Indonesia is introducing a new digital nomad visa to entice more remote workers to come and work in the country. The new model is meant to incentivise digital nomads to work from popular destinations like Indonesia’s island of Bali.
According to Euronews, Indonesia’s tourism minister Sandiaga Uno said the new permit was part of a move away from sunseeker tourism towards a more sustainable model.
“In the past, the three S was: sun, sea and sand. We’re moving it to serenity, spirituality and sustainability. This way we’re getting better quality and better impact to the local economy,” Uno told Bloomberg.
What is Indonesia’s new digital nomad visa?
Valid for five years, the visa will allow remote workers to live in the country tax-free, as long as their income comes from businesses that are based outside Indonesia. It is meant to be a simple solution for those who want to work in the country. A new, more streamlined application process system and more flights to and from the country, aims to lure people to the island nation.
According to News18, something similar was in the works since 2021 but the government had to put the plans on pause due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases within the borders. Now that the cases are subsiding, the government has decided to curb several restrictions. As a result, the digital nomad visa seems like hitting the iron while it’s hot.
“Now with the pandemic handled and all ministries getting involved and cooperating from the health side to the immigration office, we believe that this is an opportune time to relaunch this idea,” said tourism minister Uno.
For the moment, digital nomads looking to reside in Indonesia can apply for a temporary visa. Indonesia has a visa on arrival system that is valid for 30 days. A tourist visa can be renewed to last up to 60 days and a business visa, which can be extended to 180 days.
