Performer Visa in Bali (C7A and C7B)
Playing a gig, a festival, or a club night in Bali is work, and a tourist visa does not cover it. The C7A performer visa makes the performance legal, with the C7B for your crew.
What is the performer visa?
The performer visa, index C7A, is the single-entry visa for foreign artists performing at events in Indonesia: musicians, DJs, bands, singers, and dancers booked for concerts, festivals, beach club sets, and similar engagements. The C7B is its companion for the people behind the show — sound and lighting technicians, stage managers, and tour crew.
For years, a full work permit was too slow and too expensive for a single weekend booking, so many artists performed on tourist visas and hoped for the best. The C7 indexes closed that gap: a short, event-based visa, sponsored by the organizer, at a fraction of the cost of a work KITAS.
Why you cannot perform on a tourist visa
Under Indonesian immigration law, any public or paid performance counts as work, whether or not the money touches an Indonesian account. A tourist visa or visa on arrival doesn’t permit work of any kind. This stopped being a theoretical risk some time ago.
Immigration officers run spot checks at Bali venues. Foreign DJs have been pulled mid-set on tourist visas while properly documented artists on the same lineup were left alone. Since April 2026 the Dharma Dewata task force has added routine patrols and social media monitoring on top of venue checks. Penalties go from fines and visa cancellation up to detention, deportation, and entry bans.
C7A for the artists, C7B for the crew
The two indexes split the lineup between the people on stage and the people running the show.
| Index | Who | Typical roles |
|---|---|---|
| C7A | Performers | Musicians, DJs, bands, singers, dancers, orchestras |
| C7B | Supporting crew | Sound and lighting technicians, stage managers, tour staff |
Each person on the tour applies under their own index. A band of four touring with two technicians is four C7A applications and two C7B applications, all sponsored by the same organizer. The government fee runs around IDR 1,500,000 per applicant.
Sponsor and requirements
The C7 is sponsored by the Indonesian side of the booking — the event organizer, promoter, venue, or entertainment agency hosting the show. The sponsor files the application, so the artist’s side of the paperwork stays light.
- A passport valid for at least six months.
- A recent color photograph.
- A return or onward ticket matching the engagement.
- Proof of funds for the stay.
- The sponsorship and event details from the organizer.
When the organizer hasn’t done this before — which is common for new venues, smaller festivals, or one-off bookings — we work with them directly, prepare the sponsorship, and file for the whole touring party in one go.
Recurring shows and ongoing work
The C7 covers a defined engagement. If you perform in Indonesia repeatedly through the year, a multiple entry visa under the D7 index spares you a fresh application per trip, with D7A and D7B mirroring the artist and crew split.
An ongoing position is different again. A resident DJ slot, a house band contract, or any continuing paid role is employment, which means a work permit and a work KITAS sponsored by the venue.
We file C7 visas with your organizer
If the booking is real, the visa is straightforward — we work with the venue or promoter, prepare the sponsorship, and file for the whole touring party at once. Tight turnaround when the gig date is close.
Performer visa questions
What artists, managers, and organizers ask before a Bali booking.
What is the C7A performer visa?
A single-entry visa for foreign artists performing at events in Indonesia — musicians, DJs, bands, singers, and dancers. It’s sponsored by the event organizer or venue and covers the engagement, with a stay of up to 60 days.
Can I play one gig on a tourist visa?
No. A public or paid performance counts as work under Indonesian law, even a single set, even if no Indonesian entity pays you. Immigration checks venues, and artists have been detained and deported for exactly this. The C7A exists so the gig is legal.
What is the C7B?
The crew version of the performer visa, for the supporting team — sound and lighting technicians, stage managers, and tour staff. Same sponsor, same event, separate index.
Who sponsors the visa?
The Indonesian organizer of the performance — the promoter, venue, festival, or entertainment agency. The sponsor files the application. If your organizer has never done it, we handle it with them.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
The government fee runs around IDR 1,500,000 per applicant, far below a work KITAS, and the application is filed online ahead of travel. Allow a couple of weeks before the event to be safe.
I perform in Bali several times a year. Do I apply every time?
Not necessarily. The D7 multiple entry index covers recurring performances over a longer validity, with D7A and D7B for artists and crew. For a continuing role like a residency, the right route is a work KITAS.
Does the C7A cover content creation or brand work?
No. It covers the performance it was issued for. Sponsored content, brand collaborations, and commercial shoots are a separate activity with their own visa, the C5A content creator visa.
Talk to our Bali team
Most of the work sits with the organizer — we prepare the sponsorship and file the C7s on their behalf, for the whole touring party in one batch. Tell us who’s performing, who’s on the crew, and the dates, and we’ll line up the paperwork to the gig.
Jl. Sunset Road Kavling 4
Kuta, Badung Regency
Bali 80361, Indonesia