Steps for a dual citizen below 21, having been living in Indonesia since birth, to go abroad with his foreign passport (empty of stamps)

[wildisthewind]

I think what’s causing confusion here is that you haven’t clearly and confidently stated that you have seen he actually has an affidavit on his passport. In post #27, you wrote: ‘As far as I know, my son SHOULD have an affidavit in his foreign passport to be able to leave Indonesia, but the affidavit is no longer issued after turning 18.’ This wording suggests uncertainty and doesn’t confirm that you’ve personally seen the affidavit in his passport. The affidavit stamp on the passport should look like this. But AFAIK the affidavit in the current form is not stamped on the passport anymore but given as a card or letter.

Because he doesn't have any affidavit in his new foreign passport... And the information given was that they are no affidavit given after 18 years old.

 

[wildisthewind]

I think what’s causing confusion here is that you haven’t clearly and confidently stated that you have seen he actually has an affidavit on his passport. In post #27, you wrote: ‘As far as I know, my son SHOULD have an affidavit in his foreign passport to be able to leave Indonesia, but the affidavit is no longer issued after turning 18.’ This wording suggests uncertainty and doesn’t confirm that you’ve personally seen the affidavit in his passport. The affidavit stamp on the passport should look like this. But AFAIK the affidavit in the current form is not stamped on the passport anymore but given as a card or letter.

Well, the last time my other children got an affidavit it was still as on the picture you showed... I didn't know it has been replaced by a card or letter (only). They got at that time, in 2015, a letter, a card and writing in the foreign passport. The first affidavit in their life time was by the way stuck behind their Indonesian birth certificate and seemingly had to be renewed already in 2015...

 

[pantaiema]

Because he doesn't have any affidavit in his new foreign passport... And the information given was that they are no affidavit given after 18 years old.

If there is an affidavit it should have been stamped on his Indonesian passport and/or given in form of card, statement letter. See affidavit examples in post #40. So your son must have known he already has an affidavit. Shall this crucial information is explained earlier, it will be a very simple case. As stated previously, AFAIK affidavit will not need to be renewed as there is no expire date. It will automatically expire once the children turn to 21yo. So the previous information provided here 'he already got an affidavit that just needs to be RENEWED' about renewal might be inaccurate.

Did the AHU officials actually check his Indonesian passport ??

 

[wildisthewind]

If there is an affidavit it should have been stamped on his Indonesian passport and/or given in form of card, statement letter. See affidavit examples in post #40. So your son must have known he already has an affidavit.

Did the AHU officials cheek his Indonesian passport ??

He got his old affidavit but we were said it is valid only with the old passport and that no new affidavit would be given as he turned already 18 and had to choose his nationality.

No AHU did not check his old RI passport because he does not have it anymore...

He never got an affidavit by letter or card by the way in my knowledge. Only an affidavit stuck on the back of his birth certificate and an some writing in his first foreign passport (in 2008) and first RI passport (in 2008 too).

 

[wildisthewind]

If there is an affidavit it should have been stamped on his Indonesian passport and/or given in form of card, statement letter. See affidavit examples in post #40. So your son must have known he already has an affidavit. Shall this crucial information is explained earlier, it will be a very simple case. As stated previously, AFAIK affidavit will not need to be renewed as there is no expire date. It will automatically expire once the children turn to become 21yo. So the previous information provided here 'he already got an affidavit that just needs to be RENEWED' might be inaccurate.

Did the AHU officials actually check his Indonesian passport ??

"So your son must have known he already has an affidavit." Of course he knew but we got said that the affidavit is not valid anymore because neither his RI passport and foreign passport are still valid. We got said that he can not get a new affidavit because he is already 20 and needs now to choose his nationality and that ther is no other way for him to leave Indonesia than to solve first his choice of nationality.

Well AHU Jakarta said he can still get a new affidavit and immigration of airport confirmed it. That information was never given before...

 

[pantaiema]

Well AHU Jakarta said he can still get a new affidavit and immigration of airport confirmed it. That information was never given before...

I think this is not renewed it is just that the authorization stamped will be transferred. So it should have the same registration (authorization) number. This time might not be a stamp on his Indonesian passport as his passport has expired, but it might be just card or statement letter.

Also, your son might want to ask the AHU Jakarta to do it straight away rather than waiting until he arrives at the airport (?).

 

[wildisthewind]

I think this is not renewed it is just that the authorization stamped will be transferred. So it should have the same registration (authorization) number. This time might not be a stamp on his Indonesian passport as his passport has expired, but it might be just card or statement letter.

Also, you might want to ask the AHU Jakarta to do it straight away rather than waiting until he arrives at the airport (?).

You are right it is not renewed but "transferred", but we hadn't been informed about that, neither directly from immigration neither online. What we got said and read online was that after 18 no affidavit given anymore, after 20 no possibility to renew RI passport... The only road was the choice of nationality, a very long road...

My son is waiting for his new foreign passport to be delivered to him before to process the "TRANSFER" of his 'old' affidavit...

 

[wildisthewind]

Hi everybody, I got news! My son, 20 years old, could get his old affidavit transferred into his new foreign passport... and he is abroad now and very happy.
Things to learn from this experience:
1) You might read online or get told at the immigration counter (or by their answers through whatsapp) that it is impossible to get an affidavit after a bi-national turns 18. This is only true if the bi-national never got any affidavit in the past but if he got one it can be transferred to a new foreign passport. A transfer of affidavit is different from making a "new one"...
2) While getting through the immigration at the airport of Bali my son was taken to the room where suspected visa criminals (over-stayers and other cases...) for further verification. He was asked to show his Indonesian passport and he couldn't. Panicked my son asked me to talk directly to the immigration officer by phone. I told him my son(s indonesian passport has expired 8 years ago and that my son hasn't gone abroad for the last ten years. This was it. End of verification. I still don't understand what this "verification" was all about... He got a valid foreign passport and a valid affidavit so what the heck???
3) To get the transfer of affidavit processed the Indonesian mother had to accompany my son at the immigration office and sign a letter even though he is already 20 years old. The letter could not have been signed by the foreigner parent !...

We are glad there was a path. Looking back at it it might look simple but it wasn't because of the information being very hard to get.

Thanks to all the participants to this thread. Bit by bit you helped and energized us !

 

[pantaiema]

There is a useful Q&A with an authoritative source concerning individuals who held limited dual citizenship as children, are now over 21 years old, reside in Indonesia, and missed the 2022–2024 window for either electing Indonesian citizenship (WNI) or formally declaring their limited dual-citizenship status. However, it is unclear whether the outcome of this case can be generalised to others in a similar situation, as the individual was able to raise the matter directly with the minister and senior officials during this public forum.

Although he missed both windows of opportunities to regularise his status, the case appears to have been considered on the basis of fundamental principles of Indonesian law, namely that 'a person should not be rendered stateless (apatride)' and that the state should apply 'the principle of maximum protection'.

The only requirement appears he was asked was the proof that he did not hold any other citizenship. His father was able to obtain a statement from the Singaporean government confirming that he was not registered as a Singaporean citizen. In many other countries, unless for very compeling reason obtaining such a letter would be difficult or even impossible, as authorities may regard the disclosure of citizenship-related information as confidential or as an inappropriate interference in matters concerning another country's citizens.

As I understand it, he has lived in Indonesia for his entire life. In some cases, mistakes made by parents can have significant consequences for their children when the grow up, particularly when those issues only come to light years later.