Having not lived in their homeland for decades, Indonesian diaspora shares the reasons behind their decision to change—or keep—their citizenship status.
Aside from the topic around Global Citizenship of Indonesia—which is said to grant permanent residency to foreign nationals with "strong ties" to Indonesia—the Indonesian diaspora who have lived abroad for decades have their own reasons for choosing their citizenship status.
Didiet Radityawan has lived in Australia since 2010. Initially staying on a Permanent Resident Visa, the professional baker took the oath of Australian citizenship in 2017.
"The way I think, my point of view, it has become very different," he told SBS Indonesian when asked why he didn't want to retain his Indonesian citizenship. "I think a passport is just a letter."
Meanwhile, for Suryani Hardjowijono, who has lived in Australia for more than four decades, Indonesia will always be her endearment.
"I'm old-fashioned. I still love Indonesia," she answered when asked why she still holds her Indonesian passport. She said that she uses her Indonesian passport to travel to various countries around the world without any problems.
The mother of four—all Australian citizens—also mentioned family and retirement factors as considerations in her decision to retain her green passport.
What factors influence the Indonesian diaspora's decision to choose their citizenship status? Listen to the full podcast.
