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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Australians should not assume they can work from Bali on a tourist visa—or that living there will automatically reduce their tax bill or expenses. Australian Government Smartraveller says work and commercial online content are not permitted on a tourist visa. The Australia–Indonesia tax treaty exists, but it does not decide an individual’s tax residence or liability. And there is no reliable evidence here that Australian nomads generally “make bank” in Bali.
Can Australians work remotely from Bali on a tourist visa?
No. Smartraveller says a VOA or e-VOA may be used for tourism, official government duties or business meetings, but not work. It also warns that research, volunteering and online content made for revenue, payment, sponsorship or other commercial purposes are illegal on a tourist visa. That warning applies even if the employer or audience is outside Indonesia; the advice does not offer a remote-work exception.
Smartraveller’s guidance puts it plainly: “It’s illegal to work, conduct research, volunteer, or post online content for revenue, payment, sponsorship or other commercial purposes on a tourist visa.” Check current Indonesian Immigration rules before travel, since entry conditions can change.
What the ordinary VOA/e-VOA covers
Smartraveller describes an ordinary VOA/e-VOA stay as 30 days, with one extension of up to 30 days. It also says travellers need an ordinary passport valid for at least six months from the planned date of entry and a return or onward booking. These are short-stay entry conditions, not permission to work remotely.
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Arrival card
Smartraveller says international passengers must complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card online within 72 hours (three days) before travel. Use the official government website rather than relying on an intermediary.
What visa do I need to work remotely in Bali?
The available information does not establish the current eligibility rules, permitted activities or official fees for Indonesia’s E33G remote-worker visa. A private visa agency’s list dated 2 January 2026 describes E33G as a one-year remote-worker stay, but that is not an Indonesian Immigration determination. Any prices on that list are the agency’s service prices, not government fees.
Before relying on any visa route, verify its current rules with Indonesian Immigration or an appropriately qualified adviser. Confirm that the visa covers the work you actually do—not just the label “remote worker”—and check its duration, extension rules, application location, eligibility and official fee. Do not treat a tourist VOA/e-VOA as a fallback work permit.
Will I pay tax in Australia if I live in Bali?
There is an Australia–Indonesia income-tax treaty, and Australian Treasury lists it as in force. The Multilateral Instrument has applied to the treaty since 1 August 2020. The treaty includes provisions covering independent personal services and dependent employment; some provisions use a 120-day condition in specified circumstances. That threshold is not a universal rule that settles every worker’s tax position.
The treaty does not by itself establish whether you remain an Australian tax resident, become an Indonesian tax resident, qualify for an exemption or owe tax in one or both countries. A visa label does not automatically make someone “tax free.” Your circumstances and current tax rules matter, so get advice based on your facts from a cross-border tax professional and check current Australian Taxation Office and Indonesian tax guidance.
Facts to take to a tax adviser
- How many days you expect to spend in each country and what residential ties you retain.
- Whether you are an employee or an independent contractor, and where your employer or clients are based.
- Where you physically perform the work and what your employment or client arrangements require.
- Which treaty provisions may apply to those specific facts.
How much money do I need to live in Bali?
No reliable, dated figure for Australians’ Bali living costs, remote-worker earnings or savings is established here. “Making bank” is a promotional phrase, not evidence that a typical Australian will earn more or spend less by moving there. A personal budget needs actual costs and income assumptions rather than a generic monthly number.
Build a budget around your own circumstances: housing and bills, food, local transport, flights, insurance, visa and application costs, taxes, and an emergency reserve. Confirm current prices directly before committing to a stay. Do not count an assumed tax saving or work permission as part of the plan until each has been established for your situation.
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What to settle before booking
- Confirm the work permission. Check current Indonesian Immigration requirements for a visa that covers your exact employment, freelance or online-content activity. Do not plan to work on a tourist VOA/e-VOA.
- Check entry conditions. Verify passport validity, onward travel and the current stay and extension rules for the route you intend to use.
- Resolve tax questions. Give a qualified adviser your expected days, residential ties, work location, employment status and employer or client arrangements.
- Price the stay honestly. Make a location- and lifestyle-specific budget, including travel, insurance, application costs and a contingency reserve. Treat income and savings claims as unproven unless they are supported by evidence relevant to you.
- Complete the arrival card. Follow Smartraveller’s instruction to submit the All Indonesia Arrival Card online within 72 hours before travel, using the official government site.
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