Indonesia has announced the launch of a new 10-year second home visa. The new visa category will allow foreigners with over $130,000 in the bank to apply for a 10-year temporary residency permit for Bali and other popular destinations. There are hopes that this will help attract high earners, retirees, and highly skilled digital nomads to invest in building a life in Indonesia.
Anyone on a second home visa can live anywhere in Indonesia. Most of those who will take up the opportunity to invest in a second home visa will live in international hotspots like Bali, Jakarta, and Lombok. The visa will attract a new community of people to Bali and, the government hopes, trigger growth in less international areas of the country where investment would bring positive development.
The second home visa is available for five or ten years, and applicants must prove that they have IDR 2 billion in the bank, today’s equivalent of approximately USD 130,000. According to Acting Director General for Immigration, Widodo Ekatjahjana, the new visa ‘immigration policy is one of the non-fiscal incentives that can be a stimulus for certain foreigners to stay and contribute positively to the Indonesian economy amidst increasingly dynamic global economic conditions’.
He continued to explain, ‘Towards the implementation of the G20 Summit, today we officially launched the second-home visa. The goal is to attract foreign tourists to come to Bali and other diverse destinations’. The visa category is similar to that found in Costa Rica and Mexico, that makes it easier for international citizens to reside outside of their native homes for long periods of time.
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The new visa category forges another option for affluent digital nomads or remote workers who wish to reside in Indonesia long term. This, alongside the B211a socio-cultural visa, is being viewed by some as the complete digital nomad package of visas. However, the Department of Immigration confirmed a few weeks ago that the long-term digital nomad visa is still in the pipeline.
The launch of the new visa was celebrated in Canggu yesterday. Those in attendance included Widodo Ekatjahjana and the Bali Office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Anggiat Napitupulu. It was a telling sign that announcement was made in Canggu, an area that the central and provincial governments are touting as the epicenter of the digital nomad and investment community in Indonesia.
Ekatjahjana told reporters ‘the target of this policy is foreign tourists who have money to enjoy their old age coming to Bali and other destinations in Indonesia. This is a stimulant policy given by immigration in the midst of economic recovery and a dynamic global economy.’ The visa costs just IDR 3 million (USD 192); according to the Indonesian Department of Immigration website, the visa allows foreigners to ‘carry out various activities, such as investment and other activities’.
Though seeking employment within Indonesia would still require a KITAS. It also states that the visa is for ‘foreigners or ex-Indonesian citizens who want to stay and contribute positively to the Indonesian economy’.
In the press release, Ekatjahjana invites tourism industry actors to Bali since collaboration with all stakeholders is essential for a better tourism environment than before. The application process is all done online. The web-based application can soon be completed at the imigrasi.go.id website, and there is not too much paperwork to produce.
Applicants must submit a copy of their passport with a minimum of 36 months validity remaining and proof of funds. They must submit a recent color photograph and a copy of their CV. What hasn’t been discussed publicly is whether the CV submission is simply a formality for record-keeping at the Department of Immigration or whether the contents of the applicant’s CV play a role in the decision-making process.
The Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Bali, Anggiat Napitupulu, told reporters that the new visa would offer more choices for those who wish to reside in Bali. He said, ‘So far, when they look for VoA, it feels very irresponsible because the validity period is very short. So through this policy, we attract those who have capital, global businesses, and elderly tourists from various countries to enter Indonesia’.
The visa will officially launch 60-days after this announcement, with more information on the policy set to be shared in due course. Therefore, applications are not yet open on the Immigration website.
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Pamela
Sunday 20th of November 2022
So vague…what about Pensioners who have Contracted land/ homes made a life & Done everything required. Told Welcome Retire in Indonesia on Pension visa..have adhered to Law..spend our money contributing to Bali s economy No mention of Pension Visas ? Many of us Through Covid were ones helping Balinese buying then food,paying for Dr s & Medicine ,School payments ,wifi for school online …supporting our Indonesian friends in need in crisis . Why have we not been considered & our daily contribution to Indonesian President economy. There will be big World Recession in 2023. Sounds like this New Visa System has not been thoroughly Thought Out enough.
Pak Shorty
Wednesday 2nd of November 2022
It will mean bugger all.
There's still to be the details/requirements to be set out, but I think it's safe to assume they'll be similar to those currently needed for KITAS and KITAP.
The time factor - 5 or 10 years means nothing. We all know people that have been living, retiring..here for years using the B211. No onerous requirements, a quick trip to Singapore every 6 months.
KITAS gives you the right to own your house and vehicle and after 5 years you can convert to KITAP.
The inhibiting factor is not visas.
Foremost is the security of title on where you live. Not being able to buy freehold is a bullshit cop out. In most of Southeast Asia foreigners cannot own land/property.
The problem is the failure of the Balinese/Indonesian legal system to recognise and enforce rental/leasing agreements.
Tied to this are the length of leases and compensation for capital developments made during the lease period. Landowners already benefit by the increased land value, and in most cases the lessee paying the outgoings. Why shouldn't there be compensation clauses to cover development. I'm aware, as I'm sure others are of end of term leases where the tenant demolished the improvements as they could reach agreement on fair compensation.
Over development and the abject failure of Bali governance to fix and upgrade infrastructure.
The twisted, duplicated, seemingly irrelevant and let's be honest backhanders that have to be paid, made, and submitted. Why can't there be a simplified central authority you apply to, and then they have to chase up bupatis, polisi.....
etc, etc, etc....
To me this is just another brain fart like the internet workers visa, Disneyland at Balian, train line from the airport to Seminyak, the North Bali Airport, making Bali a sporting hub....
Most prompted by the upcoming G20 meeting, upcoming elections.....
Reminds me, which intellectual pygmy has ordered and carried out the removal of Babi Guling signs in the G20 area?
Paul G
Friday 28th of October 2022
why would I sell off my interest offshore to buy a property & retire in Indonesia when 1. in 10 years, the Indon gov’t may change policy & not allow renewal of my retirement visa & 2. the property deveoper choose not to renew my land lease with the local gov’t & I am evicted; as was the case recently with Indah Puri Batam. No government protection for foreigners (& in this case locals neither)
Yuoku
Saturday 29th of October 2022
@Paul G, don't forget about massive loss on your deposit through devaluing currency. Just this month IDR has dropped 4%. You can forget that $130K after 10 years, and regulations will be changed overnight again.
Jimbo
Friday 28th of October 2022
"recovery and a dynamic global economy"...yeah right, just wait another 4 months and see the state of the US/EU after winter. China isn't doing so well either, we got a bunch of lunatics destroying the world economy by any asymmetric warfare available, food/energy prices are soaring worldwide, and it's one minute to midnight thanks to the new nuclear doctrine of the nutcases of the Pentagon that now advocate for the use of "tactical nukes" on the battlefield. Middle class of the usual nations of tourists visiting Bali is getting wiped out, so apart from a few wealthy folks who's gonna come to Baaalii?
Yuoku
Saturday 29th of October 2022
@Jimbo, the good old Australian bogans. Will go to Kuta, buy Bintang shirts, get drunk on beer, buy bracelets on the beach, as before. They love dishing out money every step of the way.
Wayan Bo
Thursday 27th of October 2022
Anyway it’s great joke, with $130k can live on much better places too.
Wayan Bo
Friday 28th of October 2022
@Randy, for sure not, and they who have it wouldn’t be coming to Indonesia for sure.
Randy
Friday 28th of October 2022
@Wayan Bo, do you think people have 130 K at their disposable in general at anytime ? The world is facing an economic downturn.