Visa on Arrival, Fiscal Tax

Jan 24th, 2007, in Travel, by Patung

View the original article here.

156 Comments on “Visa on Arrival, Fiscal Tax”

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» Tax Reformasi - Blogger News Network Says:
August 9th, 2008 at 4:00 am
[...] in the reform package that may help broaden the tax base is the gradual phasing out of the hated Fiscal Tax. Currently all Indonesian nationals and all foreigners working in Indonesia are required to pay a 1 [...]
Jessica Says:
September 8th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Hi, I am travelling overseas from Australia this week. I am stopping overnight in Singapore on my way out.

Does anyone know if i will need to pay an arrival or departure tax?

And if so, can i pay in Australian dollars?

Appreciate your help

Jess
Rob Says:
September 8th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Jessica…

In Indonesia…

There is a visa on arrival service for Australians. It is payable at a desk on the way to the immigration counters. It depends on how long you are staying as to how much you pay. Generally, this is paid in either USD or IDR.

If you are a tourist then there is no Fiskal Tax to pay on departure.

You will have to pay an international departure tax of IDR 100,000. This is paid in IDR.

In Singapore…

The taxes are normally included in your ticket cost.

Hope this helps.
Pendaki Says:
November 10th, 2008 at 9:41 am
If you were indonesian citizen but you become foreign citizen after that, do you have to pay fiscal tax? Anyone can answer?
timdog Says:
November 10th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Pendaki – no, you would’t pay fiscal if you came to the country on a VOA, tourist visa, social or business visa with your foreign passport. You’d pay it, like everyone else, if you were on a stay visa.

On the other had, if you are still an Indonesian citizen but you live elsewhere, you’ll still pay fiscal even if you only come for a short holiday.

Last time I flew out of Jakarta I was standing in the queue at check-in; in front of me was a rather beautiful Arab girl from Dubai and her rather fat and ugly husband. Oddly, she was an Indonesian citizen. She had been born in Jakarta, and her parents were Indonesian citizens. However, she had left as a small child to live in here ancestral part of the world. She spoke no Indonesian, and had just made her first return visit to the country since she was a child, for a ten day holiday.
She had never heard of fiscal, and now discovered that as an “Indonesian” she was going to have to pay it…
“Allah! What a country!” said her husband, who, despite being fat and ugly, did seem quite cool; “I’ve never seen anything like it – money, money, money, for everything, and now money to leave the country!”
ET Says:
November 10th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Here’s an interesting reader’s letter which appeared in the latest Bali Advertiser.

Check that Visa Stamp before Leaving the Airport

“On Sept. 28th I entered Indonesia through Bali as I have dozens of times in the past, only to be shown a new twist in the Immigration game. As the Immigration officer paged through my well-used passport, he commented on my having just left the country and returned on the same day. This is commonly called a visa or passport-stamp run. As usual, when asked pointless questions by Immigration agreed, smiled, and looked away so as not to tip my rather nervous hand at any other questions thrown my way.
Next I heard him noisily stamp my passport and immigration card. He presumably folded the card in my passport and returned it to me. Relieved, I thanked him and continued my way to Customs. Usually I wouldn’t even give my immigration card a thought, but for some reason I checked it before entering the Customs area. No immigration card! I turned around and respectfully asked the officer where my immigration card was. He said I didn’t need it. When I uneasily reminded him that I always got half of it back with my stamp, he said that things had changed and I would need to fill out a new one when I left the country now.
I left him, but while clearing Customs I mentioned the incident to the Customs officer. The Customs officer said I needed to go back and get it or I would have a hard time leaving the country. I returned to the Immigration officer and repeated what the Customs officer had told me. He said for me to bring the Customs Officer to him. When I requested the Custom Officer’s assistance he indicated that he wouldn’t help me confront the Immigration officer.
Just then a young man came walking past us with an immigration card. I asked him to accompany me back to the Immigration officer to show him what I was missing. He went back with me. The obviously annoyed Immigration officer dismissed me by telling me that with a KITAS visa I don’t get a card, but I insisted that I had a business visa, not a KITAS and always got an immigration card.
Just then an older Immigration officer approached us and asked what the problem was. I explained and he said he wanted to see my passport stamp. When we looked in my passport I was totally surprised to find that the first Immigration officer not only kept my immigration card but he hadn’t stamped my passport on arrival. What in the world was he so busily stamping when he had my passport? When the older Immigration officer asked the first officer what had happened, the first Immigration officer said that I had never gone through his line. Now it was getting weird.
The older officer spoke very soothing to me and said he would get me a stamp but first we had to re-enter the holding area and fill out a new immigration card. I couldn’t figure why I had to fill out another when the first Immigration officer had mine right in front of him, but the older officer was re-assuring and I didn’t have much choice, so I filled one out. He then took it to the first Immigration officer and had him stamp it and my passport. I was happy just to get out of there with my stamp and only a 45 minute delay but I couldn’t help thinking about all the other ex-pats who would not be as lucky as I was.
Now I’m wondering what was the point of this little drill? No one asked me for money or anything. I wonder what would have happened to me when I tried to leave the country when my 60 days was up? From past experience I know that the fine is about Rp 100.000 per day for overstaying your permitted time. That works out to a Rp 6.000.000 fine. Anyway, I just wanted to let all your readers in on a new, sophisticated nuance in the passport stamp game.
Thanks for letting me unload. A smarter but worrieder ex-pat.”

Will this misery with Indonesian Immigration officials ever end?

Probably not.
pendaki Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
thanks a lot TIMDOG.. was sad story you wrote about that women..
my passport is european not indonesian anymore.. but my face still indonesian.. so i am affraid that they will look at my face then i must pay fiscal just couse my indonesian look. that women you wrote its makes me sure that the face play some roll on these madness to pay or not to pay the fiscal.
i think will talk in english with them.. if i talk indonesian i think they will be confuse and force me to pay fiscal.. like you said its always money money money in their heads..nothing else..

thanks again..
dragonwall Says:
November 12th, 2008 at 12:51 am
For this

Will this misery with Indonesian Immigration officials ever end

I think Yusril Ihza Mahendra knows better. He is the one that creates such a big mess.
Usually these are part of their trick in making one pay for not being attentive.

Remember the name of the immigration officer attending to you. Airports do have security cameras. Later when you were asked, then the problem created by that person could rather easily be resolve as their mistake.

I learn that in Canada when I enter the country they didn’t stamp on my passport and before I leave I approached an immigration officer and they told me it is okay.
Purba Negoro Says:
November 12th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Contrary to ludicrous anecdote above spread by the idiotic, lax, ignorant and incompetent- the Indonesian Arrival and Departure Taxation and VISA System is straightforward and easily comprehensible and easily accessible.

Furthermore- full details relevant to VISA, Visitor Arrival and Departure are easily available in all major languages- including Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Portuguese, Japanese Korean, English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch and French.

It’s simply a question of caring enough to be bothered to find it- obviously typing five words into “google” is too much like hard work for the lazy or plain stupid.

Perhaps if visitors bothered to learn a little of their destination country before waddling or staggering off the plane- they mi9ght not have so many self-created problems.

Here it is:

http://www.expat.or.id/info/docs.html

Not difficult at all- all that required was a tiny morsel of effort.
dragonwall Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Yes you are right again

Contrary to ludicrous anecdote above spread by the idiotic, lax, ignorant and incompetent-

Said once, said all.
ET Says:
November 16th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Purba Negoro

Contrary to ludicrous anecdote above spread by the idiotic, lax, ignorant and incompetent- blablabla…

Ludicrous anecdote? Want more? Here’s another one.

An expat friend of mine who lived here for almost 10 years needed a visa extension. According to the rules the normal extension on his visa lasts 30 days, counting from the day after the expiration of the last extension. Like he had done countless times before he had planned his return flight on the last day of this 30-day period. However, to his surprise he only got an extension for 29 days. When he complained with Imigrasi and asked why he got one day less, he got a blunt and brutal answer that the rules were changed. Upon this my expat friend inquired with his embassy which informed him that no rules had been changed and that an extension was still valid for 30 days. After he explained the problem they advised him however not to press the matter any further, as it was useless and inopportune for a foreigner to contest an Imigrasi official’s words. So in the end my friend paid 1 day overstay when he returned. Funny thing is all his subsequent visa extensions were valid for 30 days again.

So far for the constitutional state of Indonesia. or have Indonesian immigration officials never learned to count till 30, Purba Negoro?

I could tell a lot more stories about the times when they simply asked for money or hadiah at the airport, especially when they see a passport with already a lot of entry stamps.
Purba Negoro Says:
November 16th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
ET-
as I said- stupid and incompetent.
You prove it with your own anecdote:
“Planned his return flight on the last day of his visa. To his surprise “- in other words- “to the shock of usually pampered and blissfully ignorant puffed-up self-made Colonial Lord”…

Your friend is clearly the idiot- he counted the days wrong-
One day difference- it’s very clear who is entirely at fault- him.

What kind of idiot does something so stupid as this?
No matter which nation you always allow extra lee-way.

It states clearly so in all embassy literature- this moron just expected some cigarette money to accommodate his admitted incompetence.
And you expect us to believe somehow his embassy- let me guess- because it’s Western- somehow carries more weight than the law of the government of the nation he is GUEST in?

Self-created problem of idiots excused by self-important ignoramus as “corruption”- when the factual reality was they did not obey the rules.

Rules are rules- even for bule- it matters nothing how long he has stayed here- and I am sure his stay is filled with sordid illegalities very common for Westerner include.

Bule seems to think laws similar to which normally would apply to them at home do not apply for Expats (where he is puffed-up self-declared Lord of All He Surveys):

*not declaring residence or change of in timely manner
*not declaring marital status in timely manner
*failure to comply with local regulation
*numerous bureaucratic infractions
*illegality of residence and VISA
*drug consumption
*drug possession
*failure to wear seatbelt
*failure to wear helmet
*consumption of illegally imported goods
*possession of illegally imported goods
*possession of known illegal goods
*software piracy
and the very frequent intercourse with underage women.

Perhaps if he had not been such a typical self-righteous, self-important puffed up blustering buffoon – he may have actually conversed civilly with the officials and they would be able to explain to such simpletons as your friend how the counting system works.

Additionally, one day penalty is Rp 200,000 Rupiah- yes such a princely sum for Massa.

Proven Genius material- no nations’ bureacuracy would ever accomodate such foolish behaviour- without your offensive slander accusing corruption to excuse his stupidity

Pull your head back into line, bule- or lose it.
You are GUEST here- not colonial master- do not forget.
When you are here- you will obey the house rules- as we see fit to enforce them.

You not like it here? Go home. None will grieve.

There are special addresses Presidential invites for low grade buffoons you and your friend- such low grade, low rank plebeian like you and friends are ubiquitous.
monyetmerah Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Hi Timdog,

On the other had, if you are still an Indonesian citizen but you live elsewhere, you’ll still pay fiscal even if you only come for a short holiday.

Not always true, if you are an Indonesian citizen but also a resident of a foreign country, then you are allowed four-fiscal-free trips pa.

This is when you have to walked right to the end of the terminal, then queue up to obtain a form, filled them in a rush because you need to get to your flight, then queue up again to pass the completed form to the officials, then wait aimlessly until they call your name.

Then you just join the rest of the other queues, immigration, gate-security check, boarding etc.
Purba Negoro Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Pajak Fiskal and Visa is simple.

Visa on arrival all CASH US DOLLAR ONLY

Visa on arrival 7 days USD $15
VISA on arrival- 30 days- USD $30
- Visa Kunjungan (SosBud, Business…etc) valid for 60 days): USD 45
- Visa Kunjungan Beberapa kali Perjalanan (SosBud 12 months): USD 100
- Visa Tinggal Terbatas 6 months: USD50
- Visa Tinggal Terbatas 12 months: USD100
- Visa Tinggal Terbatas 24 months: USD175

Visa 60 day TOURIST- must be applied for in Indonesian Embassy of home nation

SosBud class Visa-
must be applied for in Indonesian Embassy of home country

In order to apply for a KITAS visa to Indonesia, your passport must be valid for:

* 12 months passport validity remaining to apply for a 6 months KITAS
* 18 months passport validity remaining to apply for a 12 months KITAS
* 30 months passport validity remaining to apply for a 24 months KITAS

Izin Masuk Kembali (for KITAS/KITAP holder)
Single exit: IDR 200,000
Multiple exit for 6 months: IDR 600,000
Multiple exit for 1 year: IDR 1,000,000
Multiple exit for 2 years: IDR 1,750,000
FISKAL:
Indonesian and residents of the Republic must currently pay a Rp. 1 million (approximately US$106) tax each time they depart the country via an international gateway.

They are allowed 4 inclusive FISKAL free departure/arrivals

All foreigner are not permitted to engage in social-political agitation, protest, unions, illegal assemblies, etc.

Rumours Pajak Fiskal are to be abolished are merely one submitted draft parliamentary bill- it will be defeated almost certainly.

Pajak Fiskal is a key source of revenue for Indonesia’s ports and is fair, equitable, applied equally across all strata/class/race/gender and means tested.
achmad sudarsono Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
how is Pajak Fiscal means tested ?
Finally Woken Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
On the other had, if you are still an Indonesian citizen but you live elsewhere, you’ll still pay fiscal even if you only come for a short holiday.

No, if you’re an Indonesian citizen and have lived abroad for more than 6 months, you need to get your passport stamped by the Indonesian embassy on your adopted country, so when you return to Indonesia for holiday you don’t have to pay fiscal tax. There’s a free-fiscal counter and you just need to show your Indonesian passport which has Indonesian embassy stamp and they will give you a card to confirm that you don’t need to pay fiscal.

Fiscal tax only applies to those who live and work in Indonesia. Tourist don’t pay fiscal tax. Nor the Indonesian citizen who already lives elsewhere.
Rob Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
PN…

The abolishing of the fiskal tax is to be a reality. I have written extensively on this elsewhere.

Indonesia offers a 12-month KITAS or a 5-year KITAP. The KITAS is now extendable every 12 months and does not require the holder to leave the jurisdiction to obtain a new visa. This means the visa run now only has to occur every 5 years. There are more technical provisions relating to KITAS and KITAP which would be lost on you in this post.

I am not sure fiskal is means tested. The assumption is generally, if you can afford international air travel you can afford the fiskal. There are exceptions to having to pay fiskal if you can prove that you are representing Indonesia in an international forum that will bring credit to the nation, or for certain education-based travel.

Anita is right with regard to expatriate Indonesian residents and the ease of the process.
ET Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Purba Negoro

Your friend is clearly the idiot- he counted the days wrong-
One day difference- it’s very clear who is entirely at fault- him.

No, no, no, he didn’t count wrong. His embassy checked and rechecked, and they clearly said Imigrasi counted it wrong. And, like I said, the following extensions were all 30 days.
But maybe for some Indonesians 1 + 1 is only sometimes 2, depending on their mood and what they can get as an extra bonus in the process.

What kind of idiot does something so stupid as this?
No matter which nation you always allow extra lee-way.

No matter what nation? Can you be more specific? How much lee-way? One day? Five days? Is this what Indonesians call jam karet?

And you expect us to believe somehow his embassy- let me guess- because it’s Western- somehow carries more weight than the law of the government of the nation he is GUEST in?

You seem to take this matter quite peronally. Taking your touchiness into account I don’t expect you to believe anything. but allow me to teach you one thing: civilized countries usually respect their GUESTS and don’t treat them like money spinners.

I’ll skip the rest of your moronic litany of alleged accusations. By now the participants in this forum will surely know to what extension they can take your rants seriously.

Pull your head back into line, bule- or lose it.
You are GUEST here- not colonial master- do not forget.
When you are here- you will obey the house rules- as we see fit to enforce them.

You not like it here? Go home. None will grieve.

There are special addresses Presidential invites for low grade buffoons you and your friend- such low grade, low rank plebeian like you and friends are ubiquitous.

Purba Negoro, you have a big mouth, and that’s probably all you’ve got. Your education with the Jesuits has proven to be a failure, and I bet you were a drop-out. It’s due to guys like you that your country, notwithstanding all its natural riches, still is a mess. Maybe you should call back the Dutch, and Indonesia might enjoy a new golden age.
timdog Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
@monyetmerah and finally woken – well that seems much fairer; but I suppose you need to know that this is the case in advance, which the Arab girl I met apparently didn’t…

@Purba Negoro – you do not need to get any of those visas you list in the “Indonesian embassy of your home country”; I’ve gotten 60-day tourist visa, 60 day business visa, and 12 month stay visa in Singapore, and I ain’t no Singaporean-lah…

And a “Kitas” is not a “visa”.
Not so simple, eh?
Rob Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
PN…

I am almost tempted to create an anonymous IM personality for myself as it seems like you are having a lot of fun pretending to be something you are not and slandering and defaming and threatening all and sundry because you think no one will care who you are.

This is a classic:

Pull your head back into line, bule- or lose it.
You are GUEST here- not colonial master- do not forget.
When you are here- you will obey the house rules- as we see fit to enforce them.

This says nothing positive about you and alludes to nothing positive about Indonesia. There is not a lot I see that is positive about you but there is a lot of positives that I see about Indonesia.

My alternate personality would see me pretending to be Indonesian and arguing against just about everything you say. Then again, I do not need to do this as there are plenty of Indonesians already doing this here who can out argue you without having to descend to the racial slurs and other obnoxious things you utter. It is always so much easier for you to make a racial slur or question someone’s sexuality, or call someone a colonial overlord than it is to sustain an argument.

I figure Patung must know who you are to allow you to continue to troll here and plough the depths of rudeness. I am all for the freedom of speech where it is used with an appropriate degree of responsibility.
Andy Says:
November 18th, 2008 at 2:14 am
PN-Pajak Fiskal and Visa is simple.

Visa on arrival all CASH US DOLLAR ONLY

Visa on arrival 7 days USD $15
VISA on arrival- 30 days- USD $30
- Visa Kunjungan (SosBud, Business…etc) valid for 60 days): USD 45
- Visa Kunjungan Beberapa kali Perjalanan (SosBud 12 months): USD 100
- Visa Tinggal Terbatas 6 months: USD50
- Visa Tinggal Terbatas 12 months: USD100
- Visa Tinggal Terbatas 24 months: USD175

This in itself is absurd. Why can’t they process in their own currency the rupiah? If they are going to use a currency which is not it’s own maybe they should allow other foreign currencies too. Much simpler to use rupiah as this is what people generally use and change to when in Indonesia. This idea only works if you are American but then maybe most Indos simply can’t tell the difference.
monyetmerah Says:
November 18th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Hi Andy,

This in itself is absurd. Why can’t they process in their own currency the rupiah?

Another example on how Indonesians have no confidence in their own currency. They are probably too scared that the currency will devalue so much that their projection of revenue will be off by a mile.
ET Says:
November 18th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Rob

I figure Patung must know who you are to allow you to continue to troll here and plough the depths of rudeness.

It’s not for me to speak in Patung’s name but I guess he has his reasons to allow this troll to continue spewing his verbal diarrhea in his blog. Purba Negoro unfortunately also represents an aspect – a dark and disgusting one – of Indonesia and is therefore useful for our education in how to deal with it.
fullmoonflower Says:
November 18th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
UU No. 36/2008 about Income Tax (Pajak Penghasilan) :

by 2009 => free Fiscal Tax for anyone under 21 years old, or already has a Tax Identity Number (NPWP = Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak)

by 2011 => free Fiscal Tax for everyone
dragonwall Says:
November 18th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
The word NPWP is their milking cow, so I guess not by 2011 the Fiscal Tax is free even though the government had announce the elimination of that.

Recently Darmin Nasution the Director General Pajak announce the use of NPWP as a basis for someone to legitimately buy foreign currency. In another words it will be at their discretion to or not to grant a person making foreign currency purchase.

Know what that means in Indonesian term?

CORRUPTION BIG TIME. COMING YOUR WAY.

Every moment of the day, there is someone, somewhere, somehow thinking of ways and means of milking the cow.

The cow will thus mean (Indonesian Government and the Chinese)
Purba Negoro Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 11:03 am
You tell me which nation you;re from and I’ll recount my experience with your embassies here and elsewhere.
They’re no different- no matter how much whitey pretends.

As per corruption- please where to start with the West.
How about Iraq?
Iran Contras?
Israeli nuclear secrets?

You are right though- a few dollars is very different to a few billion.
At least wit our corruption- no poor foreigner gets killed for first world greed.

So- now matter how much you may dislike it- every Third World nation has far higher moral ground than the waning Imperialist Colonials.

Maybe we”ll heed criticism from Scandinavia, the Swiss or the Germans- but the rest of you can shove it where the sun does not shine radiate from (despite whitey’s ingrained belief) and where you last found your cash/large rubber fist/drug balloon.

allow me to teach you one thing: civilized countries usually respect their GUESTS and don’t treat them like money spinners.

Ah, so… a thousand thank-you. So kind for great white enlightened colonial to teach such quaint effeminate superstitious savage. Ah, how so…

And which “civilised” nation is this?

The UK with its’ spiralling teenage pregnancies and teen stabbings? Trigger happy police gunning down anyone with brown skin and a beard?

Is this the same UK that invaded Indonesia in 1945 to steal the nation from its people?
The same on that imposed heavy IMF debts upon Indonesia?

Or US or the land of the penal- Ostraya.
Either way both guilty imperialists with shocking problems of their own with no better position to critique others.

Sorry nancy- your puffed-up little tirade complete with small penis joke completely ignores the fact that your parasitic colonial nation stole trillions in loot and when these nations were finally free of the colonial yoke- constantly interfere in their political processes to achieve economic lucrative/advantageous outcomes.

If you don’t already know that, you are yet another white syphilitic puffed-up delusional ignoramus enjoying his few moments in the limelight when he is not servant.

BY the way- judging by most bule and the gossip of bar girls and hookers- in addition to the abdominal liposculture so you can actually see where you aim, but the fish-cheese of your turtle-necks is not becoming and you don’t measure any better than a native.

That’s just yet another myth whitey likes to tell himself for his superiority complex. If a hooker tells you different- well money talks, doesn’t it.

We all know what social status and rank you whites have in your home nations- and it is never high.

You are as a rule the dispensable mid-skilled, middling wage middle-class suited drone desperate enough for a few extra dollars to be sent off to the colonies on errands by your multinational employers.

If you or any other white or worse still yellow skinned low-quality pleb find such issue with Indonesian- go away then.
No one asked you here aside from your employer.

Sorry- we still have our pride, unlike your quaint smiling singing plantations workers.

Sorry Rob- how rude for browney to shove whitey’s own medicine down his throat.
Racism, bigotry and racial/cultural abuse not so pleasant a fit on the other foot, hm?

Which imperialist colonial construct of the “exotic other” would be best suited for your fragile ego?

Bowing obseqious faithful servant?
Sorry I’m not Chinese.

Halus Javanese? That’s just wayang kulit/wong stylized characterisation- pity whiteys are too stupid to tell the difference and take everything literally from their phrase books.
The only halus Javanese are the women. Men are gagah.

Mamm-eh! Oh Lawdy Whitey dun told me I has a attitude. I so sorry Massa. Please don whip meh.
Where’s I get me some watty melons?
ET Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
You tell me which nation you;re from and I’ll recount my experience with your embassies here and elsewhere.
They’re no different- no matter how much whitey pretends.

Who are you to impose conditions? If you have similar experiences with other embassies or immigration offices then just expose them too. That’s the beauty and the power of the Internet, it all gets revealed.

And which “civilised” nation is this?

It doesn’t matter which nation it is, but what you maybe don’t know is that these days in most civilised “whiteys”-countries natives are brought to justice for using abusive and racist language such as yours with respect to people of other origin or skin colour.

The rest of your abreactions we already read a few hundred times. Try another psychotherapy, maybe a civilized western one.
Finally Woken Says:
November 20th, 2008 at 4:40 am
Rob and others, this reminds me something – although irrelevant with the topic here – is it true that expats don’t pay tax at all in Indonesia?

I know for some cases, at least my British friends don’t pay tax in their country AND in Indonesia.

And from what I’ve heard though, British expats in Australia must pay tax almost as much as at their home country. On the other hand, when I was working in Australia the government was milking me away even though I was a student and working for pocket money (I remember I got taxed about 40% although they returned almost all on the day I was about to return to Indonesia).

Care to share, anyone?
Rob Says:
November 20th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Anita…

I pay tax in Indonesia. It is my primary residence at the moment for tax purposes. I do not earn any Australian income. I have no bank accounts or property there and as such I am not required to pay any tax there.

I even have an NPWP for the purposes of verifying that I have paid and continue to pay my Indonesian taxes.
Oigal Says:
November 20th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
is it true that expats don’t pay tax at all in Indonesia?

\

Not true Anita (in the vast majority of cases anyway) I think the rumour starts because as part of the their “Package” a lot on companies pay the employees income tax on the employees behalf, therefore leading to the misconception that the expat does not pay tax.

In fact, in my case not only do I pay Income Tax in Indonesia, the Australian Government (even tho non resident) deems any income that I earn from investments in Australia to be taxed at the highest level as if I am working overseas I must be making a squillion dollars (not true).

I believe the US is even harder on its o’seas citizens?

As a counter question, is it true that less that 4% of the Indonesian Population pay personal income tax?