Indonesia approves long-awaited immigration law

2011-04-07 21:11:00 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesia's House of Representatives on Thursday passed into law the long-awaited immigration bill, the Jakarta Globe newspaper reported.

The passage of the immigration law was labeled as a "breakthrough" by Fahri Hamzah, deputy chairman of House Commission III. The new law will significantly impact foreign spouses of Indonesian citizens.

According to the newly-approved legislation, foreign spouses will be given permanent residence permits after two years of marriage and will be required to report to the immigration office once every five years.

In addition, foreign husbands or wives will be allowed to work in Indonesia. In the case of a divorce, foreign citizens will be allowed to stay in the country if they were married to Indonesian citizens for at least 10 years.

Currently, foreign people married to Indonesian citizens are required to renew their Kitas (temporary residence permit) each year. The law is expected to go into effect in an estimated 30 days.

The amended law also includes criminalizing people that take advantage of these regulations, such as arranging fake marriages to get a residence permit and smuggling people.

Indonesia did not have a law against people smuggling even though it is a major transit rout for asylum seekers heading to Australia illegally. Under the new law, convicted people smugglers could be sentenced for up to 15 years in prison and officials who receive bribes from them could receive five-year prison terms.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-07

What - no restricting 50+ year olds marrying young brides??

Come on Thailand - at least consider doing something similar... :jap: :jap: :jap: :jap:

Edited April 7, 201115 yr by ParadiseLost

Hope that this will pressure Thailand, to think about his alien hating laws.