Indonesia has recently introduced long-term visas for wealthy investors on Bali, as officials focus on "high-quality tourism". Photo / Jernej Graj, Unsplash

Indonesia’s delayed ‘Golden Visa’ plans for high-value tourists have been renewed, with ministers saying that the new visa category will be in place by the end of the year.

The new visa category aims to be an entry route for international visitors to make an extended stay to the islands. It was imagined with Bali and its legions of “digital nomads” and expatriate business owners in mind.

After some delay, Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, told a press conference on Monday that the Golden Visa would be in place by the end of 2023.

“We want to make sure that the Golden Visa offer is attractive for foreign tourists to invest and stay longer in Indonesia. We hope for certainty [on a launch date] before the end of the third quarter.”

It is separate to Visa on Arrival (VOA and e-VOA) schemes, and the Bali Sun said international visitors would soon be able to apply for a “residency-by-investment style visa”.

The visa, which was expected to be in place by June this year, was announced while Indonesia was hosting the 2022 G20 Bali summit. These Golden Visas would give non-citizens the right to enter the country for a period of between 5-10 years and own property in Bali.

The minister said the Golden Visa would offer a fast-track to citizenship and was part of a goal to create 4.4 million new jobs in Indonesia’s creative sectors by 2024.

The cost or application timeframe is not clear for the Golden Visa, however some of the other proposed investment visa types, such as the Second-Home Visa, come with extremely high financial commitments.

The residency-class permit, aimed at retirees and investors, requires proof of income and a bank statement with at least 2 billion rupiah (over $200,000) in savings. It has a validity of 5-10 years.

Bali and Indonesia’s tourism review

The delay in publishing details of the Golden Visa was attributed by the Bali Sun to Indonesia’s “policy adjustments” with regards to international tourism.

A recent crackdown on visa regulations has seen a focus on international visitors abusing visa terms.

Last month five foreign nationals were deported due to offences, including overstaying visas and abuse of residence permits.

“We hope that with the formation of the Bali Becik Task Force, the level of violations of laws and norms by foreigners in Bali will decrease,” director general of immigration Silmy Karimhe said in a statement.

The deportations came as Balinese officials established a new task force to oversee immigration controls, threatening to revoke the visas of any visitor whose behaviour was thought to be in violation of their visas.

The tourism task force will be reviewed at the end of the year, remaining in place until December 31.