Automatic citizenship

Automatic citizenship

From Kompas

With reference to the question of Darwoko about the status of children born in Germany (Kompas, May 7), based on the principle of lineage (ius sanguinis) and the Indonesian law, there is no reason to prevent a German-born child from gaining Indonesian citizenship as long as the parents are Indonesian citizens.

However, this case becomes complex as Germany introduced a new citizenship law in 2000, with a substantial change from the principle of lineage to that of birthplace (ius soli), meaning that German citizenship is obtained according to the fact that a child is born in Germany.

This law stipulates that foreign citizens' children born in Germany will obtain German citizenship if one of their parents has legally resided in Germany for at least eight years, by possessing the certificate of entitlement to residence or the unlimited residence permit for at least three years.

The Consulate General of Indonesia in Hamburg, which often handles such cases, has no objection to the registration of children born in Germany with Indonesian parents. But automatic German citizenship will deprive the children of residence permits if they are granted Indonesian citizenship.

In Darwoko's case, various factors have to be considered. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has contacted him for more data and the Hamburg consulate general for clarification.

SJACHWIEN ADENAN Director of Citizen Protection Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jakarta