A tourist visa isn't a legal basis for ongoing remote work in any of these countries. Here's how Thailand's DTV, Malaysia's DE Rantau, and Indonesia's E33G actually compare — and the tax trap that catches most people who skip this step.
Working remotely for a foreign employer while physically present in a country is a completely different legal category from working locally — but it still triggers tax residency once you cross that country's day threshold, and your remote income can become locally taxable even though the client or employer is overseas. A tourist-visa extension cycle is a legal gray area, not a clean path, which is exactly why the three dedicated nomad visas below exist.
| Thailand (DTV) | Malaysia (DE Rantau) | Indonesia (E33G, Bali-based) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requirement | 500,000 THB (~$14,500) in savings — no income proof needed | $24,000/yr (tech) or $60,000/yr (non-tech) | $60,000/yr from a foreign employer, $2,000 min balance |
| Duration | 5-year multi-entry visa. Each entry grants 180 days, extendable once for another 180 (360 days total per entry) — then you must leave and re-enter for a fresh 180-day stamp, repeatable within the 5-year window. | Up to 12 months, renewable | 1 year |
| The catch | No local Thai clients or employers allowed; 180+ days in a calendar year triggers Thai tax residency on remitted foreign income | Lowest income bar of the three for tech workers | Self-employed/sole traders don't qualify — must be employed by a genuine foreign company |
Most remote workers there cycle through tourist-visa extensions instead — a legal gray area rather than a clean path, and worth knowing about going in rather than discovering after the fact.
This is the single most consequential detail on this page, and it has nothing to do with the visa application itself.
Working remotely for a foreign employer while physically present in a country is a completely different legal category from working locally — but it still triggers tax residency once you cross that country's day threshold, and your remote income can become locally taxable even though the client or employer is entirely overseas. This is exactly the kind of thing worth confirming with a cross-border tax professional before you commit to a full year somewhere, not something to discover after the fact.
Read the expat taxes guide →Since your entire ability to work depends on it, cross-check your assumptions against the utilities pages for your specific destination for actual verified fiber and mobile-hotspot speeds — rather than assuming a country-wide reputation applies evenly to the specific city or neighborhood you're considering.
You want the longest visa runway (5 years) and can meet the savings threshold without needing to prove ongoing income — but you're planning to stay under 180 days per entry to avoid triggering Thai tax residency.
You're in tech and can meet the $24,000/year bar — the lowest income requirement of the three specifically for tech workers.
You're genuinely employed by a foreign company (not self-employed) and want to be based in Bali specifically — this visa doesn't work for sole traders or freelancers.
Visa sorted is just one piece — head back to the Moving to Southeast Asia hub for schooling, pets, and what to sell versus ship versus store, or check banking and money abroad for where to actually keep your income while you're there.
Moving to Southeast Asia Hub → Banking & Money Abroad →