Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI): A Transformative Pathway for the Indonesian Diaspora and Global Residents

The Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI) marks a pivotal shift in how Indonesia engages with its global population. While the country continues to uphold its constitutional commitment to single nationality, GCI introduces a forward-looking immigration framework that offers long-term residency options similar to a permanent residence permit, without granting citizenship.

A New Chapter in Indonesia’s Global Mobility Strategy

Designed to reconnect the Indonesian diaspora, attract global talent, and reduce long-standing brain drain, GCI reflects Indonesia’s response to an increasingly mobile and interconnected world.

Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI) and the Global Mobility Trend

Why Indonesia Is Rethinking Residency and Mobility

Many countries have modernized their immigration policies to retain ties with overseas citizens and attract skilled individuals. Examples include India’s Overseas Citizenship scheme and long-term investor residency programs across Asia and Europe.

Indonesia’s GCI initiative responds to several structural realities:

• A growing number of Indonesians acquiring foreign citizenship abroad
• The economic and strategic value of diaspora networks
• Ongoing national debate around dual citizenship, especially for mixed-nationality families
• The need to reverse talent outflows and encourage knowledge transfer

Rather than changing nationality law, Indonesia has chosen an immigration-based solution that balances sovereignty with global engagement.

GCI as a Long-Term Residency Model

A Practical Alternative to a Permanent Residence Permit

At its core, GCI introduces visa pathways that function as long-term residence solutions. While not formally labeled as permanent residence, their duration, renewability, and rights closely resemble such systems in other countries.

Key visa categories under GCI include:

• E32A Visa for former Indonesian citizens
• E32B Visa for descendants of Indonesian citizens
• Investor or Golden Visa (E28 series)
• Second-Home Visa (E33)

These visas typically allow stays of five to ten years, with multiple-entry privileges and long-term legal certainty.

Why Global Citizenship of Indonesia Matters

Addressing Brain Drain Through Immigration Policy

Indonesia has seen many skilled professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs leave the country and eventually change citizenship. Because dual citizenship remains restricted, many of them lost the ability to return long-term.

It provides a legal pathway for these individuals to come back, contribute, and invest, without giving up their foreign nationality. This effectively turns brain drain into brain regain.

Reconnecting the Indonesian Diaspora

With an estimated eight to nine million Indonesians living abroad, the Indonesian diaspora represents enormous potential in investment, trade, and global influence.

It allows diaspora members to rebuild lasting ties with Indonesia, often after years or decades of separation, through a stable and lawful residency framework.

A Middle Ground in the Dual Citizenship Debate

Legal and political constraints make full dual citizenship difficult in Indonesia. GCI offers a pragmatic compromise:

• Former citizens can reside long-term
• Descendants can maintain legal and cultural ties
• Global families can live in Indonesia without nationality conflicts

This approach avoids constitutional changes while addressing real-world needs.

Key Visa Pathways

E32A Visa for Former Indonesian Citizens

The E32A visa is a cornerstone of GCI. It allows former Indonesian citizens to:

• Stay in Indonesia for up to five years, renewable
• Enter and exit multiple times
• Work or conduct business with appropriate permits
• Fulfill investment or financial requirements within a defined period

For many, this is the closest option to a permanent residence permit currently available in Indonesia.

E32B Visa for Indonesian Descendants

This visa recognizes biological lineage and cultural ties. It allows second- and third-generation descendants to live in Indonesia long term while keeping their foreign citizenship.

Investor and Golden Visas

The Golden Visa targets high-net-worth individuals and global investors. With validity of up to ten years, it supports capital inflows, business expansion, and Indonesia’s position as a regional investment hub.

Second-Home Visa

The Second-Home Visa is designed for retirees, remote professionals, and lifestyle migrants. It positions Indonesia as a base country for globally mobile individuals seeking long-term residence.

The Long-Term Impact

Economic Benefits

GCI encourages:

• Capital inflows and foreign direct investment
• Job creation and new business formation
• Property development and sector diversification

Social and Cultural Impact

• Former Indonesians can re-establish roots
• Families divided by nationality rules can reunite
• National identity is strengthened through diaspora reintegration

Strategic and Geopolitical Value

Countries with strong diaspora engagement often enjoy greater global influence. GCI enhances Indonesia’s soft power by fostering long-term connections with its global population.

A New Era of Global Positioning

It is not merely an immigration reform. It reflects a broader shift in how Indonesia positions itself globally:

• It recognizes global mobility without adopting dual citizenship
• It addresses brain drain through structured residency
• It creates a modern alternative to permanent residence
• It aligns Indonesia with global best practices

Conclusion

The Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI) framework is a bold and pragmatic response to long-standing challenges around dual citizenship, diaspora engagement, and long-term residency. By offering immigration pathways that function like a permanent residence permit, Indonesia strengthens its global appeal while preserving legal sovereignty.

For the Indonesian diaspora, global investors, and long-stay residents, GCI represents a historic opportunity to reconnect, contribute, and build a future in Indonesia.