In short. A regular rupiah account for a foreigner is opened with a passport and a KITAS or KITAP card, as BCA, BNI, BRI, Mandiri and CIMB Niaga write (checked on 11 October 2026). Some banks also ask for an NPWP, and CIMB Niaga asks for a tax self-certification form. A proof of residence and a reference letter are not in the published lists, but a bank may ask for other documents under its anti-money-laundering rules. For a tourist visa the websites give no direct answer: the bank decides, even the individual branch, so call the branch ahead. Once the account is open, set up mobile banking and QRIS. When your KITAS ends, OJK rules oblige the bank to update your details, and you bring the new card yourself.
Short answer. A regular rupiah account for a foreigner is opened with a passport and a residence card: KITAS (temporary residence permit) or KITAP (permanent). That is what the pages of BCA, BNI, BRI, Mandiri and CIMB Niaga say as of 11 October 2026. For a tourist on a visa on arrival these banks describe no separate route. There is one exception: on the page of Permata's term deposit savings product, a valid visa is named in the list of documents, more on that below.
What to bring. The banks' lists differ a little, but the general set is this:
- passport;
- a KITAS or KITAP card. In BNI, BRI and Mandiri documents it is called KIMS, and BRI translates it as a residence permit card;
- NPWP, the tax number: BCA and Mandiri require it from Indonesian citizens, while CIMB Niaga's and Permata's lists name a copy of the NPWP without such a note. How to get one is in our guide to the NPWP;
- CIMB Niaga's list also has a FATCA and CRS tax self-certification form and a specimen signature card;
- BRI's list allows a "supporting statement letter" instead of the card. Which letter exactly is best clarified at the branch;
- for a regular savings account Mandiri names a passport with KIMS, KITAS, KITAP or an official-duty visa (visa dinas), and a foreigner's work permit if it applies to your case. For a foreign-currency account Mandiri writes it more simply: a valid passport and a KITAS, KITAP or Golden Visa.
Proof of residence and a reference letter. They are not among the mandatory documents in the published lists of BCA, BNI, BRI and CIMB Niaga. BCA and Permata reserve the right to ask for "other documents" under their anti-money-laundering rules. In the OJK press release of 2015, a certificate of place of residence and a recommendation from a bank in the country of citizenship are named as examples of extra papers. So have them at hand: you can confirm your address with a rental contract, and you can request the letter from your bank back home.
Can you do it on a tourist visa. The official pages have no direct "yes" or "no". What is known:
- BCA writes that an account is opened for foreigners who do not live in Indonesia too, but then other documents are needed under the APU-PPT rules, that is, the anti-money-laundering rules. The page does not say which;
- the terms of Permata's "Masa Depan" product (version of May 2026) name a passport and "KITAS, KITAP or a valid visa", together with an NPWP and the documents the bank will require. These are the terms of one product and do not have to apply to the bank's other accounts;
- in 2015 OJK allowed banks to open a foreign-currency "tourist" account with a passport alone, with a first deposit of at least 2000 dollars. This is an old document and applies only to foreign-currency accounts, so it does not show what branches do today;
- Mandiri offers remote opening with a passport in the Livin' app, but that is for Indonesian citizens abroad and former citizens with a special card, so it does not suit an ordinary tourist.
So the bank decides, even the particular branch. Call or write to the branch in advance and ask which document you in particular need.
What the OJK rules say. OJK regulation 8/2023 (POJK 8/2023) requires the bank to verify the client's identity. For a foreigner that is a passport together with an immigration document, and the explanation to the regulation gives a residence permit card as an example. The bank will not open an account if the client refuses to follow these rules or if the bank is left with doubts about identity or the completeness of the documents. This is a general rule, so one branch may ask for more than another.
After opening: mobile banking and QRIS. Ask about the bank's mobile app when you open the account. QRIS, the single Indonesian QR code for payment, works in all bank apps and e-wallets licensed by Bank Indonesia: you open the app, point the camera at the merchant's code, enter the amount and confirm. Bank Indonesia writes that the buyer pays no extra fee for QRIS. For the fee for the app and the card, see your bank's tariffs. If you do not need a bank account yet, QRIS payment can also be set up in a wallet, as in the guide to GoPay.
When your KITAS ends. An OJK regulation obliges the bank to update the client's details and documents when it learns of a change. What exactly the bank does with the account and card when the permit is expired, we did not find in open sources: each bank has its own rules. If you extended your KITAS or got a new one, show the new card at the branch straight away. If you are leaving for good, ask there in advance how to close the account and withdraw the balance. A KITAS is also cancelled before final departure; how that is done is in the BUZZ VISA visa guides.
What this means for you. If you have a KITAS, take your passport, the card and your NPWP and go to a branch: the banks describe this as the main route. If you are here on a visa on arrival, first call and ask what you in particular need. After an extension, show the new card to the bank straight away. If you do not want to work it out yourself, message @buzz_visa.