Indonesia launches ‘Global Citizenship’ residency scheme

Indonesia has introduced a new immigration scheme called the Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI), offering permanent residency rights to foreigners with strong ties to the country.  

The program, launched this month by the Directorate General of Immigration, allows eligible applicants to live in Indonesia indefinitely without giving up their original citizenship. It is designed to address long-standing challenges faced by the Indonesian diaspora and mixed-nationality families, while maintaining the country’s single-citizenship law.  

Those eligible include former Indonesian citizens, their descendants, legal spouses of Indonesians or ex-Indonesians, and children born from legally recognized marriages between Indonesians and foreign nationals. However, the scheme excludes nationals from countries that were once part of Indonesia’s territory, individuals linked to separatist movements, and foreign civil servants, intelligence officers, or military personnel.  

Applications are processed entirely online through evisa.imigrasi.go.id, with integrated services covering visa issuance, conversion to permanent residency, unlimited extensions, and multiple re-entry permits.  

Officials say the initiative mirrors similar programs in countries like India, where overseas citizenship schemes have strengthened ties with diaspora communities. With shipping, trade, and global mobility on the rise, the GCI is being hailed as one of Indonesia’s most significant immigration reforms in decades.