Getting married in Indonesia

Starter for 10 (forgive the 'university challenge' speak).

You must be of the same religion for any marriage to be legal.
UK subjects must have a cert of no impediment from their local reg offoce.
I suggest you legalise it in London, not when you arrive here.

No religion is going to be a big problem so I suggest you don't say it regardless of any lack of interest in such things.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8631248.stm

My wife and I got married 3 years ago in Bali. Since we're both expats, we both had to get the certificate of no impediment to marriage from each of our embassies. Since we live in Batam, my wife got one from the embassy in Singapore, but it was refused, and we had to get it from the embassy in Jakarta (but the wedding planner took care of it).

Since she's Catholic and I'm a "free thinker", we had to be a little creative, and had a Protestant wedding. We could have had a Catholic wedding, but the 6 months of counseling beforehand didn't appeal to us. After the minister is done, there is another ceremony right after, with the civil documents all signed.

It took about a month to get everything set up through our wedding planner, but there was no stress involved, and everything went smoothly.

My fiance who is Indonesian and I (American) and wanting to get married.  Technically she is catholic, but is hoping to change to protestant soon.  Does anyone know about how long it should take?  Or have any suggestions.  I heard the comment above me say something about a wedding coordinator?

Hi Lionsroar,

Are you asking how long it takes to become a Protestant? Because I don't know the answer to that one; since she is Indonesian, it will be on her KTP, so it may just be a matter of changing her KTP. Though she may need to consult with her church in order to get permission. For my wife, it wasn't an issue because it doesn't list religion on her passport.

Anyways, your other question was about a wedding planner.

(Moderated)

Oh no, I was mainly wondering how long marriage procedures are in general, what's needed, and how long it will take.  I'd like to get it all done plus a spousal visa so I can stay there all within 3 month visa.

Hey Jared

My fiancee and I are planning to get married in Indonesia in January. You mentioned a wedding planner. We want everything to be legal when we get back to the US. She currently lives in Vietnam. I was wondering how she might go about finding a wedding planner that would help us ensure everything is legit.
Thanks
Brandon

Hi,
I am from Singapore & me and my fiancee intended to get married in batam. May I know what the procedures for it? Its there any website regarding this? Thank you.

eilabxngaNew memberFrom: SingaporeRegistered: 2013-05-11Posts: 1

Re: Getting married in Indonesia


Hi,
I am from Singapore & me and my fiancee intended to get married in batam. May I know what the procedures for it? Its there any website regarding this? Thank you

Armand,

Wow, this is a complicated topic and it all hinges on who is the bride (Indonesian or foreigner) and who is the groom (Indonesian or foreigner) or if both are foreigners. 

It also hinges on whether or not the couple intend to live in Indonesia or in another country.

In other words, what’s applicable for a couple getting married in Bali (which is very popular with foreigners) and having no intention of staying is considerably different than for a couple planning to live in Indonesia.

Of ultra importance for any couple where the groom is foreign, and the bride is Indonesian and the plans are to live in Indonesia, is for the couple to have a pre-nuptial agreement.  This is highly important in order to safeguard the property ownership rights of the Indonesian bride.  This is not important when the Indonesian spouse is male.

Thanks Ubudian and all for your inputs

Armand

dear all..

just some info for mixed couple (indonesia n foreigner) you could join kpc melati, the group helping a lots for that, and i suggest u to make prenup agreement, without that will be hard if u guys plan to ownership property in indonesia

Non-Moslem Wedding Marriage/Wedding Ceremony

An expatriate/Indonesian couple will experience two type of ceremonies. The religious part will first be performed followed by a civil ceremony. The religious part will conducted by a representative of the couple’s own religious belief (i.e., a Priest for Catholics, a Minister for Protestants, or a Celebrant for Hindu and Buddhist followers).

There will be two certificates presented at the end of ceremony, one from the church/temple/other, and the other from the Civil Registry Office.

General Requirements

If both you and your fiance(e) are Christian, Buddhist or Hindu, you must hold the church (or temple) ceremony first, then record the marriage with the Civil Registry.
The Civil Registry will in turn issue a Marriage Certificate which is evidence that you are legally married. A non-Moslem wedding which is not recorded by the Civil Registry is not considered legal.
There is normally a ten-day waiting period in order to register your marriage with the Civil Registry upon submission of all supporting documents. Recording by Civil Registry officials can sometimes be arranged directly at the religious ceremony for an additional fee.
Required Documents for a Non-Moslem Wedding

The following documents must be completed:

Copy of passport (both partners);
Copy of birth certificate (both partners);
Copy of proof of legal termination of any and all previous marriage i.e. Absolute Divorce Decree (If applicable) or Death Certificate;
Copy of passports of two witnesses;
Six identical 4x6 cm photographs of you together with your spouse (with the groom on the right side);
Letter of No Impediment stating that you are legally free to marry from Embassy in Jakarta;
Indonesian Police Certificate stating that your intend to get married in Indonesia and no-crime committed before.

http://kpcmelati.org/index.php

Lionsroar wrote:

Oh no, I was mainly wondering how long marriage procedures are in general, what's needed, and how long it will take.  I'd like to get it all done plus a spousal visa so I can stay there all within 3 month visa.

check this out, hopefully will help http://www.expat.or.id/info/gettingmarr … nesia.html

Basically, me & my boyfriend are from Singapore and both of us are Muslim. So, we intended to get married in batam. So, what are procedures to be done. May I know if we should bring any Saksi or wakil from Singapore in order for us to get married?

Ochie, my Balinese wife and mother of our three sons is a founding member of KPC Melati and I applaud you for mentioning this incredible organization of Indonesian women married to foreign spouses. 

Their lobbying efforts with Jakarta DPR has proven to be most effective, and recent changes in the laws bear that out more than anything.  Of course I allude to the semi-recent law a few years back giving dual citizenship to children of recognized mixed Indonesian/non Indonesian marriages.  The fact of our three boys needing a KITAS to live in Indonesia used to make me sick!  They are every much an Indonesian as their mom. 

I’ve always believed that Indonesia is a country that is primarily run by its women in spite of many aspects that appear to be patriarchal.  I even see this at the most basic level of Indonesian life…the kampong.

Selamat wanita dari Indonesia!

hello ubudian , morning bali..

I joined kpc melati group..lots of information from that, and share some experiences, great works !!

warm regards to ur wife 

I got married in Bali last year. It was very simple and quick and legal. Nothing complicated at any point.

Are you sure you're really married Luke?

Getting married in Bali ain't like getting married in Las Vegas.

Ha ha ha, there is that. Nope I did both ceremonies the religious and the civil one. It was a great day

Luke, this isn’t a topic to be a man of a few words, nor is it a topic to brush aside as being simple…because, it isn’t.

Even in Bali the issue involves religion…and the requirements vary by religion…Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, and then there is the issue of the recognition of the marriage in the home country of the expat…every country having its own requirements.   

The issue also involves whether you marry another foreigner or an Indonesian.

And, most importantly, the issue involves pre-nuptial agreements if you, as the foreign male is marrying an Indonesian.

“Simple, quick and legal?”  Sorry, but I don’t think so…not by any stretch of the imagination and IMHO, making it seem such is not viable or useful information for those considering getting married in Indonesia.

Ubudian, I did not take my marriage lightly or the accepting the responsibilities involved. I went through the correct channels from the British consulate, the local church in Jakarta, the local government offices in Jakarta, to the legal expectations and rules when marrying an Indonesian and following the rules and advice presented to me whilst in Bali.
I researched and planned what was needed and ensured that both myself and my wife are protected. I did not have a 'Kampung wedding' because I wanted my marriage to be legal here and recognised in England as well.
The process of my marriage on the day was in fact, a simple affair, with a quick religious service and a legal ceremony afterward, hence my quote.
I choose not to have a long drawn church ceremony as it was something we both wanted.

Luckily for me a lot of the process was taken care for me by a wedding planner on the island and he made sure everything happened correctly.

I am happy to share my experiences about my planning and I have written several blog posts on the process of obtaining the paperwork from the embassy.

http://mylifejakarta.blogspot.com/2012/ … karta.htmlhttp://mylifejakarta.blogspot.com/2012/ … rwork.htmlhttp://mylifejakarta.blogspot.com/2012_ … chive.html

That was my whole point Luke...your last post explaining the process you went through which was different than what you originally wrote..."I got married in Bali last year. It was very simple and quick and legal."

Moreover, if neither of you had to change your religion in order to get married, that makes the whole process less complicated, and yes, using a wedding planner can help simplify things greatly. 

Whereas you were addressing the actual wedding ceremony itself, I was viewing this topic more from the perspective of the whole process, and not just the wedding day and the ceremony itself.

Hi there!

My husband is foreign, I am indonesian and we got married in Europe a few years ago with a prenuptial agreement regarding property (which is in the indonesian language and provides that the laws of indonesia apply to it) signed in Europe between us before we got married outside Indonesia, but we did not know we had to register our marriage at the Indonesian Consulate or Embassy. Since we got married we leave outside indonesia.


1. Can we report/register now our marriage at the Embassy / Consulate although some years past since we got married?
2. Can we also report/register now our prenuptual agreement, when we register our marriage?
3. What exactly do we need to do? What documents do we need for these registrations?
4. What documents do we need to get from the Consulate or Embassy to prove we did register both the marriage and the prenuptial agreement?
5.  What do we need to do when in future we go to indonesia, do we need to register again the marriage and prenuptial agreement? Do we need to go both together to register these?
6.  My passport is valid for another few years but my KTP is expired now - can I renew my KTP at the Consulate or Embassy or do I need to do it in indonesia when in future I go?
7.  Are there any time limits for the reporting/registrations with the indonesian consulate or embassy for marriages outside indonesia and prenuptial agreements?
Is there any time limit for renewing the KTP when I leave outside indonesia or my indonesian passport once expired - or I can renew the KTP when I go to indonesia in the future and my passport before I need to travel?
8.  Finally, we have children now - do we have to report/register them at the indonesian consulate or embassy or can we just get them a passport (can thor put them on mine) before they travel sometime in the future to indonesia? What documents would we need to show for them and what document to get from the consulate or embassy? Also, what would we need to do when we go with them sometime in the future to indonesia?


Looking forward to your response. Please help me to know these information/facts and so have peace of mind! Any answers you can give me to any of the above questions would be appreciated greatly. Thank you!

Given your specific situation, that being a mixed couple (Indonesian/foreign) now with children and living abroad, your issues are different than if you were living here in Indonesia.

In case you haven’t run across this excellent web site already, check this out:

http://www.expat.or.id/info/mixmarriages.html

Also, as an Indonesian woman married to a foreigner you should consider joining this excellent organization:

http://www.kpcmelati.org/

As for arranging filing of documents, Indonesian passports, etc. you obviously need to be in touch with the nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate closest to where you currently reside in the UK.

hi ubudian...

i want to ask you few questions.

well, i got married in indonesia in 2009 but only in the hotel attended by Pastor and guests. I didn't register our marriage in Registry Office until now. Once i got married, i went back to US and never to returned to Indonesia since then.

But, right now, I am in Indonesia. I am trying to trace my marriage certificate in Indonesia. Do you think my marriage is legal? Do you think Indnesia Registry Office has my certificate of marriage? I lost my cert.

Do you think my marriage has been approved in Indonesia?

In Indonesia, you are given marriage books.
You should have got these upon completion of a legal marriage.

Cute kitten!

The Registry office closest to where you got married in Indonesia should have your record on file.  That's where you need to be asking your question. 

Cheers and good luck.

Alley, have you ever signed any papers from Catatan Sipil just after the church ceremony?  if not, it is unlikely your marriage ever been registered. 

Based on my experience, when I got married, we signed some papers in front of Catatan Sipil staff after the ceremony, It took less than 10 mins, witnessed by 2 people.

Well, We just planned the date with the religious guy who does the conversion, turned up, I converted to Islam and it took about an hour or so. Got my certificate of conversion. It was simple and not very expensive. Later on had the wedding ceremony at the in-laws house with lots of relatives and we got our marriage books. Very quick and simple. By the way, i'm the foreigner and my wife is the Indonesian. Now we have two kids of dual nationality.

We are very helpful if any one needs any Bali info you can email us at ***and just look us up on Facebook . me and My Husband are happy to help

Old thread, but useful.
Foreigners should also get a prenup, stating they own no land bought by their wife.
You can own the house, but not the land.

Dear Eliaa,

I saw your question and Topic about getting married in Batam on 2013. I'm planning to get married there how. May I know how does the procedure goes? I'm a Muslim too, same goes to my partner. Hope you will help Thank you.

From,
Fattah

i6uest wrote:

Alley, have you ever signed any papers from Catatan Sipil just after the church ceremony?  if not, it is unlikely your marriage ever been registered. 

Based on my experience, when I got married, we signed some papers in front of Catatan Sipil staff after the ceremony, It took less than 10 mins, witnessed by 2 people.

This is a very old post but raises a good point.
Muslim weddings do NOT require a letter as detailed above but all other religions do.
Unfair, maybe, but that's how it works here.

I wrote in Bahasa Indonesia on what's required legally to marry an Indonesian.
I will put an English version soon.

Check here https://penerjemah-id.com/2017/01/03/te … -campuran/

My wife and I got married quite easily too.
The hardest part was for her to get agreement letter from church were she got baptized as she is Christian and the head of her hometown in Java.
Beside this, my CNI in French embassy took 2 weeks to be sent to Bali and I only had a phone call from Jakarta to grant it, didn't had to fly in for interview.
For the religious part, the priest made me sign a paper making me become a Christian 5mn before wedding.
No problems as well with Bali Catatan Sipil even if my wife's ktp is from Lumajang.
Altogether it took us less than 2 months including the ceremony, and a few bribes to fasten up..

Hi Armand,


As i know, getting married in Indonesia need a lot of procedures (for mixed nation: Indonesian and expat) but if you want an easy way, you can go to Bali. come to 1 of stars hotel, and let them help you with the package.

It would be better if you check the website of the hotel before you go there, and have some discussion.

Hi all. I'm a Hindu and a British citizen and in a relationship with a Javanese muslim lady settled in Bali for a while now. I'm travelling to Bali this June to tie the knot. I'll be attaining my freedom to marry letter from the British Consulate in Bali. My girlfriend will be converting to Hindu in a religious temple ceremony in Lamongan, Java and marry her in accordance with Hindu tradition. Thereafter register in the marriage office. Will this marriage be legally binding and bring my future wife back to the UK.  Thank you

Wozirosse wrote:

Will this marriage be legally binding

In the UK, yes, but you might hit troubles in Indonesia as changing religion can be a difficult process and a marriage between mixed religions would be illegal.
That first step of changing religions MUST be done first or you'll never get the paperwork sorted for a legal marriage.
A citizen's religion is noted on their ID card, something that must be changed before a legal ceremony can take place.