Setyana Mapasa, an Olympic badminton player, faced a tough decision when she had to relinquish her Indonesian citizenship to continue her sporting career in Australia. Since moving to Sydney in 2013, visiting her family in Indonesia always came with a time constraint. However, the Indonesian government’s announcement of a new visa scheme in November, enabling her to live and work in Indonesia indefinitely, has reignited her hopes.
Indonesia’s Minister of Immigration, Agus Andrianto, described the Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI) as an “innovative solution to the issue of dual citizenship,” allowing foreign nationals with strong ties to Indonesia to reside there permanently. For Mapasa, this scheme could potentially ease her path to employment in Indonesia and open doors for others eager to contribute to their homeland.
Understanding Indonesia’s New Visa Scheme
Indonesia’s new visa initiative draws inspiration from India’s Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) visa, which grants similar rights to citizens without voting or agricultural land ownership rights. While details of the GCI remain sparse, Abdullah Rasyid from the Indonesian Ministry of Immigration confirmed that the regulations do not currently address land and property ownership rights.
Harun, an Indonesian citizen of Indian descent residing in Bali, holds an OCI visa. He explained the benefits it provides, including the ability to travel freely to India, own residential property, and access educational opportunities, albeit without the right to work in government or vote in elections.
“I can travel freely to India, buy and sell property — except for restricted categories — open a bank account, go to school … but I can’t work [for the] government or vote in elections,” Harun said.
In contrast, applicants for Indonesia’s new visa must pay a fee of 34.8 million rupiah ($3,200) and make a financial commitment to Indonesia, which varies based on their connection to the country. Former Indonesian citizens need to hold bonds, shares, mutual funds, and deposits worth $US5,000 ($7,647) in Indonesia. This financial commitment increases for first and second-generation descendants of former citizens.
Mixed Reactions from the Indonesian Diaspora
The announcement of the new visa has elicited a mixed response from the Indonesian diaspora. While some welcome the initiative, others view it as an extension of existing permits and visas. On social media, critics have labeled the scheme as a government revenue grab.
“National robbery!! Would never pay that price. Rather go on a visa trip and spend my money there instead,” commented one user on Instagram.
Nevertheless, for diaspora members like Tuti Poeppelmeyer in Germany, the news was met with cautious optimism. Living in Bremen with her German husband and daughter, Poeppelmeyer expressed excitement at the prospect of owning property and land in Indonesia, akin to the OCI scheme.
Under current Indonesian law, non-citizens inheriting land or property from Indonesian parents must sell it within a year, or ownership rights shift to usage rights. Poeppelmeyer noted that if the GCI allowed property ownership, she would likely relinquish her Indonesian citizenship.
Criticism and Calls for Reform
Nuning Hallett, a former adjunct professor at the University of Buffalo, returned to Indonesia after years in the United States. Now an advocate for citizenship rights of mixed-marriage families, Dr. Hallett criticized the GCI, arguing it offers no real benefits and is primarily revenue-driven.
“There’s no real benefit offered by GCI,” she said. “I see the GCI’s purpose as clearly chasing non-tax state revenue, government bonds, and deposits.”
Dr. Hallett pointed out that the Indonesian diaspora has access to cheaper visa options, such as visa on arrival or temporary stay permits. She argued that if Indonesia truly wanted to emulate India’s approach, it should offer affordable costs and facilitate easier access to property ownership.
Rasyid from the Immigration Ministry defended the financial commitments as part of a “mutual contribution framework” based on responsible migration benefit sharing. However, Dr. Hallett and others continue to push for reforms that would embed the GCI within Indonesia’s Citizenship Law, similar to India’s OCI.
The Road Ahead
As the Indonesian government prepares to implement the new scheme on January 26, members of the diaspora, including Mapasa, eagerly await further details. The Olympian has received offers to coach badminton or establish a club in Indonesia, but past visa restrictions have been a barrier.
“I even overstayed once … by 13 days, because I forgot [to renew my visa],” she admitted. “I still feel [Indonesia] is home.”
The coming months will be crucial as the government refines the scheme and addresses the concerns of its diaspora, balancing the need for revenue with the desire to maintain cultural and legal ties with Indonesians abroad.
