Bali’s Recent Launch Of 5-Year Multi-Entry Visa Raises Concerns Among Digital Nomads

The introduction of a five-year multiple-entry visa for travel and business has been announced by Indonesia’s Ministry of Immigration.

This significant step is a part of Director General of Immigration Silmy Karim’s mission to update Indonesia’s immigration laws for foreign nationals.

The new D1 Visa falls under the category of transit, family visitation, and tourism visas. The successful applicants will be able to visit Indonesia for up to 60 days at a time over a five-year period.

The Department of Immigration’s information has not specified how closely the 60-day windows can be used consecutively.

The IDR 15,000,000 visa fee must be paid online in Indonesian Rupiah to the Department of Immigration.

Holders of this visa are permitted to participate in meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions. As an alternative, holders may engage in tourism-related activities and pay visits to friends and relatives in Indonesia.

While in Indonesia, holders of a visa are required to abide by all national and local laws and regulations, respect the customs, culture, and have enough money for living expenses.

Although this is a feasible option for digital nomads whose income is generated online and from activities conducted online or outside Indonesia, visa holders are not allowed to conduct income-generating work or business in Indonesia.

“Staying in Indonesia over the period of your stay permit, engaging in prohibited activities, not complying with visa conditions, and/or not complying with Indonesian laws may result in you paying fines, being deported, and/or other legal charges,” said the Department of Immigration.

“You are prohibited from selling goods or services” and “you are prohibited from working in an employment relationship with an individual or corporation in Indonesia,” they added.

Before applying for a D1 visa, it’s important to keep in mind that you’ll need to provide a valid passport (at least six months), evidence of at least USD 2,000 in living expenses, a recent color photo, and additional documentation. 

The extra paperwork that is needed is either “Information, invitations, or correspondence from government agencies or private institutions that explain the relationship with the applicant.”

As an alternative, candidates may submit a “Statement letter from the spouse or parents explaining the family relationship with the applicant and the activities to be carried out in Indonesia, attached with a family card / similar document.”

Visitors to Bali who already have connections with Indonesians may request that friends and family write a letter on their behalf.

Travelers are strongly advised to stay away from fraudulent and scam visa agent services, especially when doing so online, and to only work with visa agents who have personal recommendations. 

Travelers can apply for arrival visas, second home visas, and all other categories of temporary stay visas on the only official Indonesian Immigration website, https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/.