Indonesia grants unlimited stay permit for former citizens in lieu of dual citizenship

Indonesia’s population is 280 million people, making it the fourth most populous country in the world. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 24 November 2025
Follow

Indonesia grants unlimited stay permit for former citizens in lieu of dual citizenship

  • Indonesian law does not recognize dual citizenship for adults, and anyone with two passports must make a choice of nationality when they turn 18

JAKARTA: Indonesia has opened applications for a permit that would allow former Indonesian citizens to live and work in the country for an indefinite period as an alternative to dual citizenship, an official at the immigration ministry has said.
Indonesian law does not recognize dual citizenship for adults, and anyone with two passports must make a choice of nationality when they turn 18.
The new policy, named Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI), is modelled after the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), which allows foreigners of Indian ancestry to visit, work and live in India indefinitely, the ministry said.
“GCI is a strategic solution to the issues of dual citizenship by giving an unlimited stay permit for foreign nationals with strong ties to Indonesia,” Is Edy Eko Putranto, the ministry’s director of immigration residence permits, told Reuters on Saturday, adding the Indonesian diaspora could help with national development.
Putranto said former Indonesian citizens, foreign nationals of Indonesian descent up to the second degree, and children from mixed marriages would be eligible to apply.
Calls to allow dual citizenship have increased amid concerns about a ‘brain drain’ as Indonesians leave the country for better opportunities abroad.
Nearly 4,000 Indonesians became Singaporean citizens from 2019 to 2022, according to data from the Directorate General of Immigration. Indonesia’s population is 280 million people, making it the fourth most populous country in the world.
“The ministry essentially responds to the ‘brain drain’ phenomenon by turning it into a strategic opportunity by facilitating a special right to the diaspora so that Indonesian talents can return or contribute remotely,” Putranto said.


German military imposes general filming ban to curb social media risks

Updated 6 sec ago
Follow

German military imposes general filming ban to curb social media risks

  • The new policy requires soldiers ⁠to seek explicit permission
  • Violations of the rule could be punished by disciplinary measures

BERLIN: Germany’s military has banned staff from filming and photography at all its sites since late February over concerns that sensitive information could be visible on social media, a defense ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
The ⁠German military has ⁠increasingly been using social media to help meet its ambitious recruiting goals.
The new policy requires soldiers ⁠to seek explicit permission, versus the previous guidelines that generally allowed filming and videos.
The new policy doesn’t mean personnel can no longer present themselves on social media or similar platforms, “we are quite proud ⁠of ⁠that,” added the spokesperson.
Violations of the rule could be punished by disciplinary measures or even criminal charges, depending on the severity.
The Bild newspaper first reported on the reforms.