Last checked: November 2026. Prices and rules change, so confirm before you go.
Short answer: yes, your phone will work in Indonesia. The question Indonesia IMEI registration answers is whether it can run on a local SIM, and for how long. If you’re here on a normal holiday of under 90 days, you’ll almost certainly never deal with customs about it.
Indonesia blocks phones whose IMEI (the device’s serial number on the network) isn’t on the government’s list. It’s an anti-smuggling rule aimed at grey-market phones, not at you. But it catches tourists who pop a local SIM into an unregistered phone and get “no service” a few hours later.
Quick answer: which situation are you in?
| Your situation | Do you need to register? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Using your home SIM on roaming | No | Turn on roaming and go. Watch the bill. |
| Using an international travel eSIM | Usually no | Most run as roaming. Check the provider’s FAQ. |
| Buying a local tourist SIM or eSIM, staying under 90 days | Handled by the operator | The seller registers your IMEI with your passport. Access lasts up to 90 days. |
| Staying longer than 90 days with a local SIM | Yes, through customs (Bea Cukai) | Declare the phone on arrival and register it. Taxes may apply over the duty-free allowance. |
| Bought a phone abroad and you’re a resident | Yes, through customs | Same customs route. |
How IMEI registration in Indonesia works
There are two separate routes. Mixing them up is where most of the confusion online comes from.
Route 1: the operator route (tourists under 90 days)
When you buy a tourist SIM at the airport or an official operator outlet (Telkomsel, XL, Indosat and so on), staff ask for your passport and register the phone’s IMEI with the SIM. That gives your phone temporary access to Indonesian networks.
Things to know:
- It’s tied to your passport and that specific phone.
- It’s valid for 90 days and, according to Customs, it’s for foreign nationals only. Indonesians coming home can’t use it.
- It can’t simply be extended. If you stay longer, you need the customs route.
- Customs doesn’t process this one. The operator does.
Route 2: the customs route (Bea Cukai)
This is for people staying longer or anyone who wants the phone registered for good. You register the IMEI through Customs, either at the airport counter or online via the Bea Cukai website or the Mobile Beacukai app.
What Customs says about it:
- The registration itself is free. Once a phone is registered this way, it’s for the life of the device.
- Each passenger can register a limited number of phones per arrival. Customs pages mention two units.
- Every passenger, foreign or Indonesian, gets a USD 500 duty-free allowance on goods they bring in. If your phone (plus anything else you’re declaring) is worth more than that, import duty and taxes apply to the excess. I’m not quoting a rate here because it depends on the item and the rules get updated. Customs calculates it at the counter.
- The allowance is meant to be claimed at the airport. Customs pages say that registering later, outside the arrival area, can mean losing it.
- There’s a deadline for late registration after arrival. Customs FAQs have cited 60 days, but check before you rely on it.
Where the All Indonesia form fits in
Since 1 October 2025, Indonesia uses All Indonesia, a single online arrival declaration that replaced the separate customs and health forms. You fill it in before you land.
The customs section is where you declare goods, and that includes phones or tablets you want registered for long-term use. After submitting you get a QR code, which you show at customs. If you’re a regular tourist on roaming or a tourist SIM, you don’t need to do anything special about your phone there.
The process around All Indonesia has been changing since launch. Fill in the current version of the form honestly and follow what it asks. If a field is unclear, ask at the customs desk rather than guessing. For other arrival paperwork, browse the Entering Indonesia section.
Step by step: tourist SIM on a holiday trip
The route most visitors take:
- Before you fly: check your phone is unlocked. A carrier-locked phone won’t take any foreign SIM, IMEI or not.
- Find your IMEI: dial
*#06#. Screenshot it. If your phone has two SIM slots or an eSIM, you’ll see two numbers. - Fill in All Indonesia before landing.
- After immigration, go to an official operator counter (not a random guy near the taxi rank) and buy a tourist pack.
- Hand over your passport. Staff register the SIM and your IMEI. Don’t leave the counter until you’ve got signal and data working.
- Give it time if needed. Network sync can take a while. Customs says registration can take up to 2 x 24 hours to go through, though tourist SIMs usually work on the spot.
What about eSIMs?
International travel eSIMs (the kind you buy in an app before you leave) usually connect as roaming on a local network. So most don’t need IMEI registration. Most is not all, though. Read the provider’s Indonesia FAQ before you pay.
Local operators’ own tourist eSIMs are different. They’re Indonesian numbers, so the purchase flow asks for your passport and IMEI. Telkomsel’s regular prepaid eSIM for foreigners has required a KITAS (residence permit) in the past, with tourist products sold separately. Check the operator’s current tourist page.
Common mistakes
- Buying a SIM from a street kiosk. Cheap, sure. But if they register it with someone else’s ID or skip the IMEI step, your phone may lose signal mid-trip. Buy at the airport or an official outlet.
- Bringing a second phone and assuming it’s covered. The operator registration is per device. Your backup phone needs its own.
- Staying past 90 days on a tourist registration. Your local SIM stops working on day 91, often at the worst possible moment. Plan the customs route if you’re extending your stay.
- Ignoring the duty-free allowance. New flagship phone bought on the way? If you need customs registration, its value counts towards the USD 500.
- Thinking Wi-Fi is affected. It isn’t. An unregistered phone still works on hotel and cafe Wi-Fi. Only the cellular network is blocked.
Staying longer or moving here?
If you’re on a KITAS or planning to stay months, register your phone through Customs right away. Don’t rely on tourist SIMs. You’ll also want a regular local number for banking apps and deliveries. Settling in? Browse the Living in Indonesia section.
FAQ
Do I need to register my phone’s IMEI as a tourist in Indonesia?
Not with customs if you’re staying under 90 days. On roaming you need nothing. With a local tourist SIM, the operator registers the IMEI when you buy the SIM.
What happens if my phone isn’t registered?
It still works on Wi-Fi and with your home SIM on roaming. A local Indonesian SIM won’t get network service on it, or it’ll work briefly and then drop.
Is IMEI registration free?
Registration through Customs is free. Taxes only come in when the value of what you’re bringing exceeds the USD 500 duty-free allowance. Tourist SIM sellers bundle registration into the SIM sale.
Can I extend the 90-day tourist registration?
Not as a simple extension. Once you stay longer, you’re looking at the customs route. Check the current rules with Bea Cukai, as late-registration windows apply.
Does an international eSIM need IMEI registration?
Usually not, because most connect as roaming. Local operator eSIMs are Indonesian numbers and do go through registration.
How many phones can I register?
Customs pages mention two devices per passenger per arrival on the customs route. Tourist SIM registration is per phone you put a SIM in.
