How to Apply for an Indonesian Passport for Children

You’re trying to get an Indonesian passport for your child.

And the rules change depending on one detail: their citizenship status. 

In the next few minutes, you’ll know exactly what to prepare, whether your child can hold limited dual citizenship, and how to finish the application through M-Paspor without getting stuck on missing documents, mismatched names, or the billing-code step. 

We’ll start by sorting your child into the right scenario (born in Indonesia, born abroad, mixed-nationality parents, or special custody situations), then move into a clean document checklist, and finally walk through the real flow: upload a parent’s KTP, fill in the travel details, pay with the billing code, attend the immigration appointment for verification + interview + photo, then wait for the pickup message. 

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How Child Passports Work in Indonesia

In Indonesian immigration, a “child” is usually understood as someone who is unmarried and under 17 years of age. So if your child is still a minor and not married, they will need their own Indonesian passport to travel. They can’t just “share” a passport with a parent anymore.

Unlike the US or Australia, Indonesia follows the basic principle of single nationality for adults. However, under the citizenship law, there is a special arrangement called limited dual citizenship for certain children with dual citizenship (often called Anak Berkewarganegaraan Ganda Terbatas).

This usually applies when:

• A child is born to an Indonesian father and a foreign mother, or
• An Indonesian mother and a foreign father, or
• Children born abroad who can automatically receive another nationality at birth (for example, through jus soli in some countries).

These children can hold dual nationality for a limited period. At a certain age (typically between 18 and 21, depending on registration and rules in force) 

Important: Children with limited dual citizenship must choose one nationality by age 21.

During this limited period, their citizenship status and immigration facilities are different from those of children who only have one nationality, so it affects how you plan their Indonesian passport and any foreign passports they may hold.

Required Documents for a Child’s Indonesian Passport

For almost every case, immigration will want to see clear proof of:

• The child’s identity and birth,
• The parents’ identity and marriage, and
• The family relationship between them.

Here are the typical required documents for a child who is an Indonesian citizen, living in Indonesia, applying at an immigration office inside Indonesia.

A. Standard documents (Indonesian child, Indonesian parents)

Prepare originals and copies of:

• Child’s birth certificate (akta kelahiran)
• Family card (Kartu Keluarga)
• Parents’ electronic ID cards (e-KTP)
• Parents’ marriage certificate or marriage book (buku nikah)
• Old Indonesian passport of the child (if this is a renewal, not a first passport)
• A recent colored passport photograph of the child is required, typically with a white background.
• A simple letter from the parents declaring responsibility for the use of the child’s passport

B. Extra documents for children with dual citizenship

For a dual citizenship child with limited dual citizenship, parents must register the child's dual citizenship status with the Directorate General of Immigration before the child turns 18. You will usually need, in addition to the list above:

• Proof of registration of the child’s limited dual citizenship with the relevant ministry (showing that you have officially registered the dual citizenship status)
• Copy of the foreign passport (if your child already has one)
• ID or residence permit of the foreign parent (or foreign mother/father) if applicable
• Any affidavit issued by Indonesian immigration that grants immigration facilities to the child when entering Indonesia with a foreign passport

C. Special situations

Depending on your family’s situation, you may also be asked to show:

• Court decision on custody if the parents are divorced
• Death certificate if one parent has passed away
• Legal documents for adoption or guardianship
• A domicile letter from local authorities if the address in your documents doesn’t match where you actually live

Immigration wants to see a simple, logical story: this child was born to these parents, they live here, and the parents are responsible for the child’s travel. When that story is clear on paper, the issuance of the Indonesian passport usually goes more smoothly.

D. Different names or dates across documents

Sometimes the spelling of the child’s name, the father’s name, or the mother’s name is different between the child’s birth certificate, marriage certificate, family card, and school records.

In these cases, immigration may ask for extra explanation, such as:

• A clarifying letter from the parents
• Additional civil registration documents
• A court order in extreme cases

The goal is to be sure that all documents refer to the same applicant, the same child, and the same parents.

Children with Dual Citizenship: Passport vs Affidavit

If your child has dual citizenship, you basically have three tools to work with:

1. The Indonesian passport
2. The foreign passport
3. An affidavit in the foreign passport

An affidavit is a note or sticker issued by Indonesian immigration and placed inside the foreign passport of an Indonesian citizen child with limited dual citizenship. It confirms that the child is registered and grants certain immigration facilities, such as easier entry and sometimes exemption from applying for a separate re-entry permit when coming back to Indonesia.

Some families prefer that their dual citizenship child use the Indonesian passport to enter and leave Indonesia, and the foreign passport to enter and leave the other country. Others mainly use a foreign passport plus an affidavit to come in and out of Indonesia.

Which option is better depends on:

• Where the child mostly lives (Indonesia or abroad)
• The countries involved and their own rules about dual nationality
• Long-term plans for school, work, and naturalization in another country
• Personal comfort with managing documents and registrations

There is no universal answer, and this is where talking to a specialist can really help. The stakes are high: you are dealing with your child’s Indonesian nationality, potential loss of status, and long-term rights in more than one territory.

Step-by-Step: Applying via the M-Paspor System

Most parents today will use the M-Paspor app as the starting point for applying for an Indonesian passport for children. The system may look scary at first, but you’re basically doing three things: registering, uploading your documents, and booking a time at the immigration office.

1) Start a new passport application for a child

Open the application menu, then choose add a new application for a child and select the option for “underage/minor” (anak di bawah umur). After that, continue to the next step.

2) Choose the passport type

Select the passport type. Choose a regular (non-electronic) passport.

3) Upload a parent’s KTP

Upload a photo of one parent’s KTP (the example uses the mother’s KTP). Once it uploads successfully, move on to the form.

4) Fill in the child’s basic information

Enter the child’s data carefully. When you see the question about whether the child has had a passport before, choose “never had one” if this is the first passport. The system usually shows a notification to confirm your selection.

5) Fill in travel plan details (this helps during the interview)

Next, you’ll be asked why the child needs a passport and the travel plan. Then choose a destination country (example: Singapore). If you genuinely haven’t decided yet, you can use the option that says you don’t know the destination.

You also need to fill in a specific place to stay (example: Chinatown). This can affect the interview. Remember, you have to be clear and consistent in your answers about where you’re going and where you’ll stay. This usually makes the interview easier.

6) Add an emergency contact

Choose a reachable contact person. Then continue to the next page.

7) Upload the required supporting documents

Upload the documents that the system requests for the child’s application. Upload the child’s birth certificate and the parents’ marriage book/certificate, then continue and complete the remaining form fields until everything shows as finished.

Documents to upload:

• Birth certificate (Akte Lahir)
• Parents’ marriage book/certificate (Buku Nikah)

8) Choose an appointment date and time

Pick the visit date and time slot for your immigration office appointment. Before submitting, re-check that the details are correct. The system may take a short moment to process.

9) Wait for the billing code (kode billing) via email

After submission, you might not be able to pay right away because the billing code hasn’t appeared yet. You should wait until you receive an email, and inside that email, you’ll find the kode billing.

10) Pay the fee using the billing code

Pay using mobile banking or an ATM. When selecting the payment category, make sure to choose the correct government billing type ( pajak/PNBP/cukai) and do not mistakenly choose a “regional/local tax” type. Enter the billing code, confirm the amount, and complete the payment. After that, you’ll see a payment confirmation.

11) Prepare printed proofs and physical documents for the appointment

Before going to the immigration office, prepare the same documents you uploaded and bring the originals because officers will match your online data with the real documents. You also need to print your proofs properly.

If you apply for multiple passports, each applicant must have their own printout. And, you cannot combine two payment proofs on one page. The same applies to registration proof; each person needs a separate page, and the barcode must be clearly visible.

Documents to bring:

• Parent KTP (original + copies)
• Child’s uploaded supporting documents (original + copies)
• Old passport (only if renewal / if applicable)
• Materai (stamp duty)
• Printed payment proof (one page per applicant, not combined)
• Printed registration proof with barcode (one page per applicant, barcode clearly visible)
• Photocopy of both parents’ KTP (front + back), arranged father on top and mother below

12) Visit the immigration office and follow the on-site steps

When you arrive, you’ll usually start with a document check at the front desk/CS. After that, you’ll queue for document verification with an officer. The officer may ask questions and confirm that the uploaded documents match the originals and that the form details are accurate.

After verification, you’ll be called for an interview.

13) Child applicant rule: both parents should accompany (or prepare a statement letter)

For a child’s passport application, the child should be accompanied by both parents at the immigration office. If one parent can’t attend, officers may ask you to provide a parental permission statement letter. Both parents must sign this letter, and the immigration office usually provides the form, or it can be downloaded from the embassy website (if applicable). Don’t forget to prepare a materai if they require the statement to be stamped.

14) Wait for the SMS and pick up the passport

After the appointment, you’ll be told to go home. About 3 days later, you’ll received an SMS telling them to pick up the passport. Pickup may be available via drive-thru or by collecting inside the office, depending on that immigration office’s system.

What Happens at the Immigration Office

On your appointment day, you bring your child, all documents, and your payment proof to the chosen immigration office.

You check in, and an officer will verify your documents. If anything is missing, they can ask you to complete it before the process moves forward, so bring more rather than less.

Then your child will have their photo and biometrics taken. The photo will be taken against a white background according to official standards. For older children, the officer might ask simple questions like their name or date of birth just to confirm identity.

If your child has dual citizenship, the officer might also ask about their nationality documents or affidavit, especially if the child is already using a foreign passport when entering or leaving Indonesia.

Once the interview and biometrics are finished, the immigration officer will tell you when the passport is expected to be ready. The processing time can vary from office to office, but many parents see a time frame of around a few working days if everything is complete and there are no issues with the data.

When the passport is ready, you (or someone officially authorized) come back to pick it up. Check the details carefully: name, place and date of birth, citizenship, and validity period.

Passport Validity, Five Years, and Renewals

Traditionally, many Indonesian passports have a validity of five years. Newer regulations in some periods have allowed longer validity, but children with dual citizenship and children who are still under limited dual citizenship often have more sensitive timelines.

Why? Their eligibility to hold Indonesian citizenship is linked to age and provisions in the citizenship law. A child under limited dual citizenship might need to declare their intention to keep Indonesian nationality, or they may lose it automatically at a certain age if they do not choose.

That means, in practice:

• If your child will soon need to choose between Indonesian citizenship and another nationality, immigration may not give a passport that extends far beyond the deadline to choose.
• If your child is close to 18 or 21, you should think not just about the passport but about their long-term citizenship status and residence plans.

Renewing a passport is usually easier than a first-time application, but you still need to show the basic documents and prove that the child remains an Indonesian citizen and still meets the obligation to choose nationality if they are under limited dual citizenship rules.

When to Ask for Professional Help

Rules about citizenship, dual citizenship, registration, and immigration can be dense, especially when your child has more than one nationality or was born overseas.

You should strongly consider talking to an expert when:

• Your child has limited dual citizenship and is nearing the age when they must choose nationality.
• You are not sure how to handle both an Indonesian passport and a foreign passport at the same time.
• You need to understand how passport choices interact with visa rules, long-term residence, or future naturalization in another country.
• There are complex family circumstances (adoption, guardianship, divorce, step-parents, or unregistered marriage).

A good consultant, lawyer, or visa agency can’t change the provisions of the law, but they can help you read official rules, deal with the Directorate General of Immigration or the relevant ministry, and avoid mistakes in the application process.

Again, this article is informational only. It gives you a clear overview, but it does not replace specific legal advice for your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is considered a “child” for an Indonesian passport?

In general, Immigration treats a child as under 17 and not married. That definition matters because it affects validity options and how the application is handled.

Can I apply for my child’s passport outside Indonesia?

Yes. A child’s Indonesian passport can be applied for in Indonesia or through an Indonesian representative office abroad (Perwakilan RI), depending on where you live and where the child is registered.

Do I need to use the M-Paspor app for a child's passport?

Most offices route applications through M-Paspor for registration, scheduling, and queue management. If your office has a special lane (like walk-in for certain groups), they usually still follow the same verification flow.

Does my child need a KTP?

No, children don’t have KTP. In practice, the application typically uses the parent’s KTP plus the child’s civil documents (like birth certificate and KK).

What documents are usually required for a child’s passport?

Most offices ask for the same core set: parents’ IDs, family registration, and the child’s civil status documents. Exact lists can vary slightly by office and scenario (single parent, dual citizenship, etc.).

Do both parents need to come to the immigration appointment?

Some immigration offices state that both biological parents and the child should attend the appointment. Because this can be enforced differently by office, it’s smart to prepare as if both parents are required, especially for first-time passports.

What if the parents are divorced?

Some offices ask both parents to attend unless the applying parent can show a court custody ruling that clearly allows them to represent the child alone.

What if one parent has passed away?

Some offices allow the surviving parent to proceed by providing the death certificate as supporting evidence.

Is a consent letter (surat pernyataan) needed?

Some offices include a parental consent statement letter (often mentioning stamp duty) as part of the child-passport requirements. If your office lists it, don’t skip it, it’s an easy reason for delays.

What happens at the immigration office appointment?

Expect a straightforward sequence: document verification, interview, then photo and biometrics (fingerprints if feasible), followed by processing. Parents often get asked simple questions about the child’s identity and travel plan.

How long does it take to get a child's passport?

Many local offices cite around 4 working days after biometrics for standard processing (assuming your documents are complete and the system is normal).

How much does an Indonesian passport cost for a child?

Official fee lists commonly show Rp350,000 (non-electronic, 48 pages) and Rp650,000 (electronic, 48 pages). Some services also list an additional Rp1,000,000 for accelerated/same-day service where available.

Can a child get a 10-year passport?

Many immigration offices explain that 10-year passports are for those aged 17+ or already married. For children under that threshold, it’s typically the shorter validity option.

Can we walk in without an appointment?

Some offices publicly mention special walk-in handling for certain categories (for example, children under 5, the elderly, pregnant applicants, people with disabilities). This is office-specific, so treat it as a possible exception—not the default.

What if the names don’t match across documents (spacing, spelling, titles)?

That can block the process. Several offices explicitly warn that even small inconsistencies (including spacing) can cause verification issues—so it’s worth checking every document before you submit.

What if there were a legal name change?

You’ll usually need formal proof (often described as a name-change determination/decision letter) from the authorized institution, along with your updated civil documents.

Can a child with limited dual citizenship get an Indonesian passport?

Yes, but it’s typically treated as a “special” scenario with additional supporting documents (often involving the foreign parent’s status documents and passport copy).

Do dual-citizen children have different passport validity rules?

Immigration representatives have explained that validity can be tied to the child’s nationality-choice deadline, so it may not extend beyond that cutoff.

When does a child with dual citizenship have to choose one nationality?

Common official explanations summarize it like this: the choice happens after turning 18 (or marriage), with a practical deadline around age 21, depending on the situation and paperwork timeline.

Do I need to bring a printed passport photo for my child?

Usually, the child’s photo is taken during the biometrics session at the immigration office. But some local SOPs may still ask for extra photos in certain cases, so it’s safest to check your chosen office’s checklist if they publish one.

Final Thoughts

Applying for an Indonesian passport for children doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you:

• Understand your child’s citizenship status,
• Collect the required documents carefully, and
• Respect the timelines set by Indonesian citizenship law, especially for children with dual citizenship.

Then the process at the immigration office is much more straightforward.

Your child’s passport is more than a travel document. It’s proof of their connection to Indonesia, to the Republic, and, in many cases, to another country as well. Handling that mix of identities and rights thoughtfully is one of the most important gifts you can give them as they grow up and decide where they want to study, live, and work in the future.