A Silver Lining
Indonesia’s famous attraction is well known for its history, beautiful beaches, arts and craft, and a popular destination for couples- Bali!
Around 60% of Bali’s entire GDP coming from the tourism sector was completely downtrodden due to the pandemic crisis all around the world. Not only Bali Covid-19 also entirely restricted the contact of people across the globe making it burdensome for the people to visit the places of their choice.
But as the situation has now come to a truce, Bali is now about to come up with an astonishing scheme to increase the growth of its tourism sector to boost its economy.
A shift in Work Culture
Due to Covid-19, there was a total shift in work culture which led to the birth of the work-from-home concept, the world went online in its entirety. Post-Pandemic, various firms continued with the digital work culture, which made various countries that are dependent on its tourism come up with a unique scheme to lure the travelers. Indonesia being such a country is about to come up with a unique five-year visa for digital nomads aiming to get longer-staying and higher spending visitors to its islands.
Status Quo
Presently, visitors can get a tourist visa for a maximum period of 60 days, or one can go through various legal hoops and can get a six-month temporary work permit. Anyone residing in Indonesia for a period longer than 183 days of a full year automatically gets bound to pay taxes and becomes a local tax resident. It is said that Bali-based Digital Nomads operate in a legal gray area because of the requirements of frequent renewal of visas every few months.
Bali’s Five Year Visa Program
The five-year visa program will soon qualify the Digital Nomads to get a visa that will be operative for five years without any requirement of repeated renewal of visa which will lead to an extended stay.
The indicated assures that there will be no tax on the income received or earned overseas. Visitors who are spared from taxation earned from overseas will lower the risk of double tariff, but will be bound to tax on the income earned from Indonesia. A visitor shall be exempt from the taxes enforced by the Indonesian government but will be taxed if income is earned within the country.
Indonesia’s digital nomad visa will also be longer than every other digital nomad visa, currently available in 33 countries, including Germany, Mexico, Barbados, and Estonia.
Also read: https://nomadlawyer.org/summer-of-2020-strawberry-picking-in-pancasari-bali/
Informational tips
So if you’re planning to visit Bali here are few important things which you should keep in your mind to ease out your way:
- Be respectful to locals and avoid fights.
- Make sure to carry an international driving license to Bali.
- Due to the lack of public transportation, scooters and motorbikes are the way to go in Bali.
- Don’t hire vehicles unless you have insurance.
- Try to keep cash as it is more acceptable to most of the local vendors.
- Don’t drink tap water.
- Don’t be scantily dressed as it is not acceptable to everyone around.
- Health insurance covering Covid-19 is a must.
Local Laws
Indonesia has zero tolerance for Drugs. Possession, trafficking or manufacture of any form of drugs is a serious offense. So don’t get involved with drugs in any form, you may land up in prison for violation of laws.
Vulgar dressing is not usually acceptable in Bali due to the religious nature of the place and conservative outlook of the natives. Especially when you’re planning to go to any religious place, strictly abide by their norms.
It is legally prohibited to buy, sell, kill, capture any protected wild animals or trade without a license.
Don’t get involved in purchasing, selling or trafficking illegal goods and gambling activities as it is illegal in Indonesia.
Travel And Don’t Stop!
Contributed by: Sanal Pillai
Law Student, Interning with NomadLawyer
Edited by:
Imtiaz Ullah
