Jakarta. The Jakarta Provincial Government will begin registering new residents returning to the capital after the Eid holiday. The initiative aims to gather accurate demographic data and improve long-term administrative management across the city.

“The data-gathering process for post-Eid homecoming migrants will start on April 8 and continue until June 8,” Jakarta’s Civil Registration and Population Agency Chief Budi Awaluddin said on Monday.

Jakarta typically sees an influx of new arrivals after the Eid holidays. However, only a fraction report their arrival to local authorities. In 2024, just over 84,700 people voluntarily registered with Jakarta’s Population Agency—significantly down from the 395,000 recorded in 2023. For 2025, officials expect between 10,000 to 15,000 new residents to report voluntarily.

Jakarta offers free civil administration services at all levels—from subdistrict offices to provincial departments. However, authorities admit that awareness remains low among newcomers regarding the importance of reporting their presence.

“We urge residents not to hesitate to report to their local civil agency office. All services are completely free of charge,” said Budi.

Jakarta continues to draw people from across the country seeking better economic opportunities. While many aim to live in the capital, a large number end up settling in the surrounding buffer zones of Bekasi, Depok, Tangerang, and Bogor (Greater Jakarta).

To address discrepancies in residential data, the Jakarta government previously launched a population administration program, which encourages residents to update their official addresses in accordance with where they actually live.

“If we find irregularities or mismatches in residency data, we may freeze their National Identification Number (NIK),” Budi warned. “This would affect access to essential services such as banking, health insurance, and education.”

Jakarta officials are calling on the public to take a more active role in maintaining accurate civil records to support better planning and public services across the capital.