Government Regulation Number 21 Is Citizenship Guarantee For Children Born From Mixed Marriages

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Law and Human Rights affirms the protection of citizenship for children born from mixed marriages through Government Regulation (PP) Number 21 concerning Procedures for Acquiring, Losing, Canceling, and Regaining Indonesian Citizenship.

"This PP No. 21 shows that the government is committed to strengthening the system of protection and legal certainty for the people and the Indonesian diaspora abroad," said Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly in a written statement received in Jakarta, Monday, June 27.

This was conveyed by Yasonna when he was a keynote speaker at a meeting between the community and the Indonesian diaspora at the Consular Discussion Forum in San Francisco, United States as quoted from Antara.

The activity, which was initiated by the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, specifically discussed the latest developments regarding regulations, Indonesian policies on citizenship, and immigration.

Yasonna Laoly emphasized that PP No. 21 was enforced as a form of partisanship with the Indonesian government, especially in providing citizenship protection for children resulting from mixed marriages between Indonesian citizens (WNI) and foreign nationals (WNA).

The regulation, which was promulgated since May 31, 2022, allows children to acquire Indonesian citizenship through an application submitted to the President through the Menkumham.

PP Number 21 is an amendment to PP Number 2 of 2007 concerning Gaining, Losing, Canceling, and Regaining Indonesian Citizenship.

This change is a legal breakthrough step to respond to the latest developments related to citizenship, including regulating the mechanism for how a child born from a mixed marriage has a problem with citizenship.

As is known, President Jokowi has just ratified PP No. 21 of 2022. The regulation regulates the requirements and the process for obtaining Indonesian citizenship for children of mixed marriages.

In particular, children resulting from mixed marriages who escape dual citizenship through Article 41 of Law Number 12 of 2006 concerning Citizenship.