Section

Ownership

What foreigners can actually own, and how the three legal routes really work.

• Can a foreigner own property in Bali?

  Not freehold. But three legal structures exist, and one of them puts a certificate in your own name.

• What makes a Bali leasehold extension clause actually safe?

  The initial term is not the asset. The extension clause is, and most of them are worthless.

• What is the difference between SHM, SHGB and Hak Pakai?

  Four land rights, four different answers to who can hold them and for how long. Getting this wrong is how people end up with nothing.

• HGB or leasehold — which is actually better?

  One is a registered right you can mortgage. The other is a contract that expires. The right answer depends on what you intend to do with it.

• What actually happens if you buy through a nominee?

  The agreement is void the day it is signed, and since February 2026 it is criminal in Bali.

• How does Hak Pakai work, and who can actually get it?

  The one route that registers land in a foreigner's own name. Requires residency, and most people are never told it exists.