The legal framework governing the acquisition of Indonesian citizenship is primarily established by Law No. 12 of 2006 concerning Citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia (Undang-Undang Nomor 12 Tahun 2006 tentang Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia). This statute replaced the previous Law No. 62 of 1958, marking a shift toward more inclusive principles while maintaining the state’s fundamental rejection of multi-nationality for adults. The implementation of naturalization procedures is further detailed in Government Regulation No. 2 of 2007, which was significantly amended by Government Regulation No. 21 of 2022 to streamline administrative processes and accommodate specific categories of applicants.

Ordinary Naturalization under Article 8 and Article 9

Ordinary naturalization is the standard process by which a foreign national with no prior legal claim to Indonesian bloodline or marital ties seeks citizenship. According to Article 8 of Law No. 12/2006, citizenship is granted by the President of the Republic of Indonesia through an application process. The substantive requirements for this application are strictly defined in Article 9 of the same Law:

“Permohonan kewarganegaraan dapat diajukan oleh pemohon jika memenuhi persyaratan sebagai berikut: a. telah berusia 18 (delapan belas) tahun atau sudah kawin; b. pada waktu mengajukan permohonan sudah bertempat tinggal di wilayah negara Republik Indonesia paling singkat 5 (lima) tahun berturut-turut atau paling singkat 10 (sepuluh) tahun tidak berturut-turut; c. sehat jasmani dan rohani; d. dapat berbahasa Indonesia serta mengakui dasar negara Pancasila dan Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945; e. tidak pernah dijatuhi pidana karena melakukan tindak pidana yang diancam dengan pidana penjara 1 (satu) tahun atau lebih; f. dengan memperoleh Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia, tidak menjadi berkewarganegaraan ganda; g. mempunyai pekerjaan dan/atau berpenghasilan tetap; dan h. membayar uang pewarganegaraan ke Kas Negara.”

(An application for citizenship may be submitted by the applicant if they meet the following requirements: a. aged 18 years or married; b. at the time of application, has resided in the territory of the Republic of Indonesia for at least 5 consecutive years or at least 10 non-consecutive years; c. physically and mentally healthy; d. able to speak Indonesian and acknowledge the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution; e. never sentenced for a crime punishable by imprisonment of one year or more; f. by obtaining Indonesian citizenship, does not become a dual citizen; g. has employment and/or a steady income; and h. pays the naturalization fee to the State Treasury.)

The residency requirement in Article 9(b) is verified through the applicant’s Permanent Stay Permit (ITAP), which serves as the primary evidence of legal domicile. The requirement in Article 9(f) reinforces Indonesia’s single-citizenship principle (asas kewarganegaraan tunggal); applicants must provide a certificate from their home country’s embassy or consulate confirming that they will lose or have renounced their original citizenship upon acquiring Indonesian nationality.

Naturalization through Marriage

Foreign nationals legally married to Indonesian citizens are eligible for a distinct naturalization pathway under Article 19 of Law No. 12/2006. This provision allows the foreign spouse to acquire citizenship by submitting a declaration of desire to become an Indonesian citizen before the relevant officials. To be eligible, the applicant must have resided in Indonesia for at least 5 consecutive years or 10 non-consecutive years at the time of the declaration.

Under Government Regulation No. 21/2022, the administrative process for marriage-based naturalization requires the submission of the marriage certificate (duly registered by the Indonesian Civil Registry or Office of Religious Affairs), the spouse’s Indonesian identification documents, and proof of the required residency period. If the declaration results in dual citizenship, the applicant must follow the same renunciation protocols as ordinary naturalization candidates. Article 19(4) specifies that if the Minister of Law and Human Rights finds that the acquisition of citizenship would result in dual nationality, the application may be denied, ensuring the integrity of the single-citizenship doctrine.

Naturalization for Meritorious Service or State Interest

Article 20 of Law No. 12/2006 provides an extraordinary pathway for foreign nationals who have rendered “extraordinary service” (jasa yang luar biasa) to the Republic of Indonesia or whose citizenship is deemed in the “interest of the state” (kepentingan negara). This category is frequently utilized for professional athletes, prominent scientists, or individuals contributing significantly to the national economy or culture.

The procedure for Article 20 naturalization differs from the standard route in that the President grants citizenship after obtaining the consideration of the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR). Unlike ordinary naturalization, the specific residency durations (5 or 10 years) are not strictly applied if the state interest is sufficiently demonstrated, although the applicant must still ensure that the grant does not result in dual citizenship.

Procedural Stages and Administrative Requirements

The procedural steps for naturalization are regulated by Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 36 of 2016. The process is now largely integrated through the “Sistem Informasi Kewarganegaraan Elektronik” (SAKE), an electronic platform managed by the Directorate General of Legal Administrative Affairs (Ditjen AHU).

  1. Submission of Application: The applicant submits a written application in Indonesian to the President through the Minister of Law and Human Rights. This is physically filed via the Regional Office (Kantor Wilayah) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights where the applicant resides.
  2. Verification and Examination: The Regional Office forms a “Team for the Examination of Citizenship” (Tim Pemeriksa Kewarganegaraan) which includes officials from the Ministry, Immigration, and the Police. This team conducts an interview to verify the applicant’s Indonesian language proficiency, knowledge of Indonesian history, and adherence to Pancasila.
  3. Ministerial Review: If the Regional Office deems the application complete and valid, it is forwarded to the Minister within 14 days. The Minister reviews the application and, within 45 days, submits a recommendation to the President.
  4. Presidential Decree: The President approves or rejects the application. If approved, a Presidential Decree (Keputusan Presiden) is issued.
  5. Oath of Allegiance: Within 3 months of the issuance of the Presidential Decree, the applicant must take an oath of allegiance or a pledge of loyalty at the Regional Office.

The wording of the oath, as prescribed in Article 14 of Law No. 12/2006, is as follows: “Demi Allah/demi Tuhan Yang Maha Esa, saya menyatakan janji setia saya, bahwa saya, sejak seketika ini, melepaskan seluruh kesetiaan saya kepada kekuasaan asing, mengakui, tunduk, dan setia kepada Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia, Pancasila, dan Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945 dan akan membelanya dengan sungguh-sungguh serta akan menjalankan kewajiban yang dibebankan negara kepada saya sebagai warga negara Indonesia dengan tulus dan ikhlas.” (By Allah/by God Almighty, I declare my pledge of loyalty, that I, from this moment, renounce all my allegiance to foreign powers, acknowledge, submit, and be loyal to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, Pancasila, and the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and will defend them earnestly and will carry out the obligations imposed by the state on me as an Indonesian citizen sincerely and honestly.)

Financial Obligations (PNBP)

Naturalization is subject to Non-Tax State Revenue (Penerimaan Negara Bukan Pajak or PNBP) fees as stipulated in Government Regulation No. 28 of 2019. The fees vary significantly based on the category of the application:

  1. Naturalization by Application (Ordinary/Article 8): IDR 50,000,000 per applicant.
  2. Naturalization through Marriage (Article 19): IDR 15,000,000 per applicant.
  3. Naturalization for State Interest or Meritorious Service (Article 20): IDR 0 (subject to specific ministerial approval).
  4. Naturalization for foreign nationals who have provided services or for children who have a right to choose citizenship (under PP 21/2022): IDR 5,000,000.

Acquisition of Citizenship by Other Means

While naturalization is the primary method for foreign nationals, Indonesian citizenship is also acquired through:

  1. Birth (Jus Sanguinis): Any person born to at least one Indonesian citizen parent is an Indonesian citizen by law. Indonesia follows a restricted jus sanguinis principle where the citizenship of the parents determines the citizenship of the child, regardless of the place of birth.
  2. Adoption: Under Article 5 of Law No. 12/2006, a foreign child under the age of five who is legally adopted by Indonesian citizens acquires Indonesian citizenship.
  3. Recovery of Citizenship: Former Indonesian citizens who lost their citizenship may reacquire it through a simplified naturalization process under Article 31 to 35 of Law No. 12/2006, provided they have resided in Indonesia for 1 year consecutively or 2 years non-consecutively.

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