Bali Digital Nomad Visa - Everything you need to know before you travel!

Bali - and Indonesia as a whole - is a dream destination for many digital nomads already. If you’re looking for a unique culture and an active expat and digital nomad community you can slot right into, Bali may be perfect - with beaches, low living costs and all the amenities you could imagine. If you’re up for city living, maybe Jakarta is more your thing, as an ideal base to explore the region. But in reality, Indonesia has so much on offer you might find you want to sample life in a whole selection of destinations - that’s one of the main attractions of working remotely as a digital nomad, after all.

Wondering how to get a digital nomad visa in Bali or Indonesia? Read this guide to the Bali/Indonesia digital nomad visa options available for UK citizens and residents, for all you need to know. We’ll also touch on how Wise can help if you’re living a digital nomad lifestyle, with low cost currency conversion that uses the mid-market rate.

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What is a Digital Nomad?

Generally a digital nomad is considered to be anyone who works remotely and has a location independent lifestyle. Digital nomads usually work from their laptops, connecting to colleagues and customers via the internet, and may offer a broad range of services from programming and web design, to copywriting, content creation, accounting and financial advice. Pretty much any job that is done online, can be done as a digital nomad.

Digital nomads may work for one specific business - but more often than not, they’re freelancers or business owners, who can choose to build their schedule around their personal preferences, moving from place to place as they mix work and leisure.

Working Remotely vs Making Money in Bali/Indonesia

Living and working overseas, whether on one place as an expat, or on the move as a digital nomad, can open up a whole host of legal and tax implications you’ll need to understand.

Which visa or pass is required?

To work in a country, as a general rule, you’ll need a specific work or employment visa. So if you’re headed to Bali to work in person for a local Indonesian employer, you’ll probably need a different visa compared to heading out there for a holiday or to work remotely.

But what about working remotely as a digital nomad, while being physically in Indonesia? While each individual’s situation is different, it’s worth knowing that digital nomads can find a fairly complex visa picture, making picking the right option even more important. Often remote workers can find a visa which will let them work in a specific country - but with the proviso that they do not work with any customers in that country. If you are working with a client based locally, you may be expected to upgrade to a full work permit.

And what about tax?

Further to this, you’ll need to figure out your tax obligations both in your host country and at home in the UK. For tax residency, the length of time you stay in a single place matters, as well as your intent to stay long term or to move on after a fixed period. Usually you’ll need to pay tax if you stay for more than 183 days in Indonesia. However, if your intention is to reside in Indonesia long term you may find you’re considered a tax resident even if you’re there for fewer days in a given tax year¹.

Don’t take chances - get professional support

Getting the right visa is crucial - and because the right one for your needs will depend on your citizenship, the work you intend to do, and the length of your stay, it’s a highly personal issue. The same goes for your tax obligations. Take professional advice if you’re unsure which visa will cover your purposes, and to unpick where you may have tax liabilities. The information in this guide is a starting point, but it’s not intended to be personal advice, and can’t substitute for having a legal professional give you the full picture.
Visa types for Digital Nomads in Bali/Indonesia

Visa types for Digital Nomads in Bali/Indonesia

So, let’s move on to the types of visas that may be worth considering if you’re headed to Bali or Indonesia as a whole, and may conduct meetings, visit suppliers or work remotely while you’re there.

Visa on Arrival (VOA)

One visa option when headed to Indonesia is the electronic Visa on Arrival (B213)². This is offered to citizens of a broad range of countries including the UK, and allows a 30 day stay. One further extension of 30 days is allowed if you need it. The activities covered by this visa type include:

• Tourism
• Transit
• Business talks and meetings
• Purchasing visits

If this covers the work you intend to do in Indonesia, it may be the one for you.

How to apply for the Visa on Arrival

You can apply online in advance for the Indonesia VOA³, as long as you have 6 months validity on your passport and a ticket for onward travel. You’ll need to pay a fee by card - we’ll cover how you can use Wise to make this simple, later - and then print off your VOA to show to the immigration officer on arrival.

The Visit B211A Visa

An alternative that can be offered for a longer term compared to the Visa on Arrival is the B211A Visa⁴. This covers a broader range of activities, including:

• Tourism
• Social visits
• Transit
• Arts and sports activities
• Business talks and meetings
• Purchasing visits
• Participating in conventions
• Training
• Internships

The B211A Visa can be issued for 60 or 180 days depending on need, and may be extended if you need to stay for longer than originally expected.

How to apply for the Visit B211A Visa

Apply for the B211A Visa online⁵. Visas generally take about 4 working days to be issued.

To apply for a B211A Visa you’ll need a passport with 6 months validity for a 60 day visa, or 12 months for the 180 day visa. You’ll also need a ticket for onward travel, proof you can pay for your stay, and in some cases, a letter from a sponsor or guarantor. There are visa agents online which can act as your sponsor if you need one - although not all are legitimate services, so do get recommendations and shop around.

Bali/Indonesia Digital Nomad Visa

There’s been a lot of speculation about Indonesia launching a specific digital nomad visa. However, the most recent visa announced is a little different to what was widely expected - the second home visa. If you’re coming to Indonesia as an investor to set up a business or if you’re intending to stay for a longer time, the new Indonesia Second Home Visa⁶ may suit you. But if it doesn’t look like it fits your needs, it’s worth keeping an eye out in case the much talked about digital nomad visa does arrive soon.

The Second Home Visa visa is issued for 5 or 10 years, for:

• Investors
• Tourists
• Retirees

You need to fulfil a pretty strict set of conditions to be eligible for this visa - primarily providing evidence that you or your sponsor has funds of 2 billion IDR (just over 100,000 GBP at the time of writing). As with the other visas we’ve covered you can apply online for this visa type - and processing time may be as little as 4 working days if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Indonesia Visa: Durations and Fees

Let’s run through a quick summary of the visa options we’ve explored already, focusing on the visa fees and how long you can stay. We’ll also look at how to make paying for your Indonesian visa in IDR cheaper, next.

Correct at time of writing - 21/06/2023

Using Wise for Visa Payment and Currency Abroad

Whichever Indonesian visa you decide is right for you, you’ll need to pay a fee to apply. And of course, you’ll need to pay for your daily needs in IDR on arrival. Cut the costs of converting from pounds to rupiah, with Wise.

Wise offers multi-currency accounts you can use to hold and exchange 40+ currencies including GBP and IDR, plus linked debit cards you can use to pay for your visa online, and to pay and make withdrawals locally once you arrive in Indonesia. Every time you need to convert from one currency to another, to send a payment, make a withdrawal or pay a merchant, you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate and low fees from 0.43%⁷. There’s no fee to spend a currency you hold in your account - and no foreign transaction fee to worry about either.

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So there you have it. If you’re living a digital nomad lifestyle already - or just researching the options for the future - Indonesia has a lot to offer. There are several different visa choices which may fit depending on the length of your stay and the sort of work you intend to do - but taking professional advice is crucial if you’re not sure which is best for you.

Use this guide to kickstart your research, and check out Wise as a smart way to pay when you’re overseas, with low fees and the mid-market exchange rate.

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Sources last checked: 21/06/2023