Government States Demand to Become Indonesian Citizens Remains High in Recent Years
The government has stated that interest from foreign nationals in becoming Indonesian citizens has remained high in the last five years.
“Based on data from the Directorate General of AHU, specifically the Directorate of State Affairs which handles citizenship matters, in recent years, including 2026, 2025, and the past few years, the demand and interest in becoming Indonesian citizens has been quite high,” said the Director General of General Legal Administration (Dirjen AHU), Widodo, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday (February 26, 2026).
He affirmed that the Indonesian government is very selective and strict in granting citizenship status.
He explained that to become an Indonesian citizen, a person must reside in Indonesia for five consecutive years. However, if there is a break in residency, the person must reside for at least 10 years.
The requirements to become an Indonesian citizen will be further tightened in the revision of Law Number 12 of 2006 concerning Citizenship.
“Because it is possible that a foreign national becoming an Indonesian citizen is also a consideration that may not necessarily be positive; it could be because they may want to escape and so on,” he said.
He further detailed that in 2020, there were 37 applications to become Indonesian citizens, but only 29 were approved. Then, in 2021, there were 63 applications, with 61 of them being approved.
Meanwhile, in 2022, all 63 applications to become Indonesian citizens were approved. Applications increased again in 2023, to 69 applications, three of which were not approved.
“Interestingly, in 2024, out of 165 applications, only 20 were approved; and in 2025, out of 147 applications, only two have been fully processed and approved to become Indonesian citizens,” Widodo said.
According to him, this data shows that becoming an Indonesian citizen is a source of pride and a dream for foreigners.
The reasons they convey during the interview sessions are also diverse. It is not only limited to economic issues, but also socio-cultural issues, such as being impressed by the friendliness of the Indonesian people and environment, and wanting to spend the rest of their lives here.
“This shows how much foreign nationals love to become Indonesian citizens, and of course, we should be proud of those who have become Indonesian citizens, and we will certainly maintain and love Indonesia as it is,” said Widodo.
KOMPAS.com is committed to providing clear, trustworthy, and balanced facts. Support the sustainability of clear journalism and enjoy ad-free reading comfort through Membership. Join KOMPAS.com Plus now.