Indonesia Grants Lifetime Permanent Residence to 4 Groups of Foreigners Without Losing Citizenship
- Indonesia has launched a new policy granting indefinite permanent residence to certain categories of foreigners without requiring them to give up their original citizenship
- The Global Citizen of Indonesia programme targets people who share blood ties, family connections, or a legal relationship with the country
- Members of the Indonesian diaspora who have already received the permit are speaking out about what the opportunity means to them
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Indonesia has unveiled a new permanent residence pathway for foreigners with deep connections to the country, and the policy is already turning heads across the globe.
The Directorate General of Immigration officially launched the Global Citizen of Indonesia (GCI) programme on January 26, 2026, during a ceremony held at the Pengayoman Polytechnic Campus in Tangerang City to mark the 76th Immigration Service Day.
Source: UGC
Under the GCI policy, eligible foreigners can secure an indefinite permanent stay permit without surrendering their existing citizenship.
Four Categories of Foreigners Qualified for Indonesia's Permanent Residence
The programme centres on four specific groups of people who share ties, whether by blood, family, or legal bond, to Indonesia.
The first group covers former Indonesian citizens who previously held Indonesian nationality.
The second group extends eligibility to descendants of former Indonesian citizens, up to the second degree of relation.
The third group includes legal spouses of Indonesian citizens, while the fourth covers children born from mixed marriages between an Indonesian and a foreign national.
Additionally, close family members of existing GCI holders can apply through a family reunification scheme, further broadening the reach of the programme.
Acting Director General of Immigration, Yuldi Yusman, described the policy as a meaningful step forward.
"This policy provides a solution to the issue of dual citizenship, while upholding the principle of the legal sovereignty of Indonesian citizenship. GCI also opens up opportunities for the participation of the diaspora and individuals with special ties to Indonesia to contribute to various development sectors," he said.
Reactions From First Holders of Indonesia's Global Citizen Permit
Among the first recipients of the permit is Adam Welly Tedja, a member of the Indonesian diaspora who had lived outside the country for 43 years.
For him, the programme represents far more than a travel document.
"I see that in Indonesia there are what I call sleeping giants, talents that haven't yet been awakened. I hope there's an opportunity to share my personal experience and awaken them. I'm very grateful to the Directorate General of Immigration for its initiative to connect Indonesian diaspora everywhere to return to Indonesia. I think this is the best initiative," he said.
Another GCI holder, Karna Gendo, echoed the sentiment.
"Right now, my focus is on my family. Any future contributions will be within legal and professional boundaries, such as sharing knowledge. Thank you to this GCI program. I am very grateful to be able to participate and feel very honored to be accepted," he said.
Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Agus Andrianto, framed the launch within the government's broader national development goals.
"This policy is expected to encourage real contributions from the diaspora to national development," he said.
Applications for the GCI are processed entirely online through Indonesia's electronic visa system, and approved holders receive their permanent stay permit within 24 hours of arriving in the country.
Indonesia names countries eligible for electronic visa on arrival
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration published the full list of countries eligible for its Electronic Visa on Arrival (E-VOA) in 2026.
Only nine African countries made the E-VOA list out of 97 countries total, limiting access for most of the continent.
Source: Legit.ng
