To obtain a permanent residence, to live and work legally in the country, there are criteria and requirements that a foreigner must meet. This also includes obligations and responsibilities regarding permanent residence in Indonesia.
A permanent resident of Indonesia is a person who has a legal right to live in Indonesia for an unlimited period of time.
Permanent residents of Indonesia will be issued a permanent residence card to confirm their resident status. A permanent resident of Indonesia can still retain his/her citizenship in the country of origin without renouncing it.
Each time a permanent resident travels to and from Indonesia, he or she will need to present his or her country’s passport, as well as an Indonesian permanent resident's identification card.
Types of residence in Indonesia
Foreigners can obtain two types of residence permits in Indonesia:
Temporary residence permit (ITAS / KITAS)
- Valid for two years
- Subject to three-time extension
- Approximately four-month application process
Permanent residence permit (ITAP / KITAP)
- Prerequisite: ITAS / KITAS owner for at least five years continuously
- Valid for five years
- Subject to five-time extension
To be eligible for an ITAP certificate, you must go through a process:
- Receive a sponsorship letter from a local company.
- Get recommendation from the Directorate General of Immigration.
- Submit the necessary documents together with the letter and recommendation for KITAS or VITAS (Temporary Stay Permit), depending on your circumstances, to the Indonesian Embassy.
You can convert your KITAS to KITAP and become a permanent resident of Indonesia after having KITAS / ITAS for more than five years in a row.
Please note that your permanent residence in Indonesia may be revoked if you misuse or abuse your status or plead guilty to illegal activity.
Applying for citizenship
Before applying for Indonesian citizenship, make sure that you meet the following requirements:
- You have resided in Indonesia for at least 5 consecutive years or 10 years in a row at the time of applying for Indonesian citizenship
- You are at least 18 years old
- You are mentally and physically healthy
- You never committed any crime that forces you to be imprisoned for 1 year or more
- You do not have another citizenship because Indonesia does not recognize dual citizenship. Therefore, if you are registered as a citizen of any other nationality, you need to prepare to relinquish your former citizenship.
- You can speak Indonesian
- You recognize Pancasila and Undang-Undang Dasar Negara, Republic of Indonesia, 1945
- You have a fixed income or work
- You agree to pay the citizenship fee
If you are marrying an Indonesian, you just need to meet the requirements of № 2, 5 and 9. After meeting all these requirements, you can prepare documents for obtaining Indonesian citizenship.
What documents need to be prepared?
They include the following:
- Legalized photocopy of birth certificate, translated into Indonesian
- Photos of the applicant's passport
- Copies of SKTT or KTP OA that have been legalized
- Legalized copy of marriage certificate / marriage book
- Letter from the immigration office stating that you have been in Indonesia for 5 consecutive years or 10 years in a row
- Certificate of Good Conduct (SKCK) from the Regional Police Department (POLDA)
- Letter from the applicant's embassy stating that the applicant will relinquish his/her former citizenship after obtaining Indonesian citizenship
- Written statement by the applicant that he/she will be loyal to the Republic of Indonesia, Pankasila and Undang-Undang Dasar Negara, Republic of Indonesia, 1945.
You can send all these documents to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Indonesia (Kementerian Hukum dan Hak Asasi Manusia). The application must be written in Indonesian.
After submitting application you need to wait for about 3 months. The president will decide whether your application is accepted or not. If you are accepted as an Indonesian citizen, you must be sworn in.
Indonesian Citizenship Law
Indonesian citizenship law is mainly based on ius sanguinis or determination of nationality by blood. However, Indonesia also applies a limited ius soli (determination of nationality by place of birth) under the Law № 12 of 2006 on nationality.
Ius soli in Indonesia applies for the following reasons:
- If a child was born in Indonesia but the parents are not found
- If the parents are stateless persons
- If the parents' application for citizenship was accepted, but the parents died before the oath
Here are some requirements and steps you need to know for obtaining Indonesian citizenship. If you are really attentive to the requirements and never commit any serious crime, your application will be easily accepted.
Bali has become part of Live and Work Anywhere. From September 2022, remote workers in Bali can use a B211A visa to work online for six months without paying taxes.
Together with the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, Airbnb has launched a hub for remote workers in Bali. Now the accommodation booking service will promote the island among digital nomads and help them get settled in their new place.
Airbnb has already prepared a relocation guide for the island with visa rules, tax nuances, city guides, and a selection of affordable housing. You can find all the information here. Travel tips can also be found there.
