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Indonesia & Bali Digital Nomad Visa: E33G vs. Second Home Visa Explained
13 min read · Last checked July 2026
Search "Bali digital nomad visa" and you'll find two programs described as if they're interchangeable: the Second Home Visa and the E33G Remote Worker Visa. They're not the same thing, they have wildly different requirements, and picking the wrong one wastes months. Here's the actual difference.
The Second Home Visa is not primarily a digital nomad visa — it's a long-stay wealth visa aimed at retirees and investors. The E33G Remote Worker Visa is the one actually built for remote employees and freelancers. A lot of older articles online still conflate the two.
E33G Remote Worker Visa — The One Most Nomads Want
Launched April 1, 2024, the E33G ("Visa Rumah Kedua Pekerja Jarak Jauh") is Indonesia's genuine answer to the digital nomad visa trend — built specifically so remote workers can legally live in Bali (or anywhere in Indonesia) while working for clients or an employer based outside the country.
E33G Requirements
- Employment contract showing a minimum salary around $5,000/month (~$60,000/year) from a company registered outside Indonesia
- A maintained bank balance of at least $2,000 — this is a separate requirement from the income proof, not an either/or
- Employment contract or freelance client agreements showing the income is foreign-sourced
- Valid passport and standard visa application documents
- Health/travel insurance covering your stay
E33G Application Steps
- Gather proof of remote income (contracts, invoices, or employer letter) meeting the ~$5,000/month threshold, plus proof of the $2,000 bank balance.
- Submit your application through Indonesia's official immigration portal (evisa.imigrasi.go.id) or through a licensed immigration agent.
- Pay the government fee (~Rp 7,000,000).
- Wait for VITAS approval — typically 2–4 weeks for offshore applications.
- Enter Indonesia and, if you want the physical KITAS card (rather than just the e-Visa), complete the KITAS conversion — a separate step requiring an in-person biometric appointment, typically taking about 14 business days.
The E33G is not automatically renewable in the way some other visas are. When it approaches expiry, the practical reality reported by immigration agents is that you file a brand-new E33G application from scratch — essentially exit-and-reapply — rather than a simple extension. There's no cap on how many times you can do this as long as you keep meeting the requirements, but budget the time and paperwork for a full reapplication each year, not a quick renewal form.
Second Home Visa — Not Really a Nomad Visa
The Second Home Visa launched in late 2022 with a much longer validity period (5–10 years) but a steep proof-of-funds requirement — around $130,000 in savings or Indonesian property. It was never really designed around the working-nomad use case, and most digital nomads find the E33G a far more practical fit. Second Home holders can work remotely for foreign employers in practice, but the visa itself doesn't explicitly grant a work permit, and it does not allow any income-generating activity inside Indonesia.
Which One Should You Apply For?
- Working remotely with a foreign employer/clients and want the straightforward path → E33G Remote Worker Visa
- Have $130k+ in savings, want a much longer visa, and don't mind the bigger upfront capital → Second Home Visa
- Just testing out Bali for under 6 months → a standard tourist visa or B211A is simpler than either
Taxes for Both Visa Types
Indonesian tax residency is based on physical presence, not visa type: non-residents staying under 183 days in a 12-month period pay no Indonesian income tax on foreign income. Stay longer than that and you become a tax resident, generally taxed at a flat 20% rate on Indonesian-sourced income (foreign remote income treatment can vary — this is genuinely a consult-an-accountant situation once you're planning to stay past 183 days).
Official Resources
Visa requirements and fees change — this guide reflects our research as of July 2026. Confirm current figures with Indonesian immigration (Imigrasi) or a licensed visa agent before applying.