Digital nomads will gain access to a broader species Internet connection in Bali (Indonesia) thanks to an agreement between Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Elon Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink.
The Indonesian government’s vision is to increase internet connectivity in rural areas where mainstream providers are not present due to geographical issues.
“The President will launch Starlink with Elon Musk in hopes of facilitating communications in remote areas,” said Maritime Affairs and Investment Coordinator Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia and consists of more than 17,000 islands, including Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra and the most famous, Bali.
The introduction of Starlink is expected to be a game changer for the country’s 275.5 million residents and the thousands of tourists who can now travel around the country without losing connectivity.
“On the one hand, we want to increase internet speed. On the other hand, we strive for a fair distribution [of internet connectivity] because we still find it difficult to connect remote regions,” said the minister.
The satellite-powered internet provider is planned to start activities in the country on Sunday, May 19.
Bali will host this same weekend the 10th World Water Forum (WWF)for which Elon Musk himself is invited to give a speech.
“The President and Elon Musk will inaugurate Starlink, which will facilitate communications in remote areas. This will happen on Sunday (May 19).” Pandjaitan revealed on Tuesday.
But this is not the only big news for expats and digital nomads in Bali.
The country also has one “Transitional residence permit” (Bridging Visa) aimed at residents living in the area with a Golden Visa, a Limited Stay Visa E28 AF and a number of student visas that require periodic renewal.
In the past, foreigners were required to leave the country and wait about two months before their new visa was granted, causing all kinds of inconveniences and unnecessary costs.
“A Transitional Stay Permit allows foreigners to save time, energy and accommodation costs that would otherwise be incurred if foreigners had to leave Indonesian territory to apply and wait for approval for a new visa,” said Director General of Immigration Silmy Karim.
If you need to apply for this Transitional Residence Permit, please submit your application to https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/at least three days before your current visa expires.
This visa is valid for 60 days and is intended for use within Indonesia.
