Foreigners who have lived in Indonesia for years or decades are anxious about new visa rules that will kick in later this month, which require retirees to hold substantial funds in the country.
The government has issued a circular telling holders of retirement stay permits to convert to the so-called second home visa, but many in the expat pensioners community say they do not have the assets needed for the new visa type and worry about their future.
“Immigration officers are uncertain how to interpret the new regulations, which increases the stress on people seeking accurate information,” said Russell (not his real name), a 72-year-old Australian retiree living in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.