Digital Nomads in Bali on the E33G: What You Can (and Can't) Do on a Remote Worker Visa in 2026

Living in Bali on the E33G remote worker visa? What the permit allows day to day, where nomads slip up with local clients and collabs, and what's next for tax.

Walk into any coworking space in Canggu, Ubud or Uluwatu and you'll find people on calls with London, Sydney or San Francisco. Many of them are in Bali legally on Indonesia's E33G Remote Worker visa, the closest thing Indonesia has to a digital nomad visa. But a one-year permit is not a blank cheque. Immigration expects your daily life to match what the permit was issued for.

This guide is about life on the E33G: what it lets you do, the everyday habits that quietly break it, and what the government said in 2026 about taxing remote workers. (If you're still checking whether you qualify, start with our E33G Digital Nomad Visa page.)

The E33G in 60 seconds

According to the Directorate General of Immigration's official E33G page, the E33G lets you stay in Indonesia to carry out work for a company abroad for one year, with extensions possible online through evisa.imigrasi.go.id. The key facts:

No sponsor needed. You apply yourself, with no Indonesian guarantor.
Income test: bank proof of salary or income of at least US$60,000 a year, plus an employment contract with a company established outside Indonesia.
Living funds: a bank statement covering the last three months with at least US$2,000.
Official fee (PNBP): Rp7,000,000 for a one-year stay. That's Rp500,000 for the visa, Rp2,000,000 verification, Rp3,000,000 for the limited stay permit (ITAS) and Rp1,500,000 for the re-entry permit.
Processing: five working days after payment is received.
Use it or lose it: the visa must be used within 90 days of issue. Your ITAS and re-entry permit are issued automatically when you're cleared at the immigration checkpoint.

(imigrasi.go.id E33G; Imigrasi Ngurah Rai E33G guide)

What you CAN do on an E33G in Bali

The official guide published by Ngurah Rai Immigration describes the E33G as a way for foreigners to live in Indonesia while continuing their careers and receiving pay from a company based abroad (Imigrasi Ngurah Rai). In practice, that covers the everyday nomad routine:

Working remotely for your overseas employer, from your villa, a café or a coworking space.
Travelling in and out of Indonesia while your re-entry permit is valid. It's multiple-entry, so a work trip to Singapore or a visit home doesn't end your stay.
Tourism and recreation: surfing, diving, island-hopping, yoga classes as a student.
Visiting friends or family, and social and cultural visits.

(imigrasi.go.id E33G; Imigrasi Ngurah Rai)

What you CAN'T do (and where nomads slip up)

The official page is clear: E33G holders may not overstay, do work that doesn't match the permit, or sell goods or services, except where that's needed for the job they were approved for (imigrasi.go.id E33G). The Ngurah Rai guide goes further. It says holders are strictly prohibited from local work paid by individuals or companies in Indonesia, and that breaking these limits can lead to deportation and an entry ban (Imigrasi Ngurah Rai).

Here's where that tends to catch people out:

1. "Just one local client"

You're a designer or developer paid by a company in Berlin, and a Bali restaurant asks you to redo its website. If an Indonesian business pays you, that's local work, and the E33G doesn't cover it.

2. Selling services to other expats

Running paid yoga sessions, surf coaching, photo shoots or coaching calls for people in Bali is selling services in Indonesia. A nomad visa isn't a business licence.

3. Content-for-perks "collabs"

Indonesian immigration has said that barter arrangements, such as posting in exchange for free stays or meals, count as work (Jakarta Globe). A remote worker permit doesn't change that.

4. Assuming the ITAS protects you whatever you do

Between 26 and 30 October 2026, Ngurah Rai Immigration deported a Russian national holding a Remote Worker ITAS after finding him involved in prostitution. He and six other deportees were placed on the entry-ban list. Office chief Muhamad Novyandri said enforcement covers both whether foreigners' activities match their stay permits and whether their travel documents are valid (detikTravel). A valid permit only covers the activities it was issued for.

Tax: the question every nomad asks

The E33G is an immigration permit, not a tax ruling. Indonesian tax residency follows its own rules.

An article on the website of Indonesia's Directorate General of Taxes explains that a foreigner becomes a domestic tax subject if they're in Indonesia for more than 183 days in a 12-month period (the days don't need to be consecutive), or are in Indonesia within a tax year with the intention to reside. Documents listed as evidence of that intention include a limited stay permit (ITAS), a limited stay visa valid for more than 183 days, and residential rental contracts. Domestic taxpayers must report worldwide income (DJP / pajak.go.id).

Rules may also change. In August 2026, Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko said immigration is reviewing work visas and considering new tax rules for foreign digital nomads, in a joint study with the Directorate General of Taxes. "They are physically in Indonesia, but their jobs are abroad," he said. Formal policy updates will come once the studies are finished (ANTARA; ANTARA Mataram). As of this writing, no new rule has been announced, so the current rules still apply. Speak to a tax adviser who knows both countries before you assume you owe nothing.

A small perk: the Bali levy

Foreign tourists pay a one-time Rp150,000 Love Bali levy, but KITAS holders are exempt if they show their card (Love Bali FAQ). Keep your permit handy at checkpoints.

Practical tips for E33G holders

Keep all your income foreign. Your employment contract and pay should come from a company outside Indonesia, and your bank records should show it.
Say no to local gigs and barter deals unless you switch to a visa that covers them.
Enter within 90 days of your e-visa being issued. If you don't, you'll have to apply again.
Diarise your ITAS expiry and extend online well before it runs out. Don't leave it to the last week.
Renewed your passport? Get your stay permit moved to the new passport. A failed passport mutation got an Australian deported in the same October batch (detikTravel).
Count your days for tax. Track time in Indonesia and get advice before you pass 183 days.

Final thoughts

Bali is still one of the best places in the world to work remotely, and the E33G makes it legal for a full year without a sponsor. The deal is simple: earn from abroad, live and play in Bali, and don't sell your skills locally. Stick to that, keep your dates in order, and the permit works the way it's meant to.

Planning a year in Bali as a remote worker, or unsure whether a side project crosses the line? Contact the Bali Visa Hub team and we'll help you check your options.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Visa and tax rules change often, so always confirm current requirements with the Directorate General of Immigration (imigrasi.go.id) and a qualified tax adviser before you travel or change your plans.