Minister of Tourism in Indonesia: Visa discussion for remote workers is nearing completion

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno, has announced that discussions on an electronic visa for remote employees (also known as digital nomads) are entering their final stage. According to him, conditions are being negotiated with various ministries and institutions.

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"We want them to stay longer in Bali," emphasized Sandiaga Uno. The head of the tourism agency expressed hope that Bali becoming a working area for digital nomads will have a positive impact on the local economy, taking into account expats' spending on housing, food, and medical care.

The visa is planned to be valid for five years. Other details about the visa conditions and its cost have not yet been released. If this happens, this visa will become the longest visa for digital nomads among the 33 countries that have already introduced similar visa programs.

According to the minister's forecast, 1.1 million foreign tourists will take advantage of the visa. This number represents 25-30% of the total number of travelers who arrived on the island before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy already stated the need for a long-term or "second home long-term visa" with a validity period of five years. At that time, it was announced that a deposit of two billion Indonesian rupiahs would be required to obtain it.

Bali's rise as a hub for digital nomads dates back to 2015 when Michael Craig, a software specialist from Perth who founded Clue, a multi-million-dollar software development company, opened an internet cafe near Eco Beach in Changgu. In 2019, according to Nomad List, a website that lists more than 2,300 of the most popular "nomadic" destinations in the world, Changgu topped the list of the most attractive places for remote workers. Bali has dozens of places for co-working and living, fairly stable internet, a favorable climate, and a relatively low cost of living, which expats appreciate.

Sources: travel.detik.com/travel-news/d-6152321/update-terbaru-visa-digital-nomad-masuk-tahap-akhir-nih, antaranews.com/berita/2963489/sandi-dukung-bali-jadi-kawasan-workcation-dengan-visa-digital-nomad, travel.kompas.com/read/2022/06/28/175929527/visa-digital-nomad-masuk-tahap-akhir-pembahasan