Before submitting a SKIM application in Indonesia, confirm which citizenship route you are pursuing, check the remaining validity of your passport and stay permit, and gather records for the full residence period you intend to claim. These checks are especially useful if you have replaced a passport, changed sponsors, or held more than one type of stay permit.
A Surat Keterangan Keimigrasian (SKIM) is an immigration certificate that documents your period of residence in Indonesia for a separate citizenship application. This guide covers the paperwork for general naturalisation and for a declaration based on marriage to an Indonesian citizen. Ministry of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 10 of 2023, Articles 24–26.
SKIM requirements: Which checklist applies to you?
Under the national regulation, both routes require a valid passport with at least two years remaining and a recent colour photograph with a white background. The filing party and stay permit requirements differ:
| What to check | General naturalisation — Articles 8–9 | Declaration based on marriage — Article 19 |
|---|---|---|
| Who submits the request? | The guarantor (penjamin). | The Indonesian spouse, as the responsible party (penanggung jawab). |
| Which stay permit is listed? | An ITAP with at least one year remaining. | An ITAS or ITAP with at least nine months remaining, with the Indonesian spouse as the responsible party. |
| What additional evidence is listed? | A guarantor’s request letter, tax identification number (NPWP), and evidence of employment or regular income. The regulation specifies a recommendation from the relevant authority for foreign workers, investors, and religious workers. | The Indonesian spouse’s request letter, proof that the marriage has lasted at least two years, confirmation from the competent authority that the marriage remains legally recorded, and a declaration signed by the applicant, the Indonesian spouse, and two witnesses. |
Ministry of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 10 of 2023, Articles 25–26.
If you married abroad, prepare the foreign marriage certificate and proof that the marriage was reported. Confirm whether your office also requires a sworn translation. Check permit validity with the immigration office handling your application before filing. For example, West Jakarta Immigration’s published Article 19 checklist lists nine months remaining for an ITAS and one year for an ITAP. If your ITAP has between nine and twelve months left, clarify the discrepancy before submitting. West Jakarta Immigration’s SKIM checklist.
How to check your identity and residence history
For these citizenship routes, the residence requirement is at least five consecutive years or ten non-consecutive years. Keep earlier ITAS and ITAP records even if they have expired. Your current permit may cover only part of the period Immigration needs to verify. Indonesia’s Citizenship Law, Articles 9 and 19 · Central Jakarta Immigration’s SKIM guidance.
Before uploading your documents:
- Compare your identity records. Check your full name, date of birth, nationality, and passport number across your passport, permits, and civil documents. Keep supporting evidence for a legal name change or a replaced passport.
- List your permits in date order. Record each permit’s start and end dates, the passport linked to it, and any change of sponsor. Put the supporting documents in the same order.
- Flag missing records and unclear periods. If you cannot locate an old permit or are unsure how an absence affects your residence history, ask the responsible immigration office what evidence it will accept before counting that period.
How to submit the SKIM application
The guarantor or Indonesian spouse submits the request through the official Indonesian eVisa portal to the immigration office responsible for the applicant’s residence. Upload the documents for the correct route, follow the official payment instructions, and keep your receipt. Immigration verifies the submission and, if approved, issues the SKIM electronically. Download the certificate, check the details, and keep it for the separate citizenship filing. Serang Immigration’s SKIM service standard.
Get help preparing your SKIM documents in Jakarta
Devisa Global Services can help you organise older passport and permit records, spot inconsistencies, and identify which questions to raise with Immigration before filing. Our Jakarta team also provides stay permit assistance and visa application services for related immigration needs.
Speak with a Devisa visa consultant in Jakarta on WhatsApp. Tell us which citizenship route you are considering, what permit you currently hold, and which earlier records you still have.
Devisa Global Services is an independent private consultancy. Indonesian Immigration verifies residence records and issues the SKIM.