Indonesia’s Ministry of Law (“MoL”) has passed Regulation No. 6 of 2025 on Procedure for the Affirmation on the Citizenship Status of the Republic of Indonesia for Indonesian Citizens Outside the Territory of the Republic of Indonesia (“MoL Reg. 6/2025”). This regulation is a basis for Indonesian citizens residing overseas, descendants of Indonesian citizens, or those who encounter difficulties in proving their citizenship, to prove their Indonesian citizenship status. The introduction of Certificate of Indonesian Citizenship Status (Surat Keterangan Status Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia or “SKSK RI”) under this regulation is to protect Indonesian citizens living abroad and their descendants who do not possess, or only partially possess, valid Indonesian citizenship documents.
Therefore, we provide an overview of the scope, eligibility criteria, and procedural steps under MoL Reg. 6/2025, for Indonesian citizens residing overseas to apply for SKSK RI.
1. SKSK RI is reserved for Indonesian citizens residing abroad. According to Article 2 (3) of MoL Reg. 6/2025, the requirements for applicants of SKSK RI are as follows:
(a) The applicants are Indonesian citizens;
(b) They are children born out of legal marriage between Indonesian parents;
(c) They are children born out of legal marriage to an Indonesian father or Indonesian mother;
(d) They are Indonesian citizens without valid Identity Card (Kartu Tanda Penduduk or “KTP”) or passport; or
(e) They are descendants of Indonesian citizens who have reached 18 years of age and are not registered in any citizenship.
Applications shall be submitted to the Indonesian Embassy or Indonesian Trade and Economic Office (Kantor Dagang dan Ekonomi Indonesia or “KDEI”), for Taiwan jurisdiction.
2. Applications for SKSK RI are based on the applicants’ citizenship circumstances, (i) They have the official documents (i.e., KTP, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and passport, or collectively “Official Documents”) or (ii) They have no Official Documents, with the following elaborations below:
(a) Having Official Documents: An applicant must submit the SKSK RI application with the Official Documents, in writing and in the Indonesian language, to the Indonesian Embassy or KDEI.
The officer will verify the application, which includes interviewing the applicant. The minutes of interview will be prepared and submitted to the Directorate General of Law Administration (“DGoLA”) website (https://ahu.go.id/) for further processing of SKSK RI. (Articles 4 – 9 of MoL Reg. 6/2025).
Upon arrival in Indonesia, the holder of the SKSK RI is required to report to the relevant local Indonesian government authority, based on their domicile, within 14 working days (Article 10 of MoL Reg. 6/2025).
(b) Without the Official Documents: An applicant without Official Documents is required to submit supplementary documents during the application, including:
(i) Letter of statement on absolute responsibility; and
(ii) Letter of statement specifying that the applicant has never had any other foreign citizenship.
In addition to the above, the applicant may submit other documents evidencing the applicant’s lineage or connection with Indonesia. (Article 13 of MoL Reg. 6/2025).
In general, the verification procedure will be similar to point (a) above. The applicant must undergo the document assessment and interview with the Indonesian Embassy or KDEI, before the issuance of minutes of meeting of the interview. It is important to note, since the applicant has no Official Documents, the verification and assessment of the documents by DGoLA may be longer. The process can take up to 30 working days. (Articles 14 – 17 of MoL Reg. 6/2025).
Please note that the technical procedure for submitting an application for SKSK RI will be determined by, and subject to the internal requirements and practices of the relevant Indonesian Embassy or KDEI, prior to further processing by DGoLA. Accordingly, applicants should first consult with the relevant Indonesian Embassy or KDEI regarding the applicable technical requirements and procedure before submitting the application.
Disclaimer: The information herein is of general nature and should not be treated as legal advice, nor shall it be relied upon by any party for any circumstance. Specific legal advice should be sought by interested parties to address their particular circumstances.
