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Minister wants Indonesia to copy India's approach to dual citizenship
Indonesia could copy India with its Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme to deal with dual citizenship issues among Indonesians in the diaspora who want to return, Yasonna said.
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Legally Indonesian: Felicia Liana Adema (right), a child of a mixed marriage couple, signs the document of her Indonesian citizenship at the West Java office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry in Bandung, West Java, on March 8, 2023. (Antara/Law and Human Rights Ministry)
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aw and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly has suggested that Indonesia adopt a similar approach to an Indian scheme to resolve dual citizenship issues for the Indonesian diaspora.
The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme allows members of the Indian diaspora the same rights as Indian citizens, except for political rights.
Yasonna said this scheme could be a good measure to help the Indonesian diaspora who wanted to return to the country.
"The diaspora could have lifetime multiple entry visas but no political rights, such as to vote, be elected or hold public positions, like the Indian scheme," he said during a meeting with House of Representatives’ Commission III overseeing legal, human rights and security issues on Wednesday, as reported by cnnindonesia.com.
The prevailing Citizenship Law does not permit dual citizenship except for children under 18 years of age. The law stipulates that individuals with dual citizenship must choose a nationality once they reach 18 years old or before marriage.
Yasonna acknowledged Indonesia's commitment to a single citizenship system, citing philosophical and ideological foundations tied to the nation's history, the Youth Pledge of Oct. 28, 1928.
"One homeland, Indonesia. One nation, Indonesia. One language, Indonesian," he said, quoting the Youth Pledge.
