A long-awaited visa that allows holders to stay in Indonesia for up to 10 years is finally here.
The second-home visa had been in the works since the ratification of the 2021 Job Creation Law – designed to attract investment into Indonesia.
Successful applicants of the second-home visa will be eligible to stay in Indonesia for 5 to 10 years.
While the second-home visa is applicable for foreigners who want to stay longer in any part of the country, the new permit was launched in Bali’s tourist hotspot of Canggu yesterday – signaling that the Island of Gods will be a key destination for second-home visa holders.
“The goal [of the second-home visa] is to attract foreign tourists to Bali and other [travel] destinations [in Indonesia],” said acting Director-General of Immigration Affairs of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Widodo Ekatjahjana at the launch yesterday.
The official said that the subjects of the new visa are foreigners or former Indonesian citizens who want to stay in the country and positively contribute to the economy. The visa holders, he added, may invest and/or work in Indonesia.
The head of the Bali Office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Anggiat Napitupulu, said separately that the second-home visa is expected to attract elderly tourists who, according to him, have the funds to stay longer for leisure.
“[…] VoAs (visa on arrival) are very short and not quite enough [in terms of stay length], while we know they have the capital,” said Anggiat, adding that the new visa opens up the opportunity for holders to spend more money in Indonesia.
Travel associations are expected to make the most of the second-home visa. Ussyana Dethan, a representative of the Bali Travel Agencies Association (ASITA), said that they appreciate the visa.
“We are waiting for more details for this new policy,” Ussyana said.
Applicants can go online to apply for the second-home visa. Among the requirements are a passport that is valid for a minimum of 36 months, and proof of funds in the foreigner’s Indonesian bank account or their guarantor’s valued at a minimum of IDR2 billion (US$128,246).
The application fee is IDR3 million (US$192.37), which one may settle outside Indonesia via online payment.
The new policy will be effective within 60 days after its launch, Widodo said.
EDITOR’S NOTE: CORRECTION. In the previous version, we wrote “proof of funds in the form of a foreign bank account or guarantor”. The correct one should be “proof of funds in the foreigner’s Indonesian bank account or their guarantor’s”. We apologize for the mistake.
