Before you start

A valid KITAS/ITAS residence permit for a standard local account (a tourist visa or VOA is generally NOT enough)
Passport with 6+ months validity, plus photocopies of the photo page and current visa
Proof of a local Bali address (rental agreement, utility bill, or a landlord/sponsor letter)
A Wise or Revolut account opened before you fly (the realistic stopgap, and your day-one spending method)

Step-by-step

1
Land your money on a Wise/Revolut card first
Open a Wise and/or Revolut multi-currency account before arrival and load it. This is what most nomads actually use: near-interbank FX, hold IDR, tap-to-pay, and ATM withdrawals. It covers you indefinitely if you never get a local account, and bridges the weeks before a KITAS comes through.
Mobile appWho: Anyone, before or just after arrivalSame day (card delivery to your home country may take 1-2 weeks)Free to open; FX ~0.4-0.6% on Wise, free up to plan limits on Revolut
2
Withdraw IDR cash at bank-branch ATMs, not street machines
Use ATMs physically inside a BCA, BNI, Mandiri, BRI or Permata branch (CCTV, lower skimming risk). Per-withdrawal caps are low: BCA/BNI commonly IDR 2.5M, Mandiri often IDR 3M, some airport/mall machines up to IDR 5-6M. BCA and BNI ATMs are typically the cheapest pairing with Wise/Revolut. Freeze the card in-app right after withdrawing.
In personWho: CardholderMinutesOften ~IDR 0 at BCA/BNI; some machines add IDR 25,000-50,000
3
Pay by QRIS for everything else
QRIS is Indonesia's single national QR standard (governed by Bank Indonesia). It's accepted at warungs, cafes, markets and transport across Bali. Foreign visitors can increasingly pay via QRIS Cross-Border using a home-country e-wallet, and local wallets like GoPay/DANA can link an international Visa/Mastercard.
Mobile appWho: Anyone with a supported wallet or linked cardImmediateNo surcharge to the payer in most cases
4
Once you hold a KITAS, open the local account (and get an NPWP)
With a KITAS plus local-address proof, apply in person at a branch (BCA Tahapan is the popular expat default; Mandiri and BNI are budget-friendly). Bring an initial deposit. If you stay 183+ days or earn locally you become a tax resident: get an NPWP tax number, which banks increasingly request as accounts link to the Coretax system. A few banks offer a passport-only 'Rekening Turis' tourist account, but with tight caps.
In personWho: KITAS holdersOften same day if documents are in orderInitial deposit ~IDR 250,000-1,000,000

Documents you’ll need

Passport valid 6+ months (plus photocopies of photo page and visa)
KITAS/ITAS residence permit valid 6+ months (for a standard account)
Proof of local Bali address (rental contract, utility bill, or sponsor/landlord letter)
NPWP tax number once you are a tax resident (183+ days or earning in Indonesia) — increasingly requested by banks

Things most newcomers don’t know

The realistic 'bank account' for your first months in Bali is a Wise or Revolut card, not an Indonesian bank.

A standard local account effectively needs a KITAS, which you usually only get after arriving and starting a residency process. Nomads run entirely on multi-currency cards plus QRIS, often never bothering with a local account.

Source: TaxHackers / Knowmads Bali

Plan your cash around painfully low ATM caps: roughly IDR 2.5-3M per withdrawal.

At ~USD 155-185 a pull, paying a month's rent in cash can mean several withdrawals (and fees). Mandiri and some airport/mall machines allow more (up to ~IDR 5-6M), so pick the machine to cut fees and trips.

Source: TaxHackers Bali ATM guide

Treat every ATM as a skimming risk: use machines inside bank branches and freeze your card in-app the moment you finish.

Bali has a real history of card skimming at standalone street ATMs. Branch machines sit under CCTV; Wise and Revolut let you freeze instantly, so a freeze right after withdrawal neutralises stolen card data.

Source: Woods Bali / TaxHackers

There's a passport-only loophole, but it's niche: the OJK-regulated 'Rekening Turis' tourist account.

It lets a short-term visitor open an account without a KITAS, but with tight balance limits and stripped features, and not every branch offers it. Most people are better served by Wise/Revolut until they have residency.

Source: Topremit / Statrys

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming a tourist visa or VOA lets you open a normal account — it generally does not; banks want a KITAS and a local address.
Using cheap-looking standalone street/minimart ATMs — these carry the highest skimming risk; stick to ATMs inside bank branches.
Getting caught short by the IDR 2.5-3M withdrawal cap when you need a large cash sum (e.g. rent), then paying repeated fees.
Ignoring the NPWP: once you pass ~183 days or earn locally you are a tax resident, and banks increasingly require an NPWP.