In short: Yes, if your KITAS or KITAP comes from marriage to an Indonesian citizen. Divorce is a legal ground for cancelling a marriage-based permit. A KITAP stays valid if the marriage lasted 10 years or more. Under 10 years, it stays valid only if an Indonesian sponsor is registered within 60 days of the divorce certificate.
Many foreign nationals married to Indonesian citizens hold a stay permit that exists because of that marriage. When the marriage ends, the legal basis of the permit can end with it. The rules are set out in Indonesia’s Immigration Law and its implementing regulation, and the deadlines are short.
This guide explains which permits are affected, what the 10-year rule and the 60-day window mean, and the routes that remain if you want to stay in Indonesia, including to stay close to your children. It covers immigration only. The divorce itself, custody and the division of marital property are matters for a family lawyer.
Which stay permits are affected by divorce?
The answer depends on how you got your permit. In Indonesian law, KITAS is the limited stay permit (Izin Tinggal Terbatas, ITAS) and KITAP is the permanent stay permit (Izin Tinggal Tetap, ITAP).
| Your permit | What divorce means for it | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse KITAS (E31A), sponsored through your Indonesian spouse | Divorce is a ground for cancelling it. You need a new legal basis to stay | Government Regulation (PP) 31/2013, Article 159(3)(f), as amended by PP 40/2023 |
| KITAP through marriage, marriage of 10 years or more | Stays valid. You must report your marital status to the immigration office | Law 6/2011, Article 62(2)(g); PP 31/2013, Article 162, as amended by PP 40/2023 |
| KITAP through marriage, marriage of less than 10 years | Stays valid only if an Indonesian individual sponsor is registered within 60 days of the divorce certificate. Otherwise it is cancelled | Law 6/2011, Article 63(5); PP 31/2013, Article 163 |
| KITAS or KITAP on another basis (work, investment, retirement, second home) | The permit does not depend on the marriage. The change in civil status must still be reported | Law 6/2011, Article 71 |
The death of an Indonesian spouse is treated differently. Under PP 31/2013, Article 160, as amended by PP 40/2023, a marriage-based KITAS or KITAP stays valid when the Indonesian spouse dies, and the foreign spouse must report their marital status to the immigration office.
What does the 10-year rule actually say?
Law 6/2011 on Immigration lists the end of a marriage to an Indonesian citizen “through divorce and/or a court decision” as a ground for cancelling a KITAP, “except for a marriage that has lasted 10 years or more” (Article 62(2)(g)). PP 31/2013, Article 162, repeats the protection for marriages of 10 years or more. Since PP 40/2023 amended that article, the foreign spouse only has to report their marital status to the immigration office.
The 10-year rule applies to the KITAP. A spouse KITAS has no equivalent protection in the regulation, whatever the length of the marriage.
What is the 60-day window?
For a KITAP from a marriage of less than 10 years, PP 31/2013, Article 163, sets three conditions:
- The sponsor (Penjamin) must be an individual Indonesian citizen.
- The sponsor must be submitted to the immigration office covering the foreign national’s place of residence.
- The submission must be made no later than 60 days from the date the divorce certificate (akta perceraian) is issued.
If no sponsor is submitted in that time, the KITAP is cancelled.
What to do after the divorce certificate is issued
The clock in Article 163 starts on the date the divorce certificate is issued, not the date of the hearing. Use this sequence so that no deadline passes by default.
- Note the issue date of the divorce certificate. Count 60 days from that date if you hold a KITAP from a marriage of less than 10 years.
- Report the change in civil status. Every foreign national in Indonesia must report changes in civil status, sponsor and address to the local immigration office (Law 6/2011, Article 71). Not doing so carries a penalty of up to three months’ confinement or a fine of up to Rp25,000,000 (Article 116).
- Identify your route. Report only (KITAP, 10 years or more), register an Indonesian sponsor (KITAP, under 10 years), or move to a new permit (spouse KITAS).
- Keep your current permit valid while you act. A permit that expires before the new one is in place leads to overstay charges. See the overstay fine guide for Indonesia.
- Update your address if you move out. An address change is a separate report. The guide to changing KITAS address or sponsor explains the process.
If you hold a spouse KITAS
A spouse KITAS is granted because of the marriage, so after a divorce it no longer has a basis. The practical question is which new permit fits your situation. The main routes are:
- Work. A KITAS sponsored by an Indonesian employer, with its own work authorisation.
- Investment, retirement or second home. Each has its own eligibility rules and financial requirements.
- Parent of an Indonesian child. See the next section.
- Global Citizen of Indonesia (GCI). Only if you qualify on grounds other than the marriage.
Depending on the route, your current permit may have to be cancelled before the new one is issued. The guide to EPO and ERP in Indonesia explains when an exit permit is needed.
Can you stay as the parent of an Indonesian child?
Yes, if your child holds Indonesian citizenship. The Directorate General of Immigration lists the E31G visa, a family visa for the parent of an Indonesian child. According to that page:
| E31G detail | What the official page says |
|---|---|
| Stay | 1 or 2 years from arrival, extendable online through evisa.imigrasi.go.id |
| Application letter | From the child who is an Indonesian citizen |
| Proof of the relationship | Indonesian birth certificate, a foreign birth certificate with sworn translation (unless in English), or an adoption or recognition order |
| Funds | Bank statements for the last 3 months showing at least US$2,000, or the equivalent |
| Sponsor | Required |
| Government fee (PNBP) | Rp6,000,000 for 1 year, Rp8,500,000 for 2 years |
Source: Directorate General of Immigration, E31G page, checked 2 November 2026.
What about the Global Citizen of Indonesia (GCI) permit?
The Directorate General of Immigration launched the Global Citizen of Indonesia (GCI) on 26 January 2026. It grants an indefinite KITAP to people with family, historical or other strong ties to Indonesia. Eligible groups include:
- former Indonesian citizens and their descendants up to the second degree;
- legal spouses of Indonesian citizens;
- children from mixed marriages.
Legal spouses of Indonesian citizens and children from mixed marriages can apply without the immigration guarantee that former citizens must provide.
The public announcement does not say what happens to a GCI held by a spouse after divorce. If you hold a GCI as a spouse, ask the immigration office before the divorce is final.
If you hold a KITAP through marriage
Marriage of 10 years or more. Your KITAP stays valid. The amended Article 162 requires you to report your marital status to the immigration office. Keep your marriage and divorce certificates together, because the dates show which side of the 10-year line your marriage falls on.
Marriage of less than 10 years. Your KITAP depends on finding an Indonesian individual who agrees to act as your sponsor within 60 days. Before asking a relative or friend, both of you should know what the role involves. Under Law 6/2011, Article 63, a sponsor:
- is responsible for your presence and activities in Indonesia;
- must report changes in your civil status, immigration status and address;
- must pay the cost of your repatriation if your permit expires or you are deported.
The original marriage-based KITAP itself requires two years of marriage before it can be granted (Law 6/2011, Article 60(2)). The guide to KITAS and KITAP in Indonesia covers the conversion process in more detail.
Can you keep working after a divorce?
Law 6/2011, Article 61, allows foreign spouses who hold a marriage-based KITAS or KITAP to work or run a business to support themselves and their family. That right is attached to the marriage-based permit. If the permit is cancelled, or you move to a different permit, the work rules of the new permit apply. Check them before you continue or start a job.
Where you live during the transition
A divorce often means a move, and the move has immigration consequences of its own. An address change must be reported (Law 6/2011, Article 71), so choose a new home before you file the report rather than after.
A serviced apartment on a short lease gives you a stable address while the new permit is processed. Noble Properties Asia lists short-term stays in Jakarta for exactly this kind of transition.
Property owned during the marriage is a separate question. It involves marital property law and land title rules, so take it to a family lawyer. The guide to Hak Pakai apartments in Indonesia explains how foreigners can hold an apartment in their own name.
What should you do first?
Two things matter most:
- Know which permit you hold and why. A spouse KITAS needs a new basis. A KITAP from a marriage of less than 10 years needs an Indonesian sponsor within 60 days of the divorce certificate.
- Report the change in civil status. Then act before any deadline passes.
Noble Asia’s relocation team can help you prepare documents for your next permit through official immigration channels. The team can also find you a home for the transition. We do not give legal advice. For the divorce itself, work with a family lawyer.
Email: connect@nobleasia.id WhatsApp us here for your question about stay permit +62 813 1668 5505.
Divorce and stay permits in Indonesia: frequently asked questions
Is a spouse KITAS cancelled automatically after divorce?
The regulation lists divorce as a ground on which immigration can cancel a KITAS obtained through marriage to an Indonesian citizen (PP 31/2013, Article 159(3)(f), as amended by PP 40/2023). Do not wait for a cancellation notice. Report the change in civil status and start the application for a new permit.
Does the 10-year rule apply to a spouse KITAS?
No. The protection for marriages of 10 years or more applies to a KITAP obtained through marriage, under Law 6/2011, Article 62(2)(g), and PP 31/2013, Article 162. A spouse KITAS has no equivalent protection. After a divorce, the holder needs a new legal basis to stay, whatever the length of the marriage.
Who can be my sponsor after a divorce?
For a KITAP from a marriage of less than 10 years, the sponsor must be an individual Indonesian citizen. The sponsor is submitted to your local immigration office within 60 days of the divorce certificate (PP 31/2013, Article 163). For a new KITAS, the sponsor depends on the permit type, for example an employer for a work permit.
What happens if my Indonesian spouse dies?
Your marriage-based KITAS or KITAP stays valid. Under PP 31/2013, Article 160, as amended by PP 40/2023, you must report your marital status to the immigration office. The same regulation keeps a child’s permit valid when an Indonesian parent dies (Article 161).
Can I stay in Indonesia to be near my children?
If your child holds Indonesian citizenship, you may apply for the E31G family visa as the parent of an Indonesian child. The visa allows a stay of one or two years and can be extended. Children from mixed marriages may also qualify for the Global Citizen of Indonesia permit launched in January 2026.
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