Are Indonesian Citizens Allowed to Hold Dual Citizenship?
By ILIGRA Legal Team
Amid the increasing mobility of Indonesians abroad, the issue of dual citizenship has once again drawn attention. So, can someone who lives or works in Indonesia hold two citizenships at once? In principle, no. Indonesian law adheres to the single-citizenship principle, with limited exceptions for children under certain conditions.
Under Law Number 12 of 2006 on the Citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia ("Law 12/2006"), dual citizenship is only possible in a limited sense for children who meet certain requirements. Article 6 of Law 12/2006 provides that a child holding dual citizenship must declare a choice of one citizenship after reaching the age of 18 (eighteen) or after marrying.
The issue resurfaced in 2026 when the news reports that the child of an LPDP scholarship recipient reportedly held a British passport. The government subsequently clarified that the child still held the status of an Indonesian Citizen (WNI). This incident showed that possessing or using a travel document issued by a foreign state does not automatically cause a person to lose Indonesian citizenship. A person's citizenship status must still be determined based on the prevailing legal provisions in Indonesia.
Debates over foreign citizenship have also previously been linked to B.J. Habibie. After building his career in Germany, the German government is said to have once offered citizenship to B.J. Habibie. However, B.J. Habibie declined the offer and retained his Indonesian citizenship. This shows that the opportunity to acquire foreign citizenship does not automatically grant a person the right to simultaneously retain Indonesian citizenship.
This situation shows that living, studying, or working abroad does not, in itself, grant a person the right to hold dual citizenship. Indonesia continues to place the single-citizenship principle as its main tenet, while dual citizenship remains possible only in limited circumstances as determined by law.
Accordingly, as long as Law 12/2006 remains in force, adults in principle cannot retain Indonesian citizenship while simultaneously acquiring foreign citizenship. If Indonesia wishes to adopt dual citizenship more broadly, an amendment to the applicable citizenship legal framework would be required.
- Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945, khususnya Pasal 26.
- Undang-Undang Nomor 12 Tahun 2006 tentang Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia, khususnya Pasal 4, Pasal 6, dan ketentuan mengenai kehilangan kewarganegaraan.
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- Kementerian Hukum, Permenkum Nomor 6 Tahun 2025 tentang Tata Cara Penegasan Status Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia bagi WNI di Luar Wilayah NKRI.
- ICMI, “Cerita Habibie yang Memegang Teguh Status Warga Indonesia.”
- Media Indonesia, “Habibie Pernah Tolak Tawaran Jadi WN Kehormatan Jerman.”