Bali, Indonesia, is a spectacularly popular destination for digital nomads due to its beautiful beaches, lush forests, and friendly locals.
Understandably, many want to stay there longer, so we will explore the best Bali Digital Nomad Visa options.
There are many reasons to choose Bali as a digital nomad, ranging from affordability to Instagrammable scenery to the overall setup for accommodating remote workers. Some people even come for the digital nomad community itself that has sprung up in Bali.
If you are involved in location-independent living and have travelled anywhere with a large concentration of digital nomads, you will have heard all about the merits of Bali in some detail. The infrastructure is superb with fast internet speeds and many cafes, coworkings and colivings that have been designed for those who need reliable internet and high-quality workspaces.
The cost of living in Bali is relatively low so it is possible to live on this island paradise for less than it would cost to live in most western countries. Even the increase in prices that has come with more popularity hasn’t stopped Bali from being very competitively priced for those earning their living in dollars, euros or pounds.
There are many beautiful places to live in Bali and most people live in shared villas with varying costs and degrees of luxury. Some of the villas with swimming pools can be much more expensive than those without.
One of the best places for digital nomads to spend time in Bali is Canggu. It has excellent internet connectivity, and there are many coworking and cafes where you can set up your laptop and get to work.
The local economy of Canggu has changed to accommodate this influx of remote workers, and many businesses have opened that cater specifically to this market. There are many local technology companies and places to buy technology and accessories, as well as a vibrant digital nomad nightlife scene.
If you aim to pursue a surfing lifestyle, there are some excellent beaches for this, including Echo Beach and Batu Bolong beach which are incredibly popular with surfers. .
For those looking to explore their spirituality, Ubud is a perfect destination. There are yoga retreats aplenty, and being in the middle of such greenery is sure to be inspiring. The scenery here is lush and green, and as an inland paradise, it is a beautiful place to come and find community with like-minded people.
Ubud is an entrepreneurship hub and while it lacks the level of nightlife in Canggu, it more than makes up for it with the amount of activities such as mastermind sessions and workshops that are available to attend.
There are healthy food options to suit every lifestyle choice, and vegans and people who follow a gluten-free diet are particularly well catered to here. There are acai and poke bowls aplenty, as well as many traditional Balinese dishes to try.
Like Canggu, Seminyak is a beach resort and is perfect for those who want to lie and sunbathe in their downtime. This is one of the most tourist-focused places in all of Bali, so it does mean that it can get very busy at many points in the year.
Like Canggu, there are many coworking places and excellent nightlife opportunities. However, the internet can be slightly worse than in other parts of the island due to infrequent power cuts that sometimes knock out access. If you need to be constantly connected to the internet during your working day, this is something to consider.
Indonesia recently launched a remote worker visa that is aimed at business people and tourists. It is explicitly not for anyone making income from companies and businesses inside Indonesia, including Bali.
The remote worker visa is also known as the E33G Visa and is aimed at people who are employed by international companies.
This visa allows people to stay in Bali for up to a year at a time. During that time, you can come and go as you please, entering and leaving as needed.
There are some requirements that you must meet in order to be eligible for the visa, and the most important of these are:
You must be able to demonstrate that you are employed by a company that is registered in a country outside Indonesia and that you don’t undertake work for companies located inside the country.
You can do this by showing a copy of your contract of employment with the international company that employs you.
You must earn at least $60,000 annually or the equivalent in your local currency.
This is to ensure that you can support yourself in Bali and that you can boost the local economy while you are there.
It is a higher threshold to meet than is asked for in many countries, and it may be prohibitive for many.
However, it does ensure that only those who are making a significant income are able to meet the requirements.
You must also be able to prove that you have had at least $2,000 in your bank account for the last three months.
This shouldn’t be a problem for most people who are making $60,000 per year, but they want to make sure that you have this money available when you arrive.
If you are self-employed, it may still be possible to take advantage of this visa, but only if you are set up as a company structure and have become an employee of the company.
Just being self-employed will not be enough, as they require proof of your contract with a company to issue the visa.
It costs $150 to apply for the remote worker visa, and this is a one-off fee that all applicants must pay, regardless of whether they are successful in applying.
International health insurance is also a requirement, so you aren’t placing an undue burden on the Balinese health services while you are there.
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