Citizenship in Indonesia
Naturalisation timelines, tests, and dual nationality
Naturalisation requires five consecutive years of residence, or ten years in total if not consecutive, sufficient Indonesian language, and renunciation of every other nationality. Indonesia does not recognise dual citizenship for adults, which is the decisive fact for most applicants and closes the question before any other requirement is reached.
| Residence requirement | Five consecutive years, or ten non-consecutive years source |
| Minimum age | Commonly 18 years or married |
| Language | Indonesian, together with recognition of the state ideology and constitution |
| Dual citizenship | Not permitted for adults; renunciation is required |
| Marriage route | A separate declaration route exists for spouses of Indonesian citizens after a qualifying period source |
The conditions
- Residence in Indonesia for five consecutive years, or for ten years in aggregate where the residence was interrupted.
- Adulthood, generally 18 years of age or married.
- Physical and mental health, and no criminal conviction carrying a sentence above the published threshold.
- The ability to speak Indonesian and acknowledgement of the state philosophy and the 1945 constitution.
- Employment or income sufficient to support the applicant, and payment of the naturalisation fee.
- A declaration that the applicant will lose or renounce any other nationality on becoming Indonesian.
No dual nationality
The 2006 citizenship law treats Indonesian nationality as exclusive for adults. Acquiring Indonesian citizenship requires giving up the previous one, and an Indonesian who voluntarily acquires another nationality loses Indonesian citizenship automatically.
The single exception is limited dual nationality for children of mixed marriages, who must elect one nationality within a window after reaching adulthood. Proposals to broaden dual citizenship have been discussed publicly on several occasions without becoming law.
The process is discretionary
An application is submitted through the Ministry of Law and forwarded for decision at presidential level. Meeting the published conditions establishes eligibility; it does not create an entitlement, and outcomes are not appealable in the way an administrative refusal in a points-based system would be.
Timeframes are not published in a form that supports reliable planning, and applicants should assume a process measured in many months rather than weeks.
The spouse declaration route
A foreign spouse of an Indonesian citizen may in defined circumstances acquire citizenship by declaration after a qualifying period of marriage and residence, rather than through full naturalisation. The renunciation requirement applies to this route as well, and the declaration is void where it would leave the applicant with two nationalities.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.