Bali and Indonesia IMEI Registration: The 90-Day Rule for Tourists

Indonesia, including Bali, blocks phones whose IMEI number is not registered when they are used on an Indonesian SIM. Tourists can usually use a phone on a local SIM for up to 90 days through a temporary registration done when the SIM is sold, or register the phone with customs (Bea Cukai) on arrival, while a travel eSIM works on roaming without either step.

Last checked: 15 October 2026. Official English guidance is thin and sellers describe the rules differently. Check Bea Cukai (Indonesian Customs), the Ministry of Industry IMEI check and GOV.UK Indonesia travel advice before you go.

Indonesia IMEI rules: the short answer

• Why: since April 2020, Indonesia has blocked unregistered phones on local networks to stop smuggled handsets. The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) keeps the IMEI database, and customs collects tax on imported phones.
• Tourists on a local SIM: most sellers register your IMEI temporarily when they sell you a tourist SIM. This is widely reported to last up to 90 days, though one seller describes a 30-day version.
• Staying longer: you need to register the phone with Bea Cukai, and tax is due on the amount above your duty-free allowance.
• On roaming: phones using a foreign SIM or travel eSIM in roaming mode are not affected by the IMEI block, according to the rules announced in 2020.

How the IMEI block works in Indonesia

Every phone has an IMEI number (dial *#06# to see it; dual SIM phones have two). When a phone connects to Telkomsel, Indosat, XL or another Indonesian network with an Indonesian SIM, the network checks that IMEI against the national database. If it is not there, the phone gets no mobile service on that SIM.

Phones sold officially in Indonesia are registered by the manufacturer. A phone bought in the UK is not, so it needs either a temporary tourist registration or a full customs registration before it will work on an Indonesian SIM.

The 90-day tourist rule

For short holidays, the simplest route on a local SIM is the temporary registration offered at official operator counters, for example at Bali's Ngurah Rai airport. You show your passport and visa or e-VOA, the staff register your phone's IMEI against your SIM, and it works for the length of the tourist registration. Most reports put this at up to 90 days, which covers a typical visa on arrival plus one extension.

A few points to watch:

• Use an official operator outlet. Street stalls sometimes sell SIMs registered to someone else's identity, which is against Indonesia's SIM registration rules.
• Your phone must be network unlocked.
• Ask how long the IMEI registration lasts on the SIM you are buying. If it is shorter than your trip, you may need to register with customs.

Registering your phone with customs (Bea Cukai)

If you are staying more than 90 days, working remotely in Bali, or bringing a new phone to give as a gift, the formal route is customs registration. In outline:

1. Declare the phone and its IMEI on your arrival customs declaration. Since 2025 this is part of the All Indonesia digital arrival card, which you complete online before landing.
2. At the airport, go to the customs desk before you leave the arrivals area. Registering later is much harder.
3. Pay any tax due. Visitors have a personal duty-free allowance on goods brought in (widely reported as USD 500 per person); import duty and taxes are charged on value above that.
4. The IMEI is then added to the national database, usually within a few days.

Customs registration is designed for phones that will be used in Indonesia long term. For a two-week holiday it is usually unnecessary, and many tourists only discover the desk exists after they have left the airport.

Your data options in Bali and Indonesia compared

Why a travel eSIM is the easy option for Bali

A travel eSIM is installed at home and connects to Indonesian networks on landing, as a roaming connection. You avoid the airport SIM queue, there is no IMEI registration to worry about on a normal holiday, and your UK SIM stays in the phone for bank texts.

SimplySIM's Indonesia plans use Telkomsel and Indosat 5G and XL 4G, so you are covered across Bali, Lombok, Java and the Gili Islands where those networks reach. Unlimited plans use XL and Telkomsel.

Standard plans and "supports TikTok, ChatGPT" plans

We sell two kinds of Indonesia plan. The standard plans route your data through Hong Kong, so apps see a Hong Kong internet address. ChatGPT is not offered in Hong Kong and TikTok withdrew from Hong Kong in 2020, so those two apps may not work on a standard plan. Our plans marked "supports TikTok, ChatGPT" route outside Hong Kong instead, for example through Singapore. If you use either app daily, pick one of those.

Prices were checked on 15 October 2026 and can change; each product page shows the current price. For a fortnight in Bali with maps, Grab or Gojek, and plenty of photos and video calls, 10GB to 20GB suits most people. All plans are on our Indonesia eSIM page.

The eSIM is data only. Drivers and villas in Bali mostly use WhatsApp, so you rarely need a local number, but if you do, a tourist SIM alongside the eSIM is an option.

Checklist before you fly to Bali

• Check your phone supports eSIM and is network unlocked on our device compatibility page.
• Install your eSIM at home on Wi-Fi; our installation timing guide explains when.
• Complete the All Indonesia arrival card through the official government site only, and avoid paid look-alike sites.
• Staying more than 90 days or bringing a new phone as a gift? Declare it to customs on arrival.
• Pay the Bali tourist levy through the official Love Bali channel if it applies to you.

FAQs

Do tourists need to register their phone in Bali?

Not if you use roaming or a travel eSIM. On an Indonesian SIM, the seller normally does a temporary IMEI registration, widely reported to last up to 90 days.

What happens if my phone is not registered?

It will not get mobile service on an Indonesian SIM. Wi-Fi, and roaming on a foreign SIM or eSIM, still work.

Is there tax on bringing an iPhone into Indonesia?

Only if you register it with customs and its value is above your duty-free allowance. Tourists using a temporary registration or a travel eSIM do not pay phone tax.

Will WhatsApp, Grab and Gojek work on a travel eSIM?

Yes. They work over any data connection. Grab and Gojek may ask for a phone number at sign-up; your UK number usually works.

Why does ChatGPT not work on some Indonesia eSIMs?

Some plans route data through Hong Kong, where ChatGPT is not offered. Our plans marked "supports TikTok, ChatGPT" route outside Hong Kong, for example through Singapore, and avoid this.