Indonesia
She’s My Kid! No, She’s Mine!
Sutarto, an Indonesian man, married Adesuwa a Nigeria woman in Lagos. As they worked in Maldives, Avril their daughter was born. The family then moved to Jakarta. Problems arose when they must be apart. How is Avril’s citizenship?
Superparent, in a mixed marriage, there will be an issue of kid’s citizenship. If each parent maintains their own citizenship, and there is going to be a divorce, then their kid will be a subject of contention. The problem will be easier if the kid is 18 years old or more to choose her citizenship.
In Indonesia, according to Law No. 12 of 2006 on nationality, Indonesian citizen includes a kid from a legal marriage whose father is an Indonesian citizen and mother is a foreign citizen, a kid from a legal marriage whose mother is an Indonesian citizen and father is a foreign citizen, a kid from a legal marriage born within 300 days after the father’s death and the father was an Indonesian citizen at the time of death, a kid from an illegal marriage whose mother is an Indonesian citizen, a kid from an illegal marriage whose mother is a foreign citizen but the father is an Indonesian citizen and recognizes the child as his child before the child turns 18 or is married, and a kid born in Indonesian territory whose parent’s citizenship status is unknown.
The problem will get more difficult with the issues of different religions, families, cultures, or identity. Sometime, it will bring crisis for kid.
TEGUH WAHYU UTOMO
PHOTOS: PHOTOS
