How to obtain Indonesia Permanent Residency 

According to the Jakarta Post, 28 June 2006, The Indonesian government plans to ease procedures for permanent residence for foreign investors and top executives in an effort to boost investment, The Jakarta Post daily reported on Wednesday.    

"Foreign investors and foreign top managers can change their limited stay permit to a permanent resident permit two years after the first permit has been issued," Justice and Human Rights Ministry spokesman Taswem Tarib was quoted as saying by the daily.

According to Government Regulation No.38/2005 on visas, residence and immigration permits issued last October, in order to qualify they would have to reside in the country continuously for two years. The previous 1994 regulation required residence of five years.    

The duration of permanent residence in is limited to five years, although it can be extended. However, In order to get Indonesian citizenship, they are required to have permanent resident status first just like other countries.  

But no decision has been made on the minimum amount of investment required to qualify.    

"The Justice and Human Rights Ministry is still discussing the matter with the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM)," said Taswem.    

"This regulation actually took effect in March 2006. But since we had to coordinate with the BKPM and the Transportation Ministry, we decided to delay the announcement for this regulation."   

The existing law also does not allow Indonesian women to sponsor a non-Indonesian husband for permanent resident status. At present, foreigners can only be sponsored by companies that employ them here.    

The country's citizenship law created nearly five decades ago has several articles are today seen as discriminatory toward Indonesian women and their husbands and children, in the case of a local woman marrying a non-Indonesian.   

Foreigners, who are married to Indonesians, can be "given a chance" to get the status regardless of gender, he added.   

The committee also agreed upon "limited dual citizenship" for children of couples with different nationalities, as well as for children of Indonesian couples born in countries that apply the principle of ius soli ("right of the soil").