAP pathways for qualifying family members of ITAP holders.

Current Immigration guidance includes family reunification categories involving spouses, parents and qualifying children. Supporting documents can include marriage certificates, birth certificates, family documents and the principal foreigner's ITAP.

Each family member's immigration status should be reviewed separately rather than assuming the dependent KITAS will automatically change when the principal investor receives a KITAP.

What Foreign Investors Should Do Now

For foreign investors expecting to become eligible for an Investor KITAP during 2026 or 2027, the most important step is to conduct an immigration and corporate compliance review before the application window opens.

Review:

• your Investor KITAS history;
• current share ownership;
• company deed and AHU records;
• NIB and company licensing;
• sponsor information;
• company banking history;
• passport validity; and
• current Immigration Office requirements.

The earlier inconsistencies are identified, the more time the company has to correct them before the KITAS approaches expiry.

Planning to Convert Your Investor KITAS to KITAP?

Moving from an Investor KITAS to a KITAP involves more than renewing an immigration permit. Your immigration status, corporate structure, investment records and business licensing need to remain aligned.

Accura can assist foreign investors in reviewing the corporate and immigration documentation required before an Investor KITAS-to-KITAP application, identifying potential issues early and coordinating the preparation process in Indonesia.

If your Investor KITAS is approaching the eligibility period for KITAP, start the review before the final months of your current permit.

Talk to Accura before starting your Investor KITAP application.

Visit: Accura Indonesia