Visit Visa convert into a business visa?Need honest advice.

[Meemee]

I dont know nothing about Indonesia laws, way off living visas business market or anything but i want to move in a small peaceful Muslim country
I wanted to apply visit visa to come and research the market and if i want to convert my visit into a business visa?
I dont want to involve any agent or pay huge to a middle man and wanted to approach the local authorities directly
Where and how can i apply directly for small business visa?
What is the small and best business there to be successful?
How is the small restaurant ,Food cart business there?I am looking into fast food ,burgers,Noodles,Chines food?
What food is popular there beside there local dishes?
How many ppl can come and live there in one business visa?
Is there anyone kind enough to share the details and answer my questions above?
I want everything to be fixed by legal and easy way.
I will be really grateful for an honest and quicker respond as as possible
Thanks

 

[Samoerai]

My advice ... just visit Indonesia a couple of times with simple visas, like eVOA (30 days which can be extended online with another 30 days) or B211A (tourist visa 60 days which can be extended).
Use these visits to do some market research.
My observations:

1. Fast food market segment: lot of competition, very divers (Indonesian food, Chinese, ...Western), divers also in terms of small or chain business: from boots or stalls in the street (warung) to the food courts resto's in malls, small profit margins (if at all). You need to expand fast to secure and retain a piece of the fast food market. This market segment however is large if you target young people: 100 million young people in Indonesia.
2. Segment restaurants: lot of competition too. Very divers too: Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, India, ... restaurants. Target: middle to upper-middle class people. Profit margins also small. I see a lot of restaurants in the malls go bankrupt or move to other (cheaper) locations. The (fine dining) restaurants are large in numbers in Jakarta and in heavy competition: pay 1 and get 1 free. All you can eat formulas (but the drinks are high priced), coupons with 10-25% discounts.

And on top of this. You cannot just start a business here in Indonesia. The visa and kitas (= residence permits) are regulated. You need deep pockets.

 

[Helpful Herbert]

I dont know nothing about Indonesia laws, way off living visas business market or anything but i want to move in a small peaceful Muslim country
I wanted to apply visit visa to come and research the market and if i want to convert my visit into a business visa?
I dont want to involve any agent or pay huge to a middle man and wanted to approach the local authorities directly
Where and how can i apply directly for small business visa?
What is the small and best business there to be successful?
How is the small restaurant ,Food cart business there?I am looking into fast food ,burgers,Noodles,Chines food?
What food is popular there beside there local dishes?
How many ppl can come and live there in one business visa?
Is there anyone kind enough to share the details and answer my questions above?
I want everything to be fixed by legal and easy way.
I will be really grateful for an honest and quicker respond as as possible
Thanks

What you are proposing is both illegal and impossible. Also Indonesia is not a "Muslim country" and it is not a small country either.

 

[gemima]

I dont know nothing about Indonesia laws, way off living visas business market or anything but i want to move in a small peaceful Muslim country
I wanted to apply visit visa to come and research the market and if i want to convert my visit into a business visa?
I dont want to involve any agent or pay huge to a middle man and wanted to approach the local authorities directly
Where and how can i apply directly for small business visa?
What is the small and best business there to be successful?
How is the small restaurant ,Food cart business there?I am looking into fast food ,burgers,Noodles,Chines food?
What food is popular there beside there local dishes?
How many ppl can come and live there in one business visa?
Is there anyone kind enough to share the details and answer my questions above?
I want everything to be fixed by legal and easy way.
I will be really grateful for an honest and quicker respond as as possible
Thanks

Indonesia has millions of people already who want to start these sorts of businesses. They don't want to import more of them so have barriers to entry for this sort of idea - basically you need a huge capital investment to open a foreigner owned business - they don't want foreigners owning small businesses and who can blame them for that.

 

[pantaiema]

I don't know nothing about Indonesia laws, way off living visas business market or anything but i want to move in a small peaceful Muslim country

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world. It is the country with the largest Muslim population, but it is not officially a Muslim country (e.g not an Islamic state)

I wanted to apply visit visa to come and research the market and if i want to convert my visit into a business visa?

As others have recommended, arrive with an extendable short-term visitor visa, such as one for 30 or 60 days, which can be extended up to three times, and conduct your own survey and research and you take it from there.

I dont want to involve any agent or pay huge to a middle man and wanted to approach the local authorities directly

Then you need to invest time to conducting both market research and exploring business opportunities, as well as finding a residency option that permits those activities.

Where and how can i apply directly for small business visa?

There are two things to consider here: residency and business registration, including paying taxes.

For residency, you need to apply through the official immigration website,e.g molina or eVisa. To set up a company in Indonesia, you will require an investor visa, such as the E28B Golden Visa for Individual Investors forming a company. This visa is available for either 5 or 10 years. For instance, with a five-year visa, you must establish a company in Indonesia with an investment value of at least USD 2,500,000 within 90 days of entering the country. Therefore, it's not exactly suited for a small business.

There is also other routes available such as via general investment with minimum share ownership of IDR 10b.

What is the small and best business there to be successful?
How is the small restaurant ,Food cart business there?I am looking into fast food ,burgers,Noodles,Chines food?
What food is popular there beside there local dishes?

Indonesia is a very vast country. So the answer to this will be geographically dependent. It depends on where you want to live and run your business. As stated previously, generally, market research is essential. However, given the minimum investment requirements, I wouldn't classify it as a small business. There are a few foreigners becoming street vendors selling items, food on the streets illegally. When get caught they will be deported. A few of them have been deported.

How many ppl can come and live there in one business visa?

The information above, it is specifically for yourself. However, you can sponsor others later.

Is there anyone kind enough to share the details and answer my questions above?
I want everything to be fixed by legal and easy way.
I will be really grateful for an honest and quicker respond as as possible
Thanks

I have provided a legitimate approach and an honest answer in line with government regulations.

 

[jstar]

I am looking into fast food ,burgers,Noodles,Chines food?

Millions of these already…
And many franchises of Carls Jr and Kebab joints and Subway go terribly wrong.

What food is popular there beside there local dishes?

Fried chicken KFC with rice, that’s what they want.

 

[Pak Tani]

For those who are confused about what a muslim country is (from my friendly AI):

A Muslim country is generally defined as a nation where the majority of the population identifies as Muslim. Here are some key points:

Islamic Law: Many Muslim countries implement aspects of Sharia law in their legal systems.
Cultural Influence: The culture, traditions, and values of these countries are often heavily influenced by Islamic teachings.
Diversity: Muslim countries can be diverse in their practices and interpretations of Islam, ranging from Sunni to Shia beliefs, as well as various cultural practices.
Examples of Muslim-majority countries include:

Saudi Arabia
Indonesia
Pakistan
Egypt

Any reasons why you consider Indonesia not a muslim country?

 

[Helpful Herbert]

It's not difficult to understand.
Although Indonesia has an overwhelming Muslim majority, it is not an Islamic state, but constitutionally a secular state whose government officially recognizes six formal religions. The primary philosophy of Indonesia is the pancasila not islam, which in any case is interpreted in loads of different ways.

 

[Pak Tani]

It's not difficult to understand.
Although Indonesia has an overwhelming Muslim majority, it is not an Islamic state, but constitutionally a secular state whose government officially recognizes six formal religions. The primary philosophy of Indonesia is the pancasila not islam, which in any case is interpreted in loads of different ways.

A muslim country and an islamic state are clearly two different things.
Indonesia fits the description of a muslim country. However it is not -like you mentioned- an islamic state.

 

[Meemee]

Hi there

Thank you so very much for a detailed and thorough respond.I really appreciate that alot. Thanks

My advice ... just visit Indonesia a couple of times with simple visas, like eVOA (30 days which can be extended online with another 30 days) or B211A (tourist visa 60 days which can be extended).
Use these visits to do some market research.
My observations:

1. Fast food market segment: lot of competition, very divers (Indonesian food, Chinese, ...Western), divers also in terms of small or chain business: from boots or stalls in the street (warung) to the food courts resto's in malls, small profit margins (if at all). You need to expand fast to secure and retain a piece of the fast food market. This market segment however is large if you target young people: 100 million young people in Indonesia.
2. Segment restaurants: lot of competition too. Very divers too: Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, India, ... restaurants. Target: middle to upper-middle class people. Profit margins also small. I see a lot of restaurants in the malls go bankrupt or move to other (cheaper) locations. The (fine dining) restaurants are large in numbers in Jakarta and in heavy competition: pay 1 and get 1 free. All you can eat formulas (but the drinks are high priced), coupons with 10-25% discounts.

And on top of this. You cannot just start a business here in Indonesia. The visa and kitas (= residence permits) are regulated. You need deep pockets.

My advice ... just visit Indonesia a couple of times with simple visas, like eVOA (30 days which can be extended online with another 30 days) or B211A (tourist visa 60 days which can be extended).
Use these visits to do some market research.
My observations:

1. Fast food market segment: lot of competition, very divers (Indonesian food, Chinese, ...Western), divers also in terms of small or chain business: from boots or stalls in the street (warung) to the food courts resto's in malls, small profit margins (if at all). You need to expand fast to secure and retain a piece of the fast food market. This market segment however is large if you target young people: 100 million young people in Indonesia.
2. Segment restaurants: lot of competition too. Very divers too: Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, India, ... restaurants. Target: middle to upper-middle class people. Profit margins also small. I see a lot of restaurants in the malls go bankrupt or move to other (cheaper) locations. The (fine dining) restaurants are large in numbers in Jakarta and in heavy competition: pay 1 and get 1 free. All you can eat formulas (but the drinks are high priced), coupons with 10-25% discounts.

And on top of this. You cannot just start a business here in Indonesia. The visa and kitas (= residence permits) are regulated. You need deep pockets.

 

[Meemee]

What you are proposing is both illegal and impossible. Also Indonesia is not a "Muslim country" and it is not a small country either.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.Thanks

 

[Meemee]

Indonesia has millions of people already who want to start these sorts of businesses. They don't want to import more of them so have barriers to entry for this sort of idea - basically you need a huge capital investment to open a foreigner owned business - they don't want foreigners owning small businesses and who can blame them for that.

Thanks for your thoughts. As i told i know nothing about this country.Can you plz share a rough idea how much some one required to set up any kind of a small business?
I will also appreciate if some one chime in with ideas what business will be a good to settled there?

 

[Meemee]

For those who are confused about what a muslim country is (from my friendly AI):

A Muslim country is generally defined as a nation where the majority of the population identifies as Muslim. Here are some key points:

Islamic Law: Many Muslim countries implement aspects of Sharia law in their legal systems.
Cultural Influence: The culture, traditions, and values of these countries are often heavily influenced by Islamic teachings.
Diversity: Muslim countries can be diverse in their practices and interpretations of Islam, ranging from Sunni to Shia beliefs, as well as various cultural practices.
Examples of Muslim-majority countries include:

Saudi Arabia
Indonesia
Pakistan
Egypt

Any reasons why you consider Indonesia not a muslim country?

Hi Pak Tani
Thanks for sharing appreciate your respond.This question was not for me or my kids.I am well settled where i live and have no plan to move any other country but trying to help some ppl i know who are suffering can advice them to take a right path.The family back home who i adore and wanted to help those families young kids.I assume we share same back ground and same school of thought you might better understand the global economy issues back home with our loved one
kindly share if there is any small business, skilled job opportunites out there for young boys who are dealing with a Government corruption ,injustice and so many issues with their finances and safety.I have heard this is a safe and peaceful country to live but not sure
What is the best way in Indonesia to start these young boys/girls life with all hard work and energy and live safely with a good future and hope?
What kind of a small business (obviously not with a huge amount)can be start?
***I have watched tons of youtube videos about this culture country and their ppl and found them nice non racist and humble community so thought guide a family i know if can go set up a respected business and settled their legally and safely .
Any further advice will be so appreciated.Thanks in advance

 

[Meemee]

Plz be kind and humble No rude respond or any comment will be appreciated
*So i was enquiring online and found this forum and so glad so many ppl generously shared their honest advice here .Thanks again
Let me share I was approached with some one who is already settled in Indonesia and citizen he is asking $2,000 to help in converting visit visa into a business and opening a company and registered according to the law.He also told 3 more people can be invited for different positions and they can come on this company visa to start a business or can if they want to.
He said any small Ice cream or a burger or vegetable shop can be opened in approx $5,000 to $6,000.Or the easiest way to find a nice girl and get married as those ladies are so kind and humble and only look or a caring loving husband and take care of the husbands.
As i already told you guys i know nothing about this country or ever visited there so asking all the kind ppl on this forum to shed a light on this so i can guide that family who really trust in me and seeks advice to help there kids(boys)to start their lives at a safer and nice place.
Looking forward to hear from all who are kind enough to show the real pic and best advice.
My intention is just to help that family and their young boys who lost their father recently and have no jobs or any options to support the mother and younger siblings.
Please be humble and no rude respond as i am trying to help some one.
Looking forward to hear from you all.TIY

 

[gemima]

Plz be kind and humble No rude respond or any comment will be appreciated
*So i was enquiring online and found this forum and so glad so many ppl generously shared their honest advice here .Thanks again
Let me share I was approached with some one who is already settled in Indonesia and citizen he is asking $2,000 to help in converting visit visa into a business and opening a company and registered according to the law.He also told 3 more people can be invited for different positions and they can come on this company visa to start a business or can if they want to.
He said any small Ice cream or a burger or vegetable shop can be opened in approx $5,000 to $6,000.Or the easiest way to find a nice girl and get married as those ladies are so kind and humble and only look or a caring loving husband and take care of the husbands.
As i already told you guys i know nothing about this country or ever visited there so asking all the kind ppl on this forum to shed a light on this so i can guide that family who really trust in me and seeks advice to help there kids(boys)to start their lives at a safer and nice place.
Looking forward to hear from all who are kind enough to show the real pic and best advice.
My intention is just to help that family and their young boys who lost their father recently and have no jobs or any options to support the mother and younger siblings.
Please be humble and no rude respond as i am trying to help some one.
Looking forward to hear from you all.TIY

The cheap and risky way is to marry a local - the business will be in their name and there are lots of potential restrictions about what the foreign spouse can/ can't do in the business (the visa is linked to the marriage not the business). You can find threads on here about that. If the marriage is a good one this can work well (I have lots of friends here who are in such relationships). But you know if anything goes wrong then the foreigner is left in a very bad position.

The legal way to set up a foreign owned business is to invest 10 billion capital, get a license and you can get a visa linked to it - this isn't a small business idea. There are short term business visas for coming here to have meetings - but these aren't long term options for living/ working here.

I don't know enough about other routes to offer any expertise - just to tell you that there are 275 million people here - lots of them have enough money to throw 6000 USD into a new small business and do this regularly - Indonesian authorities don't want foreigners coming here doing that sort of thing (they of course want locals to do it) so I think your plans are not aligned with the reality on the ground.

 

[harryopal1]

Plz be kind and humble No rude respond or any comment will be appreciated
*So i was enquiring online and found this forum and so glad so many ppl generously shared their honest advice here .Thanks again
Let me share I was approached with some one who is already settled in Indonesia and citizen he is asking $2,000 to help in converting visit visa into a business and opening a company and registered according to the law.He also told 3 more people can be invited for different positions and they can come on this company visa to start a business or can if they want to.
He said any small Ice cream or a burger or vegetable shop can be opened in approx $5,000 to $6,000.Or the easiest way to find a nice girl and get married as those ladies are so kind and humble and only look or a caring loving husband and take care of the husbands.
As i already told you guys i know nothing about this country or ever visited there so asking all the kind ppl on this forum to shed a light on this so i can guide that family who really trust in me and seeks advice to help there kids(boys)to start their lives at a safer and nice place.
Looking forward to hear from all who are kind enough to show the real pic and best advice.
My intention is just to help that family and their young boys who lost their father recently and have no jobs or any options to support the mother and younger siblings.
Please be humble and no rude respond as i am trying to help some one.
Looking forward to hear from you all.TIY

Your initial post indicated that it was you wanting to move here and set up a business. Now you are talking of seeking information on behalf of someone else. The post above suggests you have either not read all the responses or understood them. It would be very unwise to pay $2000 to someone suggesting how easy it is to get started. You would be better off using that money to visit and research while you are here as has been suggested by Samoerai.

Good luck.

 

[Meemee]

Your initial post indicated that it was you wanting to move here and set up a business. Now you are talking of seeking information on behalf of someone else. The post above suggests you have either not read all the responses or understood them. It would be very unwise to pay $2000 to someone suggesting how easy it is to get started. You would be better off using that money to visit and research while you are here as has been suggested by Samoerai.

Good luck.

Yes Sir with the grace of God i am settled in USA CA from past 24 yrs and doing well.I wish i could help this family to get USA visa as you all know it is almost impossible.
Those are my cousin sister's boys and i am so eager to help them at least guide them if i can't help them with a huge amount if money
I watched tons of YT videos and there are so many videos about moving to other countries to get better opportunites so i watched tons of videos about Indonesia and came to know it is very easy to get a visit visa and cheaper to visit there.I found this forum to ask the question were in my mind to get a true pic and reality. I thought if there is a good news and ask them to join some courses to get skill and go on visit and find opportunities for them.

 

[Samoerai]

Yes Sir with the grace of God i am settled in USA CA from past 24 yrs and doing well.I wish i could help this family to get USA visa as you all know it is almost impossible.
Those are my cousin sister's boys and i am so eager to help them at least guide them if i can't help them with a huge amount if money
I watched tons of YT videos and there are so many videos about moving to other countries to get better opportunites so i watched tons of videos about Indonesia and came to know it is very easy to get a visit visa and cheaper to visit there.I found this forum to ask the question were in my mind to get a true pic and reality. I thought if there is a good news and ask them to join some courses to get skill and go on visit and find opportunities for them.

It would help if you gave us more detailed information, like who of them is a foreigner, (from what country), who is Indonesian (born in Indonesia and what age) and where do they live?

 

[Meemee]

It would help if you gave us more detailed information, like who of them is a foreigner, (from what country) who is Indonesian (born in Indonesia and what age) and where do they live?

Non of them are Indonesian citizen?They 4 boys from age of 19 and plus.
One of them have work experience in Fast food and learning Chines cuisine .I wanted to advice them to join some more food related ,Bakery continental food and beverages short courses and be master in these recipes but i think as some one said there are so many food or street food out of business after COVID and local ppl wont encourage any other foreigners take over there jobs opportunities.
My question was all you kind ppl on this forum who are living there for long and can suggest any small business or other skill or anything else will be helpful to get them job in local market?

 

[harryopal1]

Realistically this all seems rather fanciful. Your last post just talks of the children. Are the parents not intending to migrate with them? If the family does not have investment funds to gain a golden visa then apart from short term visas it seems unlikely they will be eligible for long term residence. There are 13,000 refugees in Indonesia who are not able to work as government does not want them taking jobs which otherwise might be taken by Indonesians.

Unless these young people have specialists skills to be then sponsored by a local employer then their prospects are limited. There are something in excess of 300,000 migrant workers in Indonesia mostly from neighbouring countries. The International Organization for Migration notes: ". While migrant workers contribute greatly to the economic development of Indonesia, with registered remittances accounting for more than USD 6 billion annually, they remain inadequately protected by current law and practices. This renders Indonesian labour migrants highly vulnerable to violence, exploitative labour practices, sexual abuse, human trafficking and various other forms of abuse at each step of the migration journey."

From Gemini.: "
While it's possible for migrant workers to obtain permanent residence in Indonesia, the process can be quite rigorous. The Indonesian government typically requires foreign workers to demonstrate significant economic contributions and adhere to specific legal and administrative requirements.

Key Requirements:

1. Economic Contribution:
   • Business Establishment: Establishing a successful business in Indonesia can be a strong pathway to permanent residence.
   • Investment: Making substantial investments in the Indonesian economy, such as in real estate or infrastructure projects, can also be considered.
   • Highly Skilled Employment: Holding a highly skilled job in Indonesia can be beneficial, especially if the role is deemed essential for the country's development.
2. Clean Criminal Record:
   • Any criminal convictions can significantly impact the application process. A clean criminal record is generally a prerequisite.
3. Health Requirements:
   • Applicants may need to provide medical examinations to ensure they do not pose a health risk to the Indonesian population.
4. Legal Status:
   • The migrant worker must have a valid visa to stay in Indonesia. This visa will need to be renewed regularly, and eventually, converted to a permanent residence permit.

Specific Procedures:

• Consultation: It's highly recommended to consult with an immigration lawyer or agent who specializes in Indonesian immigration matters. They can provide tailored advice based on your specific circumstances.
• Application: The application process typically involves submitting various documents, such as proof of income, business registration, or employment contracts.
• Review and Approval: The Indonesian immigration authorities will review your application and supporting documents. If your application meets the requirements, you may be granted permanent residence.

Additional Considerations:

• Family Members: If you obtain permanent residence, you may be able to bring your family members to Indonesia under a family reunion visa.
• Language Proficiency: While not always a strict requirement, demonstrating proficiency in Indonesian can be advantageous.
• Cultural Adaptation: Successfully integrating into Indonesian culture and society can also be beneficial.

Remember: Immigration laws and regulations can change, so it's essential to stay updated on the latest requirements and procedures. Consulting with an expert can help you navigate the process effectively."
=================
Using an agency to try and navigate the above could also be a costly process. While it may be commendable that you are trying to help out this family you may also be raising false hope which may lead to disappointment and bitterness. If you or the family have sufficient funds then it would seem imperative to visit to research this whole area. Not sure how many of these children are at school age but this is another serious element to be considered. If the family members visited on a short term visa and then applied for an extended visa you must also bear in mind that payments for unsuccessful applications are not refunded.