Most nomads researching Indonesia default straight to the E33G remote worker visa, which we covered in our Indonesia E33G guide. However, Indonesia also runs a separate, longer-term program for a different kind of applicant: the Indonesia Second Home Visa. It trades a one-year renewal cycle for up to a decade of stay. In exchange, it asks for real financial commitment rather than proof of freelance income. Here is how it actually works, based on Indonesia’s official e-Visa portal, and how it stacks up against the E33G.
What the Indonesia Second Home Visa Requires
According to the official Indonesian e-Visa website’s Second Home Visa page, the visa generally grants a stay of up to five years, extendable. The government fee is IDR 13,000,000. In addition, applicants must meet one of two financial paths within 90 days of arrival. The first path requires a US$130,000 deposit at an Indonesian state-owned bank, such as BNI, BRI, or Mandiri. The account must be in the applicant’s own name. The second path requires purchasing residential property in Indonesia, such as an apartment or house, worth at least US$1,000,000. The deposit is not a government fee. Indonesian immigration consultancies that process these applications describe it as remaining in the applicant’s own account. In other words, it can keep earning interest rather than being surrendered to the state.
Beyond the financial requirement, applicants generally need a passport valid for at least six months, a recent photo, a curriculum vitae, and a travel itinerary. No sponsor is required, which differs from several other Indonesian stay permits. In addition, the visa opens a path for family. Spouses, children, and parents of a Second Home Visa holder can apply for their own linked stay permits. However, that step comes after the primary holder’s visa is approved, not before.
Indonesia Second Home Visa vs the E33G Remote Worker Visa
The two programs generally solve different problems. In practice, the numbers make that clear once you put them side by side.
| Feature | Second Home Visa | E33G Remote Worker Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum stay | Up to 5 years, extendable | Up to 1 year |
| Government fee | IDR 13,000,000 | IDR 7,000,000 |
| Core requirement | US$130,000 bank deposit, or US$1M property purchase | US$60,000/year proven income, plus a foreign employment contract |
| Employer required | No | Yes, a company established outside Indonesia |
| Sponsor required | No | No (self-sponsored) |
| Family sponsorship | Yes, built into the program | Yes, since a December 2025 update |
In short, the E33G suits a working nomad with steady freelance or remote-employee income but limited savings. The Indonesia Second Home Visa suits the opposite profile. It fits someone with meaningful capital to park or invest, who wants a long runway without reapplying every year. The five-times-longer stay period is the Second Home Visa’s biggest practical advantage over the E33G’s annual cycle.
Who Actually Qualifies, and the Work Question
Here the primary holder’s terms are more favorable than many guides assume. Per the official FAQ, a primary Second Home Visa holder “can… work in Indonesia if eligible,” subject to meeting “the conditions of multiple residence permit activities.” The FAQ does not spell out those conditions in detail, so this is a conditional allowance, not a blanket right to work. A separate, prohibition applies elsewhere in the program, though, and it is easy to confuse with the primary holder’s terms. Family members can join under a linked Second Home dependent permit, such as a spouse, child, or parent. However, per Indonesia’s official dependent-visa FAQ, those dependents are explicitly “prohibited from working in employment relationship.” That restriction applies to dependents, not to the primary Second Home Visa holder. Because the primary holder’s “if eligible” language is not fully defined, do not assume any specific remote-work setup automatically qualifies. If your plan depends on a specific kind of work while on this visa, confirm the current interpretation with a licensed Indonesian immigration consultant first. The consequence of guessing wrong includes fines, deportation, or other legal charges, per the official FAQ.
In addition, the visa opens two paths some nomads overlook. First, holders can study in Indonesia under this permit. Second, long-term holders can eventually apply for Indonesian citizenship, if eligible under separate rules. However, that process involves its own distinct requirements, well beyond the scope of this guide.
The Tax Residency Question Applies Here Too
Our E33G guide covered a December 2025 tax regulation, PER-23/PJ/2025. It lets Indonesia’s tax office treat a long-validity stay permit as evidence of “intent to reside.” As a result, it can potentially trigger Indonesian tax residency well before the traditional 183-day count. The Indonesia Second Home Visa grants a stay permit of up to five years, well beyond that 183-day threshold. Therefore, this same regulation plausibly applies with even more force to Second Home Visa holders than to E33G holders on a one-year permit. Anyone considering the deposit route should treat the tax question as a planning issue from day one, not an afterthought. Indonesia can potentially tax a resident’s worldwide income, not just Indonesia-sourced income, subject to any relief available under a tax treaty. Individual outcomes vary considerably based on treaty relief, income source, and actual time spent in Indonesia. For that reason, confirm your specific position with a tax professional familiar with Indonesian rules before committing US$130,000 to a bank deposit.
How to Apply
Applications go through Indonesia’s official e-Visa portal at evisa.imigrasi.go.id. Once issued, the visa itself must be used within 90 days. However, this visa validity window differs from the actual period of stay granted. Check your specific visa document for the correct stay period rather than assuming they match. After entry, applicants generally have a further 90 days to complete their financial commitment. This means either placing the bank deposit or finalizing the property purchase, per the same official FAQ.
Before committing, compare this program against Malaysia’s MM2H, covered in our Malaysia MM2H visa guide. For example, MM2H’s Silver tier now sits at a lower US$150,000 deposit threshold, with different property and income rules. As a practical next step, budget for both the visa cost and a consultation with an Indonesia-licensed immigration lawyer before wiring any deposit. A lawyer can confirm the current work-abroad interpretation. In addition, a lawyer can check whether recent enforcement activity, detailed in our Bali immigration crackdown guide, affects your specific plans.
In addition, information in this guide is current as of this writing (July 2026), based on Indonesia’s official e-Visa portal. Deposit thresholds, fees, and eligibility rules can change. Confirm current requirements directly with Indonesia’s official immigration channels before applying. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Individual circumstances vary, so confirm your specific situation with a qualified professional.
FAQ
How much does the Indonesia Second Home Visa cost?
The government fee is IDR 13,000,000. Beyond that fee, applicants must also meet a financial commitment. In other words, this means either a US$130,000 deposit in an Indonesian state bank, held in the applicant’s own name. Alternatively, it means buying residential property in Indonesia worth at least US$1,000,000, per Indonesia’s official e-Visa website.
Can Second Home Visa holders work remotely for a foreign employer?
The primary holder’s official terms allow work “if eligible,” subject to conditions the FAQ does not fully define. This differs from the flat “prohibited from working” language that applies to dependents on a linked Second Home family permit, not to the primary holder. However, because the primary holder’s eligibility conditions are not spelled out, do not assume any specific remote-work arrangement automatically qualifies. Confirm the current interpretation with a licensed Indonesian immigration consultant before relying on it.
Is the Indonesia Second Home Visa better than the E33G for digital nomads?
It generally depends on your financial profile. The Second Home Visa fits someone with US$130,000 or more in available capital who wants up to five years of stay without annual renewals. In contrast, the E33G fits a working nomad with steady remote income of at least US$60,000 a year but without that level of savings. Therefore, neither program is universally better, since each targets a different financial situation.
Related Reads
- Indonesia Digital Nomad Visa (E33G): 3 Changes for 2026 — the working-income alternative to the deposit-based Second Home Visa.
- Malaysia MM2H Visa 2026: Tiers, Costs & Property Rules — a comparable deposit-based long-stay program in a neighboring country.
- Bali’s 2026 Immigration Crackdown: What Nomads Need to Know — the enforcement backdrop worth understanding before committing capital to any Indonesian visa.
Sources
- Directorate General of Immigration, Republic of Indonesia, official E-Visa portal, Second Home Visa FAQ (primary applicant)
- Directorate General of Immigration, Republic of Indonesia, official E-Visa portal, Second Home Visa Dependent (Family Member) FAQ
- Direktorat Jenderal Pajak (Indonesia Directorate General of Taxes), Peraturan Direktur Jenderal Pajak Nomor PER-23/PJ/2025