Most first-hand reports shared here ended in success.
Based on 1 first-hand report shared by the community — 1 reported success — for residence in Indonesia. Reviewed for 2026.
Indonesia: residence options for digital nomads and remote workers. It is outside the EU and a residence destination for remote workers, freelancers and financially independent expats, offering a progressive personal income tax, with a comparatively low cost of living. Its overall suitability as a base is rated medium.
Remote Worker Visa (E33G KITAS) — a digital-nomad visa. It requires proof of income of about €55,200/year. 1-year validity, renewable. ~10 days processing. Family: Dependent status for spouse/children not officially confirmed by DGI (verify with imigrasi.go.id).
Second Home Visa (E33 KITAS) — a passive-income (retiree) visa. It requires an investment from 130,000 (Blocked deposit of IDR 2 billion (~USD 130,000) in an Indonesian state bank, OR property purchase >= USD 1,000,000 under Hak Pakai title.). 5-year validity, renewable. ~21 days processing, counts toward permanent residence after 3 years. Family: Spouse, children and parents on dependent permits of equal validity; no separate financial test for family..
Retirement KITAS (E33F) — a residence permit. It requires proof of income of about €33,120/year. 1-year validity, renewable. ~14 days processing, counts toward permanent residence after 5 years. Family: Spouse and dependent children typically included on dependent KITAS..
Path to permanent residence and tax. Most routes count toward permanent residence after about 3 years of legal residence, after which citizenship can usually be pursued. On tax, Indonesia offers a progressive personal income tax; eligibility for any preferential regime should be confirmed case by case.
What applicants report. Members have shared 1 first-hand report. reported timelines include about 2 to 4 weeks for digital approval. common friction points: the official eVisa portal is slow and often fails during final visa payment options. practical tips: double check that your remote work agreement clearly isolates your employer's non-Indonesian jurisdiction; use high quality scans of your passport. Treat this as community orientation, not a guarantee.
Bottom line. For most remote workers the Remote Worker Visa (E33G KITAS) is the natural fit; those living off a pension or investments lean to the Second Home Visa (E33 KITAS). Weigh visa renewals and banking access alongside the tax picture before committing.
Each residence route with its requirements. Set your situation to see which routes fit you.
Min income~€55,200/mo
Investment
Validity12 mo · renewable
FamilyDependent status for spouse/children not officially confirmed by DGI (verify with imigrasi.go.id)
Processing~10 days
Health insurancenot required
Government fee€395
TaxThe 183-day rule triggers worldwide-income tax residency. A 4-year territorial exemption on foreign income exists only for approved STEM/expert KITAS holders (Law 7/2021, PMK 18/2021) — most remote workers do NOT qualify. No work for Indonesian entities.
non resident foreignerapproved1 voice · early signal
Digital nomads share experience applying for the E33G KITAS remote worker visa online. Some applied independently, while others recommend agency support to avoid portal payment issues and speed up the final issuance of the document.
Conditions: only applicable online, must have foreign employer with zero local entities
Watch out: many applicants prefer hiring an agent (paying around 9-12 million IDR + $150 USD) to ensure smooth document upload
Tips: double check that your remote work agreement clearly isolates your employer's non-Indonesian jurisdiction · use high quality scans of your passport
last seen 2024-09-20aged
Investment€130,000 · Blocked deposit of IDR 2 billion (~USD 130,000) in an Indonesian state bank, OR property purchase >= USD 1,000,000 under Hak Pakai title.
Validity60 mo · renewable
Path to PR~3 yrs
FamilySpouse, children and parents on dependent permits of equal validity; no separate financial test for family.
Processing~21 days
Health insurancenot required
Government fee€730
Tax183+ days triggers worldwide-income tax residency. Passive lifestyle residents generally do NOT qualify for the 4-year STEM territorial exemption, so foreign income is likely taxable; treaty relief may apply. Indonesia does NOT allow dual citizenship.
FamilySpouse and dependent children typically included on dependent KITAS.
Processing~14 days
Health insurancerequired
TaxRetirement KITAS holders become tax residents (183-day rule); foreign pension income is in principle taxable worldwide (treaty relief may apply). Standard retirees do not qualify for the STEM territorial exemption.
