Indonesia does not recognise dual citizenship. An Indonesian who voluntarily acquires another nationality automatically loses the Indonesian one. There is one exception, and it is the reason this page matters to families here: children born with two nationalities may hold both until their eighteenth birthday, after which they must choose.
Quick facts
While the child is a minor, the document that makes life workable is the immigration affidavit, which the missions issue and which lets a dual-national child enter and leave Indonesia without a visa despite travelling on a foreign passport.
How the timeline works
| Stage | Position | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Birth with two nationalities | Both permitted | Report the birth, obtain the affidavit |
| Childhood | Both retained | Keep the affidavit and passports current |
| Eighteenth birthday | A choice becomes due | Declare within the period allowed |
| Adult acquiring another nationality | Indonesian citizenship lost | Automatic, not discretionary |
| Passport validity | May be set to the 18th birthday | Follows from the above |
The declaration period after turning eighteen is defined and not indefinite. In some circumstances the window has run to the twenty-first birthday, so the exact deadline for a particular child is worth confirming rather than assuming.
What to do
- Report the child’s birth to the mission and obtain the immigration affidavit.
- Keep both passports and the affidavit current through childhood.
- Confirm well before the eighteenth birthday which deadline applies to your child.
- Take advice on the consequences of each choice for property, work and residence.
- Make the declaration within the period allowed.
- For adults already holding another nationality, take advice before assuming Indonesian citizenship survives.
Required documents
- Child’s birth report and Indonesian records.
- Both passports.
- Immigration affidavit.
- Parents’ identity and family cards.
- Parents’ marriage certificate.
- Any naturalisation documents.
Where to apply
At the mission covering your area; decisions on nationality rest with the authorities in Indonesia.
Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia
View details →HoustonConsulate General of Indonesia
View details →Los AngelesConsulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Los Angeles
View details →New YorkKJRI NY
View details →San FranciscoConsulate General of Indonesia
View details →WashingtonEmbassy of Indonesia
View details →Additional notes
Mark the eighteenth birthday in advance
This is the single most important date for an Indonesian-American family, and missing the declaration window has consequences that are hard to undo.
Loss is automatic
For adults, Indonesian citizenship is lost by the voluntary acquisition of another nationality without any further step. It is not a matter of registering or declaring.
Property in Indonesia
Foreigners cannot hold freehold land in Indonesia, so the choice at eighteen has real financial consequences for families with property there.
Take proper advice
These are consequential decisions with a fixed deadline. A lawyer familiar with Indonesian nationality law is the right source.