FAQ
Dual Citizenship
The 2006 Citizenship Law has enabled transnational couples to apply for dual citizenship for their children. Before the law was introduced, children of Indonesian mothers and foreign fathers were automatically registered as citizens of their father’s country. As a result, parents were forced to extend temporary residence permits for their children, a time-consuming and problematic process.
According to the 2006 Citizenship Law, children of transnational marriages born after 1 August 2006 automatically receive dual citizenship. For children of mixed marriages born before 1 August 2006, parents need to apply for dual citizenship for their children.
Children from mixed marriages may only hold dual citizenship up until the age of 18. When they turn 18, they must then choose to either remain Indonesian citizens or take up their foreign citizenship. The window of opportunity for children to make this decision closes three years after their 18th birthday.
The law orders transnational couples to apply for dual citizenship for children born before 1 August 2006 within four years of its enactment