ORARI Daerah Bali

Amateur Radio Operator Licensing for Indonesian Citizens:

To be able to operate legally as an amateur radio operator in Indonesia, a person needs to become a member of ORARI. The following are the requirements for applying for membership at ORARI:

The applicant is an Indonesian citizen, with age of 14 years or older
The applicant does not have any criminal records, as shown by a police clearance report
The applicant already obtained the "Surat Keterangan Kecakapan Amatir Radio/SKKAR" (Amateur Radio Proficiency letter)
The applicant must complete and submit the application form

To obtain the SKKAR (Amateur Radio Proficiency letter), an applicant must meet the following requirements:

The applicant is an Indonesian citizen, with age of 14 years or older
The applicant must have passed the national exam for Amateur Radio proficiency, which is administered by the government

Please contact us or your local ORARI office to find out about the national exam schedule. In general, the fees involved in getting a license, can be found here:

Amateur Radio License Schedule of fees

Guest Operator Permit for Foreign Operators for Short Term Stay:

ORARI Daerah Bali has instituted a guest permit application process for foreign amateur radio operators who are in Bali for a short-term visit. The required paperwork is outlined in the following link: Guest Operator Permit Application. This permit allows only "guest operator" status, it does not institute a permit to establish a radio station. Thus, operations are allowed only in a station belonging to a fully licensed local amateur radio operator with the presence of the station owner. While the permit does not allow a greater degree of freedom, it provides a quick and relatively easy way to operate in Bali.

The permit is given to amateur radio operators from the following countries which already honors reciprocal licensing scheme with the Republic of Indonesia: Australia, Argentine, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Sweden, USA. On July 7, 2011, we are sorry to announce that guest operator permit will no longer be issued to amateur operators from ASEAN countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philiphines, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. This decision was taken by the National ORARI organization after numerous complaints that those countries refuse to issue amateur radio temporary/guest operator permits to Indonesian operators. Amateur operators from those countries are urged to contact their telecommunication authority to initiate a formal reciprocal licensing agreement with the government of Indonesia.

The paperwork required is as follows:

Copy of a valid amateur radio license
Copy of a valid passport
2 Pieces of passport-size photos
Local address while in Bali
Administration fee of Rp. 100,000.-

It is recommended that the operator get in touch with the office of ORARI Daerah Bali before submitting the paperwork.

Reciprocal Licensing for Foreign Operators for Long Term Stay:

The following information is obtained from ARRL's webpage on reciprocal licensing in Indonesia. Information has been updated to reflect the most current condition in Bali.

All foreigners must have a valid one year residence permit in Indonesia before they are eligible to apply for an Indonesian license. After Japan and the United States, Indonesia has the third largest number of Amateur Radio licensees in the world. However, they are rarely heard from the outside world since only the two highest classes (Intermediate and Advanced) are legally allowed to make DX/International contacts.

There are a total of three categories of licenses, however, only two are relevant to reciprocal licensing:

Penggalang (Intermediate) This class, with a YC/YF prefix, permits operation with 150 watts on all bands except the WARC bands and 20 meters. This license can be issued to holders of the American Technician + Class license.
Penegak (Advanced) This class license, with a YB/YE prefix, permits operation on all bands with 500 watts below 30 MHz and 180 watts above 30 MHz. It will be issued to holders of American General Class and above licenses.

The 3 letter suffix block for callsigns to be issued to expatriate operators is from AQA to AZZ. Foreign operators cannot operate with his home callsign "portable" in Indonesia. As guests of the country, expatriates should never abuse the privileges which reciprocal licensing offers them.

Application Procedure

While the actual Amateur Radio license is in both Indonesian and English languages, all application forms are in Indonesian language only. It is mandatory that the expatriate amateur be accompanied by a translator to review the forms with an ORARI officer and to ascertain exactly what information and supporting documents are needed.

The expatriate amateur must also submit photocopies of their home country license and copies of the photo/ signature pages and visa pages showing the residence permit, and entry/exit permit, if applicable, in their passport. Eleven unmounted 2x3 cm black and white passport type photos must also accompany the application packet. It is recommended that the expatriate procure the negative for this photo as photos are needed on many application/registration forms in the country).

The ORARI office may request a letter from the expatriate's client or sponsor in support of the application. This is especially applicable if the expatriate's residence permit is due to expire a few months after the date of application. The letter will certify that the applicant will be remaining on site for a longer period and also imply that the residence permit will be renewed.

The ORARI office will also determine how many copies of the application packet must be submitted with the original forms.

Payment of license fees can be done at the ORARI office. The breakdown of fees are as follow:

ORARI Local (amount varies by districts)
Provincial ORARI Office
Regional Office of the Telecommunication Service

Total Fees are in the range of Rp. 350,000.00 (approx. $35 US, as of February 2006)

The license is valid for 12 months, however, as that period seems to start with the date of application, the expatriate amateur will be able to use the initial license for about 9 months. License renewals must be submitted 3 months prior to expiration of the existing license. The station may remain in operation while the renewal is being processed -- even beyond the expiration of the old license.

Recommended Action for Licensing Outside the Province of Bali

No directory of ORARI office addresses is generally available but the Central ORARI in Jakarta is a good place to start. The recommended initial action that the expatriate amateur can take after arriving at their new domicile is to take note of the radio antennas that dot the skyline in every community. While most of these antennas are 2 meter arrays it is best if an amateur displaying a HF beam can be located for assistance. It is customary that the local amateur's callsign will be displayed on the front of their house. (A word of caution: There are illegal stations being operated in certain areas without respect to the laws. Select a house with an antenna installation as well as a displayed callsign).

While the local YB amateurs should be able to speak English, some may not so it is best to be accompanied by a translator. The local amateur should prove quite willing to direct the expatriate to the appropriate ORARI office. Once the expatriate amateur has moved into a home and obtained their residence permit, they are eligible to apply for an Indonesian Amateur Radio license. Be advised that out in the provinces it will take about 3 months for the license to be processed and issued; the process may be more expedient in Jakarta.

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