Thread: Visa options for a self-employed person, based in Bali

I'm sure this has been asked a million times before, apologies for asking it again.

Basically I am wondering what my visa options would be if I were to be based in Bali as a self-employed person (probably with most - or all - of my income coming from outside Indonesia)...
I am a writer (not of anything remotely exciting - of very dull corporate copy). I am currently in London (I'm British), working for a large company. However, I have vague plans to do the same kind of stuff on a freelance basis, and would rather like to live in Bali...

So, what kind of visa could I get? After asking the question elsewhere the impression I get is that it wouldn't be possible to be a legal "resident" without being employed (basically either as some kind of specialist - or an English teacher from what I was told! Right, or wrong?).
So what kind of visas are all those Bali-based people who appear to be self-employed on?

I believe from what I have been told elsewhere that it wouldn't be technically legal to be self-employed as a foreigner if I were working in Indonesia, for Indonesian money. But if I am doing freelance work at long-distance for companies in the UK for example, what would be the legality, and would I have any tax obligations?
And what about if I was doing some freelance stuff in Indonesia too (either regular corporate stuff, or perhaps a bit of magazine journalism on the side for all those Bali glossies); could I do it "legally"? Would it be a major problem if not?

From what I was told elsewhere there seems to be "kitas", which is valid for a year and only for people employed. Everyone else seems to be on a "social visa". Is this correct? Is it absolutely true that a "kitas" is not available for a self-employed person? And what is the process for getting a "social" visa, and is this what all those apparently self-employed ex-pats in Bali are using?

Anyway, this is some time off yet, and I'll certainly make at least one more long visit to Bali (to look into more nitty-gritty practicalities of housing etc) before I decide, but I'd like to know what the deal is with immigration stuff first...
Thanks.
Dave.

Thanks guys.

gilbert - thanks for the awesome, comprehensive (and orderly) answer! Pretty much what I had already been told, but you've done it more clearly.
On the tax, the reason I asked was that if it was possible for me legally to be a resident, and to work as such, I would obviously expect to be paying tax in Indonesia.
If that's not possible then I wouldn't have any problem with remaining as a (self-employed) tax-payer in the UK - as long as I wasn't also paying tax somewhere else.
So - are there any kind of sneaky tax obligations (in Indonesia) for people residing there long-term, even if they are "not working", and not technically "resident"?

Jimbo - the legality of what exactly? I posed a question about a variety of options. It seems like the most feasible option would be to be residing in Indonesia on a "social" visa, working freelance with my income coming from overseas (and I suppose going into a UK bank account, and having tax paid on it in the UK). Is this what you think you "cannot do"?

spicyayam - evidently I've already been to Bali (four times - 2 months, 1 month, 1 month, 1 month; I surf). Obviously I already know that I like it - I wouldn't be considering living there otherwise, would I?
And I am a writer of corporate copy (with lofty dreams of one day making a living from writing something slightly more interesting); I have neither the money nor inclination to "start a company". A slightly odd suggestion.

tintin - so in that case, what would you suggest would be my best option? A "social" visa?

Hi Dexter, Welcome to the Forum. Since you are a a professional writer for a company in the UK; and wish to continue your line of work offshore in Bali, I think you should simply obtain a social visa whereby you can stay for six months at a time through Bali IDE or some other agency. Some individuals on the forum simply have gone down to immigration and complete the paperwork there and pay the fees etc. Of course, when one first arrives--better to obtain the sixty day visa and go from there. Personally, after a number of six months stints I got to know the head of immigration who handled the paperwork for me. However, he is back in Jakarta now. Your reason could be that you are studing the culture of Bali to write a book. That's what I previously did to obtain a longer stay rather than leave every 60 days. The actual name of the visa I can't remember; however, Social Budda Visa, comes to mind. Subsequently, after six months you fly back to England or Singapore (where ever) and return for an additional six months. All the while stating that your desire to remain in Bali is to study the Balinese Culture for a book which you are writing. Naturally, this is true since you already are a writer.

You continue to pay your taxes in Britain. However, do not take any pictures and sell them for publications in Indonesia. This is considered taking a job away from an Indonesian. Later problems could develope; hence blackmail, deportation, blah blah blah. Keep it simple.

Happy New Year, and thanks again guys.
Sounds like the "social" visa would be the obvious option for an initial stint of maybe 12 months (requiring two such visas, obviously - and I guess I would need first to go in as a tourist to work out the sponsorship thing. I could then get the social visa in Singapore, right?), after which I would reasses the situation and decide if it was feasible, practical or desirable to remain long term - and if so look into other visa options.

spicyayam - apologies: I misread your earlier post as you misreading me, or else simply giving out a "standard answer" for "I want to live in Bali - how?" questions ("go and start a business" - not appropriate in my case).
I see what you are saying now. Of course, if once I was on the ground, it became apparent that there was a genuine gap in the market for a locally based agency producing English-language corporate literature for Indonesian companies (which would be willing to pay a respectable amount) it is certainly something I would look into doing.

But given my current relatively limited funds, and given the fact that I don't right now want to start a business anyway, and given that I haven't yet been in a position to sniff around the issue in Indonesia, then I think this would be something to think about a lot further down the line. It seems like lots of people cook up plans just to step off the plane in Bali and start some vague, ill-planned business without knowing much about the place. Fine if you've got unlimitted funds I suppose, but otherwise not...

I think I'd want to have been based there for a while and really to know the territory - in terms of both the specific business, and life in general - before considering starting such an agency, but thanks for the idea anyway!

Jimbo - this seemed like an obvious place to ask; it's meant to be an expat forum after all. I've spent enough time in Bali to know that there are large numbers of expats there. Some of them are "employed", and some run their own businesses (and therefore must have "kitas"). But lots of others either don't work at all, or very obviously work in some kind of self-employed capacity. I thought it might be reasonable to expect an answer as to what kind of visa those people are on here...

Judy:

do not take any pictures and sell them for publications in Indonesia. This is considered taking a job away from an Indonesian. Later problems could develope; hence blackmail, deportation, blah blah blah. Keep it simple.

It's pretty much impossible to make a living from magazine journalism in the UK; I can't imagine many expats could support themselves by doing so in Indonesia either - especially if writing for local magazines.
But do you think this would really be a serious issue? (this is purely idle pondering - I think the idea of rocking up unknown in Bali and instantly being welcomed by magazine editors who are probably already deluged with contributions from self-styled "writers" in Ubud is as naive as stepping off the plane to "start a business". And as mentioned, I don't imagine anyone could make a living at it anyway, but it might be fun for light relief).
Having leafed through plenty of those Bali-based "travel and lifestyle" magazines, I can't help noticing that some of the contributors are clearly not Indonesians, but clearly are based in Bali. Are these people really living in fear of crack immigration enforcers descending at dawn just for having sent a badly-written travel article to a glossy magazine with a tiny circulation? Just wondering!