Becoming a Digital Nomad in Indonesia: The Essentials to Get Started

Are you thinking about working remotely from Indonesia, in Bali or somewhere else? This article helps you choose the right residence permit, understand what it allows and forbids, plan for taxes and health coverage, and then prepare your arrival: address, bank account, phone, housing, internet and transport. It follows the order in which you will encounter these topics.

The Essentials at a Glance

• The E33G "Remote Worker" visa grants a one-year KITAS and requires at least $60,000 in annual income from foreign sources^[1].
• It cannot be renewed from within Indonesia: you must leave the country and apply again^[1].
• The VOA and B211A are not residence visas^[2]; working for a foreign employer on a tourist visa is a criminal offense^[3].
• The E33G is an immigration status, not a tax benefit^[4].
• Beyond 183 days within a 12-month period, you generally become an Indonesian tax resident^[4].
• The public BPJS Kesehatan scheme is not open to tourists or short-term nomads^[5]; it does not cover medical repatriation^[3].
• A nomad can spend between $800 and $2,000 per month in Bali, depending on lifestyle^[6].
• Riding without the correct license category can void your insurance^[7].

Visas and Right of Stay: What Exists for Remote Work

The permit designed for remote work is the E33G visa, known as the "Remote Worker" visa. It was launched in April 2024: it is a one-year residence permit for employees or contractors who work remotely for an employer registered outside Indonesia^[8]. It grants a one-year KITAS^[1].

The Requirements

• Annual income of at least $60,000 (about €55,000), coming exclusively from a foreign source: an employer or clients outside Indonesia^[1].
• Bank statements showing at least $2,000 over the last three months, a passport valid for at least 12 months, and a recent photo^[8].
• An employment contract, or proof of freelance income from abroad^[1].

The officially announced government fee is $150, plus roughly $300 to $800 in agent fees if you go through an intermediary^[8]. Spouses and children may obtain a linked dependent KITAS^[8].

No Renewal On Site

The E33G cannot be renewed from within Indonesia: you must close it, leave the country and apply again from abroad^[8]. Plan for this trip and this waiting period from the start.

Other Ways to Enter the Country

The VOA (30 + 30 days) and the B211A (up to 180 days) are not residence visas^[2]. For a French passport, the visa on arrival grants 30 days, extendable by another 30 days^[9]. Many nomads chain B211A visas or do "visa runs," but this practice is tolerated, not guaranteed: immigration may refuse entry if it judges that you are in fact residing in Indonesia^[2].

On the procedural side, long-stay visas (including the E33C or the Second Home Visa) are handled through the Indonesian consulate responsible for your country of residence, or through the online portal of the Directorate General of Immigration^[10]. Rules change and private websites contradict each other, for example on whether a visa is designated E33C or E33G: check the conditions and fees on the official Indonesian immigration portal before taking any step^[11].

Work Status: Employee of a Foreign Company or Self-Employed

The E33G is primarily intended for employees or contractors who work for an employer based outside Indonesia^[8]. If you are freelance, the required documents are proof of income from abroad^[1].

The visa is meant for remote work for an employer registered outside Indonesia^[8] or for clients located outside Indonesia^[1].

To work for an Indonesian employer, the only route is a work KITAS obtained by the employer^[3], based on a foreign worker utilization plan (RPTKA) that it must have approved^[12].

The Golden Visa is not a shortcut: it allows you to invest and run your own business, but it prohibits being employed and paid by an Indonesian company^[3].

Signing a local contract has another consequence: if you are enrolled in the French Social Security system, you stop contributing, and your pension quarters stop accruing^[3].

Taxation and Tax Residency

A remote work visa tells you nothing about your taxes, and this is the most common mistake^[1]. The E33G is an immigration status, not a tax benefit: the tax law provides no direct exemption for its holders^[4].

The 183-Day Rule

You become an Indonesian tax resident if you spend more than 183 days within any 12-month period. This test applies to any rolling 12-month window, so splitting a stay across two calendar years does not help^[4]. The days do not need to be consecutive^[13].

There is a shortcut: arriving during the tax year with the intention of living there makes you a resident without counting days, and a long-stay visa with an annual lease in Bali are typical evidence of such intent^[4]. The E33G is issued as a temporary residence permit, which the tax authority may interpret as an intention to reside^[4]. Residency can therefore begin on arrival, not on day 184^[4].

The Tax Rates

Resident tax rates are progressive, from 5% to 35%, after a basic deduction^[1].

The Four-Year Regime

A regime limiting tax to Indonesian-source income for four years exists, but it is reserved for expert profiles (science, technology, mathematics) and requires an application to the tax authority^[4].

If you are approaching the 183-day threshold, have your situation reviewed by a tax advisor who knows the tax treaty between Indonesia and your country^[13].

Health and Insurance

The national JKN/BPJS scheme is not open to tourists, visit visa holders, or short-stay digital nomads. Enrollment generally requires a KITAS/KITAP and at least six months of legal residence, typically sponsored by an employer^[5]. E33G or Second Home Visa holders can enroll voluntarily, subject to official residence and a guarantor, for about IDR 600,000 to 1,000,000 per month in Class 1^[8].

BPJS does not cover the private clinics where expatriates typically receive care, nor medical repatriation, which remains the biggest expense in case of a serious accident^[3]. Expatriates therefore turn to the private sector, with groups such as Siloam in Jakarta and Bali^[5]. These facilities usually require payment in advance or a deposit if you do not have adequate international health coverage^[5].

There is no social security agreement between France and Indonesia^[14]. In practice, private international health insurance is nearly mandatory^[14]. Choose a policy that covers emergencies, routine care, and your higher-risk activities such as diving^[15].

Arrival Steps: ID, Address, Bank, Phone

On arrival, some visas require you to report to the local immigration office to register your residence permit, generally within 7 to 14 days of entry^[10].

Bank Account

Opening a bank account in Indonesia requires a valid KITAS, which is impossible with a simple tourist visa^[14]. For a remote worker on an E33G, the most practical approach is to keep existing accounts for everyday spending and open a local account only if needed, for example for rent and utilities^[14].

Phone and SIM

Indonesia requires your phone's IMEI to be registered with customs if you use it for more than a few months^[15]. You have 60 days from arrival to do so with Bea Cukai, but only if you did not do it at the airport^[15]. All SIM cards must also be registered with your passport (tourists) or your KITAS (residents); without registration, the card is blocked within a few days^[16].

Accommodation

In Bali, budget a few hundred euros a month for a studio or a coliving room, up to about €700 for a one-bedroom villa with a pool, depending on the area and the season. Annual contracts cost less than the monthly rate^[2].

Factor into your cash flow that rent is often paid several months, or even a year, in advance^[13]. Rent for one month before committing to a year: noise, rainy-season flooding and mobile network quality can only be judged on site^[13].

Cost of Living

A digital nomad can spend between $800 and $2,000 a month in Bali, depending on accommodation, food and leisure^[6]. Bali is no longer as cheap as it was ten years ago: popular areas like Canggu, Seminyak and Ubud now have accommodation and Western-style dining prices close to some European cities^[11].

Yogyakarta, Lombok or a mid-sized city in Java remain much cheaper^[13]. Plan a buffer for health insurance, visas and unexpected costs.

Internet, SIM Cards and Coworking

Telkomsel offers the best coverage, and eSIMs are available from Telkomsel and XL^[16]. In nomad neighborhoods, 4G is enough for video calls, and coworking spaces offer more stable fiber; keep a portable hotspot as a backup^[16].

Cities and Regions

• Canggu: the digital nomad hub, with coworking spaces, surfing and yoga, but noisy and the most expensive^[8].
• Ubud: no beach, the cultural heart, surrounded by rice terraces and yoga studios^[8].
• Sanur: quieter, popular with families and long-term expats^[2].

For a first setup, Bali and Jakarta offer the best infrastructure: international schools, private hospitals, visa agencies and expat associations^[13].

Transportation

In Bali, a scooter is almost essential. You need to obtain a local license (SIM C) and learn basic safety rules^[15]. For a short stay, you need your physical national license plus an International Driving Permit that includes the motorcycle category: riding without the correct category can void both your rental insurance and your travel insurance^[7]. Only rent a two-wheeler with a license valid for its engine size^[9].

Install transport apps before you arrive^[9]. Between islands, ferries and planes take over; passenger trains exist mainly in Java, and there are none in Bali, Lombok, Flores, Kalimantan or Papua^[7].

Language, Integration and Community

In Bali's expat areas (Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud), English is enough for everyday tourist life^[14]. A few basics of Bahasa Indonesia still make integration easier^[10]. Bali has a strong community of expats and digital nomads, concentrated in Canggu and Ubud^[6].

Indonesia is a multi-faith country where the vast majority of the population is Muslim: dressing appropriately is recommended to avoid offending Indonesian sensibilities^[17]. Local religious rites deserve respect across the entire territory; if in doubt, check with local authorities^[17].

Pitfalls, Scams and Points of Caution

• Working remotely on a tourist visa: performing paid work, including online work for foreign clients, under a VOA or B211A is an offense punishable by deportation and a ban on entry^[10]. Checks have multiplied in Canggu and Seminyak, and no verbal arrangement will protect you^[3].
• Visa and taxes: the E33G does not exempt you from tax, and tax residency can begin on arrival^[4].
• Visa runs: chaining B211A visas is tolerated but not guaranteed; entry may be refused if immigration considers that you are effectively residing in the country^[2].
• BPJS: it is not open to short stays^[5] and does not cover repatriation^[3]. Without suitable insurance, a hospital stay in a private clinic can cost several thousand euros^[11].
• Driver's license: riding without the correct category can void your insurance and turn a minor accident into a very costly bill^[7].
• Drugs: possession, from as little as 0.2 g, is punishable by prison and very heavy fines; trafficking can carry the death penalty^[17].
• Rules that keep shifting: private websites contradict each other on the visa name (E33C or E33G)^[11]. Check the requirements and fees on the official immigration portal^[11].

Steps, in order

• Check your eligibility (foreign-source income, contract or proof of income) and plan your budget^[1].
• Get international health insurance and gather bank statements, contract, passport and photo^[8].
• Submit your E33G application through the official channels^[10].
• On arrival: register your stay permit, open a bank account if needed, and get a SIM and IMEI^[10].
• Choose your city after a one-month trial rental before signing any long lease^[13].
• Track your days of presence and consult a tax advisor before you approach 183 days^[13].

These benchmarks help you choose the right visa and prepare your departure. They do not replace the details of each procedure, file by file, nor a budget set out item by item, nor the choice of a neighborhood in Bali or elsewhere: to truly settle in, these are the points where you need to go further.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you work remotely on a tourist visa?

No: doing paid work on a tourist visa is a criminal offense in Indonesia, see the section on pitfalls. The B211A is not a residence visa^[2]; to work remotely legally, the appropriate permit is the E33G, intended for people who work remotely for an employer registered outside Indonesia^[8].

Can a freelancer obtain the E33G?

Proof of freelance income earned from abroad is accepted among the supporting documents^[1].

Can the E33G be renewed locally?

No, see the section on the visa.

When do you become a tax resident?

See the section on taxation: the 183-day threshold over 12 months can be triggered earlier by an intention to reside.