Shipping personal effects into Bali

Stop hijacking this post with your petty arguments kids!

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As you mentioned rightly that Indonesia is very tough on imports. You have to declare every item that you are going to import, or separate them in different boxes if different items categorically by HS Code.

Notwithstanding it is personal effects, they are all the same. In some cases, it is even worse off because it is classified as second hand goods.
Nothing to do with Bali as per se, it is the whole Indonesia and all major ports.

My recommendation is for you to choose the forwarder/removal company that has a presence in both of your origin country and destination country. And let the company quote you in price per cbm (price all in inclusive), and let them handle all the costs and taxes.

As a side note, I value both ubudian and Jcollins. (Aside from Fred). They are both 'experts' in their own rights on Indonesia - could be the sides of the same coin. Just different ways of achieving a goal.
As a note Jcollins is right on his methods. Having experiences in both ways(import and export), I can attest to both.

SaintJean.... ignored me on pm when I asked for more info.
I dont know why. Maybe ubudian is right about....

As per my previous reply, and as per current Indonesian Customs regulations, you will pay duty if you don't have a work permit at the time of import.

Not to "nit pick" at your prior comment, the fact is that it's a residency visa that is required for personal possessions to be allowed into Indonesia without duty...and not solely a work permit.

For example, foreigners moving to Indonesia under a retirement KITAS (not eligible to work) are also allowed to "import" their personal possessions duty free.

At issue here is common sense.

Part of the application for a retirement visa to Indonesia is providing proof (and details) of where the retiree is going to establish residency.  Obviously, if a retiree has contracted a modest two bedroom villa on 5 are of land and at the same time is attempting to “import” several 40 feet containers of personal possessions duty free, one can expect some “bells and whistles” to sound off.

Moreover, upon leaving Indonesia (should that be a later decision of the retiree), the itemized list of what they are taking out can be compared to what they initially brought in (free of duty).  Those two lists should be relatively compatible, and if not, duty could retroactively be assessed to those items not on the list of what is being “exported” out of Indonesia.  The conclusion here being that those goods brought in, but not being taken out, were sold here in Indonesia, and thus subject to duty. 

Incidentally, this “common sense” application also applies to those coming to Indonesia on a temporary residency/work permit basis.  If such a person is leaving Indonesia with a significantly less quantity (and value) of goods that they initially brought in (duty free), they are also potentially subject to duty on the value of those goods brought in, but not being taken out.

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Hi Fred, what do you mean by getting hammered on your black tie? I presume that's not in the literal sense

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So by black tie you literally mean black tie clothing? There's not some tax reference called black tie I mean?

“The rules have a nasty habit of changing depending on pot luck.”

It isn't so much that “the rules have a nasty habit of changing depending on pot luck” as opposed to current interpretation of the “rules”…the rules being the law.

Indonesia is not much different from any other democratic republic in that their laws are purposefully written with an inherent ambiguity or lack of specificity.     

This allows for the judicial branch of government to exercise a great deal of latitude in enforcing laws depending on the needs of the time, as well as the particular circumstances of each and every case.

And, as I say, Indonesia is no different in that respect than most all other democratic governments.

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On the contrary Fred, I am SO handsome, clever and cultured that I do not need such extravagant and meretricious accouterments