Could Indonesia offer a digital nomad type of visa?

[spicyayam]

A government minister has hinted at allowing foreigners to work while on holiday.

"Those foreigners, with expertise in technology, IT, can work from Bali. We are mulling over that aspect, and we encourage it. We just have to chalk out the rules now," Pandjaitan noted here on Thursday. "

Some places have started offering digital nomad visas such as Barbados as a way to attract tourism during Covid-19.

If the government was smart they would offer a 6 month/12 month visa to people who earn income outside of Indonesia and perhaps instead of paying tax in Indonesia, charge a flat fee for the visa. Maybe even make it a requirement to employ a local like the retirement visa.

As long as people were willing to take a Covid-19 test and did a stint in quarantine, then I think it would be a great way to bring in some tourism to the island. From reading FB posts it seems like many people are keen to travel to Bali.

The same article also suggested Indonesia being a place for medical tourism, something which I don't think is going to happen for a long way off. Allowing foreign doctors to work in Indonesia and provide training would be an idea, but I can't imagine that happening any time soon.

 

[Markit]

 

[SamD]

A government minister has hinted at allowing foreigners to work while on holiday.

"Those foreigners, with expertise in technology, IT, can work from Bali. We are mulling over that aspect, and we encourage it. We just have to chalk out the rules now," Pandjaitan noted here on Thursday. "

Some places have started offering digital nomad visas such as Barbados as a way to attract tourism during Covid-19.

If the government was smart they would offer a 6 month/12 month visa to people who earn income outside of Indonesia and perhaps instead of paying tax in Indonesia, charge a flat fee for the visa. Maybe even make it a requirement to employ a local like the retirement visa.

As long as people were willing to take a Covid-19 test and did a stint in quarantine, then I think it would be a great way to bring in some tourism to the island. From reading FB posts it seems like many people are keen to travel to Bali.

The same article also suggested Indonesia being a place for medical tourism, something which I don't think is going to happen for a long way off. Allowing foreign doctors to work in Indonesia and provide training would be an idea, but I can't imagine that happening any time soon.

I have argued this for years. Indonesia should make it easy for people who work online to set up their domicile here. Instead they make it difficult. There are thousands of people doing it already but under the radar. The technology is here in Bali so why not leverage it to boost the economy? Nothing to lose. Make it attractive for high income earners to come to Bali and spend their foreign currency hére. Win for everyone except maybe countries like Australia who will complain that it isn't fair. Tough shit, free market capitalism is clearly the best social system so suck it up or come up with a competitive alternative. Who would want to live in Melbourne now?

 

[PERtoDPS]

I'd love something like that to come about. But i really don't think the Aus govt wants any red cent of AUD going out of here.

Frustrated still stuck in Perth.

 

[Tezza71]

I'd love something like that to come about. But i really don't think the Aus govt wants any red cent of AUD going out of here.

Frustrated still stuck in Perth.

I empathise mate. I paid out a round $20000 to set up a home in Bali with my lady and now I can't get there and it's unlikely we'll be able to for some time.

 

[Markit]

It seems to me that the structure for being a digital gonad is already in place called a PTMA. Oh! but that costs some money and effort to set up!? But all those digital gonads are earning sooo much money that they can donate to the local economy.

Actually no, they don't - most of them swarm around good Wifi points like flies to horse shit then sitting all day on a almond milk latte and full seed bun for lunch going out for a big IDR30k feed in the evening and to "network" where they can go be parasites tomorrow.

If anyone is giving out visas for the benefit of the visitors AND Indonesia try looking at retirees and land/house ownership. There you are talking about some real dosh. Not the yoga spaffing, latte sucking digital gonads selling shite from China with 3 month delivery times with a 10 times mark up in price from the producer - fecking parasites.

 

[PERtoDPS]

It seems to me that the structure for being a digital gonad is already in place called a PTMA. Oh! but that costs some money and effort to set up!? But all those digital gonads are earning sooo much money that they can donate to the local economy.

Actually no, they don't - most of them swarm around good Wifi points like flies to horse shit then sitting all day on a almond milk latte and full seed bun for lunch going out for a big IDR30k feed in the evening and to "network" where they can go be parasites tomorrow.

If anyone is giving out visas for the benefit of the visitors AND Indonesia try looking at retirees and land/house ownership. There you are talking about some real dosh. Not the yoga spaffing, latte sucking digital gonads selling shite from China with 3 month delivery times with a 10 times mark up in price from the producer - fecking parasites.

I agree I don't really like the "types" and their freeloading youtube videos. But here in Australia I need big $ just to stay alive day to day, in Bali I don't. A few crypto trades or a little IT support sort of work would be more my forte and it's amazing what small money can buy in Indonesia. So as I sit here in freezing, raining almost depressing winter, you have beer for me Mark IT and I hope we can meet in the tropics soon!

 

[Juggler]

I empathise mate. I paid out a round $20000 to set up a home in Bali with my lady and now I can't get there and it's unlikely we'll be able to for some time.

I just read that if you apply to border force you MAYBE granted a permit to leave oz if you plan on staying away for >3 months...
So you dont need a Kitas to leave.
Is there any truth in the rumor thaat Indo maybe be delaying the opening of international arrivals past 11th sept?? I heard they may be pushing it back

 

[PERtoDPS]

I just read that if you apply to border force you MAYBE granted a permit to leave oz if you plan on staying away for >3 months...
So you dont need a Kitas to leave.
Is there any truth in the rumor thaat Indo maybe be delaying the opening of international arrivals past 11th sept?? I heard they may be pushing it back

There are methods to get a visa now although a pain in the neck and expensive, certainly not the stamp your passport tourist visa like before. But upon re entry to Australia you are required to serve out 14 days in hotel quarantine and foot the $3000 per person bill alone. So unless I was going to Bali for a 3 month block, or more, which I'm not as I constantly need to keep getting income from Australia I really can't justify the expense. I hope this changes but I've written off 2020, other than a possible December return it looks very unlikely from where I'm sitting. I also don't want to be the pioneer who is paying $1500 a flight when they fall back to $500 a month later or whatever.


So if I could sustain myself financially there and be allowed to stay it would be great. That's where I think the older crew on here who have managed to move their pensions to Bali are very lucky, but of course I understand you all have your own issues now caused with Corona virus now too.

According to this article, Bali is most likely reopening December for international tourists, but I don't know how credible Coconuts is. I do enjoy reading it though. https://coconuts.co/bali/news/work-...gital-nomads-with-working-holiday-regulation/

 

[JackStraw]

It seems to me that the structure for being a digital gonad is already in place called a PTMA. Oh! but that costs some money and effort to set up!? But all those digital gonads are earning sooo much money that they can donate to the local economy.

Actually no, they don't - most of them swarm around good Wifi points like flies to horse shit then sitting all day on a almond milk latte and full seed bun for lunch going out for a big IDR30k feed in the evening and to "network" where they can go be parasites tomorrow.

If anyone is giving out visas for the benefit of the visitors AND Indonesia try looking at retirees and land/house ownership. There you are talking about some real dosh. Not the yoga spaffing, latte sucking digital gonads selling shite from China with 3 month delivery times with a 10 times mark up in price from the producer - fecking parasites.

Yes. This is absolutely correct. You can usually find the Digital Gonad in their natural habitats of Canggu or Ubud. Just peek your head in any number of vegan cafes advertising smoothie bowls and selling ethically sourced, farm-to-table jasmine white rice (AKA nasi putih from the dirty sawah down the street) and you'll get the strong aroma of sweat, alcohol, and essential oils these Digital Gonad's usually emit.

The Digital Gonad prefers to spend about 1-2 hours a day of "real work" while the rest of the day is spent trying to find another roommate for their 4 bedroom shared villa built on illegal Tanah Hijau because the last roommate's parents cut off his trust fund. Digital Gonad's are nocturnal creatures, slithering out of their hibernation vegan cafes at night time to hit the bars for "networking" rituals.

In these rituals, hundreds of Digital Gonads gather in someplace they universally somehow deem as trendy at the time to drink small Bintang's for 50.000, watered-down cocktails for 120,000 and all share stories about how "blessed" they all are to live in "paradise" while simultaneously bitching about how much cooler Bali was 5 years ago.

As the night winds down, they get hungry and feeding time commences. After 3 hours gushing about their love for sambal and feeling "blessed" the local food is so cheap and delicious, the Digital Gonad herd aimlessly wanders past the ayam bakar guy to instead pay 150.000k for "artisan tacos" while saying how much cheaper the tacos are here than in their home countries.

This is the way of the Digital Gonad.

In all seriousness though, if Bali wants to create a visa like this, they need to make sure they are getting the high quality digital nomads. My suggestion is to make the visa expensive (taxes included) to weed out the smelly, yoga freeloaders and bring some actual smart entrepreneurs into the island instead.

 

[SamD]

It seems to me that the structure for being a digital gonad is already in place called a PTMA. Oh! but that costs some money and effort to set up!? But all those digital gonads are earning sooo much money that they can donate to the local economy.

Actually no, they don't - most of them swarm around good Wifi points like flies to horse shit then sitting all day on a almond milk latte and full seed bun for lunch going out for a big IDR30k feed in the evening and to "network" where they can go be parasites tomorrow.

If anyone is giving out visas for the benefit of the visitors AND Indonesia try looking at retirees and land/house ownership. There you are talking about some real dosh. Not the yoga spaffing, latte sucking digital gonads selling shite from China with 3 month delivery times with a 10 times mark up in price from the producer - fecking parasites.

Some gonads have well paying jobs in overseas countries. Some are abiding by the Indonesian immigration and other local rules. Some are paying monthly/yearly rentals and employing local staff and spending good money here without being any burden on the local economy. Don't know where you are getting your data from. I suspect it is from your own well of irrational prejudice. Retirees already have their own visa as you well know. Land ownership laws are never going to change and a good thing too. You want to turn Bali into Hawaii? Bali and Fiji, both of which I have experience of, have strict land ownership laws. That is why their cultures have survived. If you open up Bali to foreign land ownership the next thing you know will be the Chinese have bought the place up. You want that?

Have a nice day.

 

[Markit]

Some gonads have well paying jobs in overseas countries. Some are abiding by the Indonesian immigration and other local rules. Some are paying monthly/yearly rentals and employing local staff and spending good money here without being any burden on the local economy. Don't know where you are getting your data from. I suspect it is from your own well of irrational prejudice.

Do I detect a note of personal involvement? My source of information is purely subjective and based entirely on my own experience and prejudices but I have talked to quite a number of the Rasta haired, tree huggers and my synopsis is definitely generally right but individually wrong - make of it what you will.


Retirees already have their own visa as you well know. Land ownership laws are never going to change and a good thing too. You want to turn Bali into Hawaii? Bali and Fiji, both of which I have experience of, have strict land ownership laws. That is why their cultures have survived. If you open up Bali to foreign land ownership the next thing you know will be the Chinese have bought the place up. You want that?

I'm sure I've mentioned this before on these pages but one more time won't hurt either: Indonesia has the largest temperated coastline in the world on its 17,000 + islands, with only Canada having more but that sure aint temperate. At 55,000 kilometers there's one hell of a lot to sell to those idiots that are driven to own beachfront (most do it the one time and then never, ever again). Just imagine the infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, schools, irrigation, colleges, etc. that the taxation for all that property would bring in! And the best part is the Indonesians hate beachfront property - they used to give it to all the women in the family because they held it in such low esteem, giving the "good land" to the boys up near the volcano. Well we all know how that's worked out.

Have a nice day.

Have a better one.

 

[mugwump]

Some gonads have well paying jobs in overseas countries. Some are abiding by the Indonesian immigration and other local rules. Some are paying monthly/yearly rentals and employing local staff and spending good money here without being any burden on the local economy. Don't know where you are getting your data from. I suspect it is from your own well of irrational prejudice. Retirees already have their own visa as you well know. Land ownership laws are never going to change and a good thing too. You want to turn Bali into Hawaii? Bali and Fiji, both of which I have experience of, have strict land ownership laws. That is why their cultures have survived. If you open up Bali to foreign land ownership the next thing you know will be the Chinese have bought the place up. You want that?

Have a nice day.

If I don't get the problem some are having with the concept of Digital Nomads it perhaps is my lack of perception, but frankly fail to see that problem. What I am reading here is petty stereotyping that lacks evidence of any harm other than people pouting about being on a retirement visa (myself included) stewing about "If I can't do it why should anyone else be permitted" Grow up!

 

[Foamcrest]

the Digital Gonads CANNOT eat unless they sit crossed legged on a chair barefoot getting dirt on the cushion for the next person.

 

[OrangeDragon]

Yes. This is absolutely correct. You can usually find the Digital Gonad in their natural habitats of Canggu or Ubud. Just peek your head in any number of vegan cafes advertising smoothie bowls and selling ethically sourced, farm-to-table jasmine white rice (AKA nasi putih from the dirty sawah down the street) and you'll get the strong aroma of sweat, alcohol, and essential oils these Digital Gonad's usually emit.

The Digital Gonad prefers to spend about 1-2 hours a day of "real work" while the rest of the day is spent trying to find another roommate for their 4 bedroom shared villa built on illegal Tanah Hijau because the last roommate's parents cut off his trust fund. Digital Gonad's are nocturnal creatures, slithering out of their hibernation vegan cafes at night time to hit the bars for "networking" rituals.

In these rituals, hundreds of Digital Gonads gather in someplace they universally somehow deem as trendy at the time to drink small Bintang's for 50.000, watered-down cocktails for 120,000 and all share stories about how "blessed" they all are to live in "paradise" while simultaneously bitching about how much cooler Bali was 5 years ago.

As the night winds down, they get hungry and feeding time commences. After 3 hours gushing about their love for sambal and feeling "blessed" the local food is so cheap and delicious, the Digital Gonad herd aimlessly wanders past the ayam bakar guy to instead pay 150.000k for "artisan tacos" while saying how much cheaper the tacos are here than in their home countries.

This is the way of the Digital Gonad.

In all seriousness though, if Bali wants to create a visa like this, they need to make sure they are getting the high quality digital nomads. My suggestion is to make the visa expensive (taxes included) to weed out the smelly, yoga freeloaders and bring some actual smart entrepreneurs into the island instead.

I think you're confused. Digital nomad (in the making) myself. Hate smoothies, and manbuns, despise roommates and earn enough (working 8-12 hours a day) to not need them... Probably would be fairly nocturnal though, as to at least partially sync with my office I'll be stuck working 3-11p. Though I'd rather have pork and rice than a hipster taco any day of the week.

The supposed new 5 year digital nomad visa certainly has my attention. Doing a 3 week trial run in August to prove to HR it's a reasonable option, as well as check out various different areas to determine where I want to rent. Primary though is Lovina, away from the manbuns and cross legged eaters of Ubud, as well as the surfer debauchery or Kuta. And close to a beach.

 

[Markit]

I think you're confused. Digital nomad (in the making) myself. Hate smoothies, and manbuns, despise roommates and earn enough (working 8-12 hours a day) to not need them... Probably would be fairly nocturnal though, as to at least partially sync with my office I'll be stuck working 3-11p. Though I'd rather have pork and rice than a hipster taco any day of the week.

The supposed new 5 year digital nomad visa certainly has my attention. Doing a 3 week trial run in August to prove to HR it's a reasonable option, as well as check out various different areas to determine where I want to rent. Primary though is Lovina, away from the manbuns and cross legged eaters of Ubud, as well as the surfer debauchery or Kuta. And close to a beach.

Check out Karangasem in the Candi Dasa area - much nicer than Lovina. Better ocean, cooler people and better climate (not so hot and dry with lots of sea breezes) IMO.

 

[sakumabali]

I can't be longer in Lovina than 2 hours hot, boring, the ocean looks boring w/o waves; oh no...

did I mention it's boring?

 

[OrangeDragon]

I can't be longer in Lovina than 2 hours hot, boring, the ocean looks boring w/o waves; oh no...

did I mention it's boring?

Boring is sort of what I'm after. Peace and quiet, time to focus on my hobbies and work without distractions. It's 101F with 60% humidity where I am today.... Define hot.

 

[OrangeDragon]

Check out Karangasem in the Candi Dasa area - much nicer than Lovina. Better ocean, cooler people and better climate (not so hot and dry with lots of sea breezes) IMO.

I'll check it out, thank you.

 

[JackStraw]

I think you're confused. Digital nomad (in the making) myself. Hate smoothies, and manbuns, despise roommates and earn enough (working 8-12 hours a day) to not need them... Probably would be fairly nocturnal though, as to at least partially sync with my office I'll be stuck working 3-11p. Though I'd rather have pork and rice than a hipster taco any day of the week.

The supposed new 5 year digital nomad visa certainly has my attention. Doing a 3 week trial run in August to prove to HR it's a reasonable option, as well as check out various different areas to determine where I want to rent. Primary though is Lovina, away from the manbuns and cross legged eaters of Ubud, as well as the surfer debauchery or Kuta. And close to a beach.

This guy gets it. Not many like you I'm afraid but welcome nonetheless. you will flourish here.