What we do, in plain terms

Most people arrive here with one of about eight problems. This is what each one usually involves, and roughly what to expect.

Property and land

The single most common reason foreigners lose money in Bali is buying property through a structure that does not hold up. A foreigner cannot hold freehold, and the nominee arrangements still widely sold as a workaround are void under Article 26(2) of the Basic Agrarian Law. The land falls to the State and the statute expressly bars recovering what you paid.

What we actually do: verify the certificate at the Land Office, check zoning and green belt status, confirm who must consent, draft or review the lease, and register it where possible.

Read first: leasehold vs freehold in Bali and Hak Pakai, the one title a foreigner can hold.

Company formation and investment

The rules changed four times between October 2025 and June 2026. Minimum paid-up capital for a PT PMA fell to Rp 2.5 billion, and in May 2026 Bali closed 64 business classifications to foreign investment companies, including cafés, budget hotels and owned or leased real estate.

The most valuable thing we do here happens before you spend anything: confirming your intended activity is still available to a foreign company at your intended Bali location.

Read first: starting a business in Bali in 2026 and what a PT PMA costs.

Immigration and visas

KITAS applications and extensions, investor and work permits, and the situations that go wrong: overstay, enforcement, and companies used mainly as visa vehicles. Since May 2025 KITAS applications need an in-person biometric appointment, so fully remote processing is no longer possible.

Overstay is Rp 1,000,000 per day, and at 60 days it stops being a fine and becomes detention, deportation and a re-entry ban.

Notary and document legalisation

Notarial deeds, apostille, and sworn translation coordination. Two things worth knowing before you pay anyone: notary and PPAT fees are capped by law on a descending scale, and an apostille costs Rp 150,000 as a government fee.

Read first: apostille in Indonesia.

Building permits

PBG applications, SLF certificates, and permit enforcement. The PBG must be obtained before construction starts, and the SLF before the building is used. Badung recorded 194 building violations in 2025, with 35 businesses sealed.

Read first: what a PBG costs and the SLF certificate.

Tax on property and business

Rental income, transfer taxes, and the questions that decide them: whether you are an Indonesian tax resident, and whether what you provide is a lease or accommodation. Those two answers change the rate substantially.

Read first: rental income tax and property taxes in Indonesia.

Family law

Mixed marriage, prenuptial agreements, divorce and inheritance. One provision catches more foreign spouses than any other: land held by an Indonesian married to a foreigner is excluded from joint marital property only where there is a notarial separation-of-property deed. Without one, the foreign spouse's interest contaminates the title.

Accidents, disputes and criminal matters

Police station attendance, civil compensation claims, and road accidents. Indonesia handles traffic accidents through the criminal system rather than as an insurance matter, and paying the other party does not end a criminal case where someone was injured.

Read first: your rights after an accident in Bali.

When you actually need a lawyer

Plenty of things in Indonesia are administrative rather than legal, and you can do them yourself. These are the situations where not having someone is expensive:

• Before money moves on property. Almost every problem we see was visible on the certificate beforehand.
• Before you sign anything in Indonesian that you cannot read.
• When you are named as a suspect, or asked to attend a police station.
• When a structure is being sold to you as a clever way around a rule. It usually is not clever, and courts have voided the common ones repeatedly.
• When there is a deadline in the regulation. Six months for a Jasa Raharja claim, two years to renew an expired HGB, one year to divest inherited freehold.

How we charge

The first consultation is free. After that, work is quoted before it starts, so you know the cost before committing.

One thing worth understanding when comparing quotes: government fees and professional fees are different things, and several government fees in Indonesia are capped or free. The SLF certificate is free by regulation. An apostille is Rp 150,000. PPAT fees are capped at between 1% and 0.25% depending on transaction value, not the flat 1% commonly quoted. Ask any adviser to show those separately from their own fee.

Common questions

Do I need a lawyer or a notary in Indonesia?

They do different jobs. A notary or PPAT executes and registers deeds, and acts for the transaction rather than for you. A lawyer advises you specifically and can act against the other side. For a property purchase you generally encounter both, and the notary is not your representative.

What does a lawyer cost in Bali?

It depends on the matter, and we quote before starting. Be careful comparing package prices, since many bundle government fees that are capped or free by regulation into a single figure.

Can you act for me if I do not live in Indonesia?

Usually yes. Title checks, company formation and document work can be done while you are abroad. Immigration biometrics require you in person.

Do you handle matters outside Bali?

Yes. We have a Jakarta office, and Indonesian law is national. Building permits and regional taxes are administered locally, so those vary by regency.

General information about our practice areas as at August 2026, not legal advice. Indonesian law changed substantially between October 2025 and June 2026 and continues to move. Take advice on your own situation.