House Gathers Input on Citizenship Status of Children from Mixed Marriages

RRI.CO.ID, Banten - Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Martin D. Tumbelaka said the citizenship status of children born to parents in mixed-nationality marriages should be one of the issues considered during discussions of the International Private Law Bill. This relates to provisions requiring children with dual citizenship to choose their nationality after turning 18.

"The main purpose of introducing international private law is to provide legal certainty for every citizen facing cross-border legal issues involving foreign nationals," Martin said after leading a visit to the Banten Governor’s Office in Serang, Banten, on Friday, September 18, 2026.

Martin, of President Prabowo Subianto-led Gerindra Party, said among the issues discussed by the committee during the visit were international marriages. Provisions on the age at which children must determine their citizenship will also be examined further.

"The input we received concerned international marriages and what happens to the children. The deputy governor mentioned that when a child turns 18, they must make a choice. That is something we will consider in our discussions on international private law," he said, as quoted from dpr.go.id on Monday, September 21, 2026.

Martin said the committee had received input from several regions questioning the age limit of 18. The views would be taken into consideration in determining the provisions to be included in the International Private Law Bill.

"At what age would it be ideal for a child born to parents of different nationalities to decide which citizenship they want to hold? We have received a great deal of input from various regions saying that 18 is too young," he said.

Meanwhile, Vice Governor of Banten Achmad Dimyati Natakusumah, said the bill was important for regulating civil-law relations between Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals. According to him, such issues cover various aspects, from marriage to business relationships.

"Alhamdulillah (All praises to Allah), today we welcomed the special committee on international private law. This is very important. There is currently no such law, and this will be a new lex specialis law regulating civil matters involving foreign nationals," Dimyati said.

He said marriages involving foreign nationals could lead to subsequent legal issues concerning marital property, inheritance, divorce, and the status of children. Beyond family matters, such regulations are also needed for business relationships, such as joint ventures with foreign partners.

Regarding children born to parents in mixed-nationality marriages, Dimyati said the age limit of 18 should be reconsidered. At that age, children have generally just completed secondary education and are beginning university, meaning a change in citizenship status could affect their education costs.

Dimyati proposed allowing children to defer their citizenship decision until they had completed higher education. He suggested that the age of around 25 or 26, or after completing a master’s degree, could be considered as an option.

"We hope this law can include an additional provision allowing them to make that choice after completing a master’s degree, which would generally be around the age of 25 or 26. Once they have reached that stage, the decision would be up to them. By then, they would be independent and able to choose," Dimyati concluded.