In a bid to lure more skilled professionals to Indonesia, the government is contemplating offering dual citizenship to individuals of Indonesian descent. This announcement comes from Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, on Tuesday (4/30).
Indonesia’s stance on dual citizenship has been a topic of interest, as the country traditionally does not recognize it for adults. Under the current law, individuals with dual citizenship must choose one nationality upon reaching 18 years old.
During the Microsoft Build: AI Day event in Jakarta, Minister Luhut revealed the government’s intention to grant Indonesia dual citizenship to former Indonesian citizens employed abroad. However, specific details regarding this initiative were not disclosed.
This development precedes a significant investment promise made by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who pledged $1.7 billion towards Indonesia’s development.
“We extend the invitation to the Indonesian diaspora, offering them dual citizenship immediately,” Minister Luhut stated. He believes this move will encourage many talented Indonesians living abroad to return home.
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Recent data from the Directorate General of Immigration shows that nearly 4,000 Indonesians acquired citizenship in Singapore between 2019 and 2022. However, officials from the Immigration department have yet to comment on the proposed dual citizenship plan.
Quoted from voaindonesia, the issue of dual citizenship gained attention in 2016 when President Joko Widodo dismissed Arcandra Tahar as the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources due to his possession of both US and Indonesian passports.
Additionally, Member of the DPR Commission I from the Golkar Party Faction, Christina Aryani, advocated for revising Law No. 12/2006 on Citizenship following Minister Luhut’s discussion on dual citizenship for the diaspora.
Christina emphasizes that many talented individuals in the diaspora, including scientists, academics, and professionals, opt to renounce their Indonesian citizenship due to existing legal restrictions.
She believes that amending the Citizenship Law to allow dual citizenship for the diaspora could bolster Indonesia’s quest to become a global economic powerhouse by 2045. Furthermore, Christina anticipates positive economic impacts following the implementation of dual citizenship measures.
