A mixed marriage between a British national and an Indonesian national performed legally in Indonesia is also legal in the United Kingdom providing it has been carried out according to the laws in force in both countries, and the necessary documentation is in order.

Please note that the following information is but a brief outline of the necessary requirements and procedures for British nationals who are going to marry Indonesian nationals and that the British Embassy or Consulate General in Indonesia, as well as the marriage authorities in Indonesia, should be contacted for more detailed information before any further plans are made.

Furthermore, whilst the concept and tradition of marriage is strongly upheld throughout Indonesia, each region has its own traditions and cultures in connection with marriage and the wedding ceremony itself. It is strongly suggested that any mixed couple planning to get married in Indonesia also contact the marriage authorities in the region/province where their wedding is due to take place so that they are familiar with the local wedding traditions and customs.

The information in this booklet is divided into three parts as follows:

PART 1 Mixed marriages between British nationals and Indonesian nationals performed in Indonesia

PART 2 Mixed marriages between British nationals and Indonesian nationals performed in the United Kingdom.

PART 3 Additional advice and information, including citizenship and children of mixed marriages.

IMMIGRATION PROCEDURE
(for the prospective British husband/wife of British nationality going to Indonesia)

1. The prospective British husband/wife of British nationality must apply for a Social Visit Visa to visit his/her prospective Indonesian wife/husband in Indonesia.
2. The maximum length of stay is 5 (five) weeks with the possibility of extension (subject to approval from the Immigration Office in Indonesia).
3. The following documents should be submitted with an application for a Social Visit Visa
1. Valid passport (with a minimum validity of 6 months as from the date of entry into Indonesia)
2. 2 application forms (duly completed and signed)
3. 2 colour passport sized photos
4. A letter of invitation from the prospective Indonesian husband/wife setting out the reason(s) for the visit, and details of the duration of the proposed visit, and accepting responsibility for the accommodation and living expenses of the applicant whilst the applicant is in Indonesia.
5. Evidence that the applicant has sufficient funds to maintain him/herself during his/her stay (e.g. a recent bank statement etc.) or a third-party letter guaranteeing to support the applicant financially during his/her stay in Indonesia, together with documentary evidence to do so.
4. The fee for a 5 week Social Visit Visa is £30, which is non-refundable under any circumstances.
5. Alternatively, the prospective British husband/wife of British nationality and British passport holder) may enter Indonesia as a tourist using the visa-free short visit facility (no visa required) which is valid for a stay in Indonesia of up to 60 days. Please be advised that this type of visa CANNOT BE EXTENDED or TRANSFERRED to another type of visa under any circumstances. This means that if the stay permit in Indonesia expires then the holder will have to leave Indonesia. Please be informed that using this type of visa might seem very practical, but in the long run will prove very costly, as the holder has to leave Indonesia every 2 months. The visa-free short stay is not recommended due to this reason and in these circumstances.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
(required for a mixed marriage to be performed in Indonesia)

Before their marriage, the prospective husband and wife are strongly advised to contact and consult the Indonesian marriage authorities in Indonesia in order to have a better understanding of the documents. Required the prospective couple must contact one of he following offices in Indonesia:

1. Kantor Urusan Agama (the Religious Affairs Office) and the Mosque, if the marriage is to be performed according to Islamic law or
2. Kantor Catatan Sipil (the Civil Registration Office) and the Church, if the marriage is to be performed according to the Christian faith.

The following list of documents gives a general idea of what kind of documentation a British national will be required to supply to the Indonesian marriage authorities

1. Birth Certificate (if a copy, and not the original, then the copy must be legalized by a solicitor or by the individual's Embassy/Consulate General in Indonesia).
2. Letter from his/her parents/guardians, stating that they have and there are no objections to the marriage.
3. Legalized written statements confirming the status of the individual (that is, single, widow, widower, divorcee etc.)

Since the British government has its own requirements and regulations concerning mixed marriages, the local marriage authority or the British Embassy or Consulate General in Indonesia should always be committed so that the necessary required documents are obtained prior to departure for Indonesia.. For example, one document that is required by British nationals is a "Certificate of Non-Impediment". This certificate is issued by the local authorities where the individual lives in the United Kingdom (before leaving for Indonesia), or by his/her respective Embassy/Consulate General in Jakarta, Indonesia (after arriving in Indonesia).

For further and more detailed information regarding the "Certificate of Non-Impediment", please contact:

Marriages Section
Office for National Statistics
Trafalgar Road
Birkdale
Southport PRB 2HH
Tel. 0151-471 4803
Fax. 0151-471 4523

or

British Consulate General
Jalan Imam Bonjol No.80
Deutsche Bank Building, 19th Floor Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel. (00-621-21) 390 7484-88
Fax. (00-62-21) 316 0858

After the marriage and in order to ensure that your marriage in Indonesia is valid and legal in the United Kingdom, please note the following carefully;

Please ensure that after the wedding, you are given a marriage certificate by the marriage authority in Indonesia as proof that you have been legally married in Indonesia. You should always keep a legalized copy of the marriage certificate for future reference. Since most of the documents will be written in the Indonesian language, may we strongly suggest that you get all the documentation translated by a sworn and authorized English translator in Indonesia. Should you decide to move to the United Kingdom together with your Indonesian husband/wife, then after you arrive in the United Kingdom, you should take this translated document/certificate to your local marriage registration office to be registered.

Alternatively, if you wish to have the marriage documents certified in the United Kingdom, then following your arrival in the United Kingdom, you may come to the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in London where the documents will be translated. The translation of the marriage certificate/documentation should then be taken to your local marriage registration office to be registered.

If you are married to an Indonesian national, and wish to stay in Indonesia together with your Indonesian husband/wife, you are allowed to live in Indonesia with the sponsorship of your Indonesian husband/wife on a Limited Stay Permit/Temporary Resident Visa approved by the Immigration Office in Indonesia. This temporary resident visa is valid for a period of 12 (twelve) months with the possibility of extension (subject to approval from the Immigration Office in Indonesia).

The length of stay in Indonesia on a Limited Stay Permit Temporary Resident Visa is decided by the Immigration Office in Indonesia based on the sponsor's request.

In this regard, may we suggest that both you and your husband/wife contact the Immigration Office in Indonesia at the following address without delay since it can take a considerable length of time to process such a visa and there is a lot of documentation to provide and process:

Direktorat Lalu Lintas Keimigrasian
Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi
Departemen Kehakiman Republik Indonesia
Jalan H. R Rasuna Said Kav.8-9
Kuningan
Jakarta 12940
Tel. (00-62-21)5225034, 5224658
Fax. (00-62-21)5225033

If you wish to bring your Indonesian husband/wife to the United Kingdom and live in the United Kingdom after the marriage, your Indonesian husband/wife will be able to live in the United Kingdom provided he or she has a visa (issued by the British Consulate General in Jakarta, Indonesia) to remain in the United Kingdom for a certain period. After arriving in the United Kingdom, this visa can eventually be converted into a visa for your Indonesian husband/wife to accompany you for an indefinite period. This visa is issued by the Home Office in the United Kingdom.

For further information regarding your Indonesian husband's/wife's status in the United Kingdom, we would advise you to contact the British Consulate General in Jakarta, and also the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office in the United Kingdom, at the following addresses:

British Consulate General
Jalan Imam Bonjol No.80
Deutsche Bank Building,
19th Floor Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel. (00-621-21) 390 7484-88
Fax. (00-62-21) 316 0858

and

Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)
Block C Whitgift Centre
Wellesley Road
Croydon
Surrey CR9 IAT
 

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(for the prospective husband/wife of Indonesian nationality and an Indonesian passport holder who is coming to the United kingdom to get married)

1. If the prospective Indonesian husband/wife does not as yet possess a valid Indonesian passport, he/she should contact the local/regional Immigration Office in Indonesia where he/she resides and ask about the requirements to apply for an Indonesian passport.
2. While his/her application for a passport is being processed by the Indonesian Immigration Office, he/she should contact the British Consulate General in Jakarta to enquire about the procedure and the required documents for getting married in the United Kingdom. It is also suggest that the prospective British husband/wife also makes contact with the British Consulate General in Jakarta so that both sides receive the same information.
3. After being issued with a valid Indonesian passport, then he/she should apply to the British Consulate General in Jakarta for the necessary visa to enter the United Kingdom.
4. In addition and in order to support his/her visa application at the British Consulate General in Jakarta, it is strongly recommended that his/her prospective British husband/wife, who resides in the United Kingdom also sends an invitation letter of support to the British Consulate General in Jakarta, stating the purpose and duration of the visit, and confirming that the prospective British husband/wife will act as a guarantor whilst the prospective Indonesian husband/wife is living in the United Kingdom.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
(required for a mixed marriage to be performed in the United Kingdom)

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY THE INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES

1. The prospective Indonesian husband/wife should contact the Religious Affairs Office (Kantor Urusan Agama) and the Civil Registration Office (Kantor Catatan Sipil) in the area where he/she resides in Indonesia to obtain the information regarding mixed marriages;
2. Additional documents usually required are:
1. Letterfrom the Indonesian parents/guardians stating that they have no objection to the marriage;
2. Letter from the "Kelurahan" (Sub-district Office) in Indonesia in the area where the prospective Indonesian husband/wife resides confirming the status of the individual concerned (single, divorcee, widow, widower, etc.)

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES

The prospective British husband/wife should contact not only the British Consulate General in Jakarta but also the local Marriage Registrar Office, Church or Mosque in the United Kingdom in the area where he/she resides or the Marriages Section of the Office of the National Statistics in the United Kingdom to obtain further information.

Marriages Section
Office for National Statistics
Trafalgar Road
Birkdale
Southport PR8 2HH
Tel. 0151-471 4803
Fax. 0151-471 4523

or

British Consulate General
Jalan Imam Bonjol No.80
Deutsche Bank Building, 19th Floor Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel. (00-621-21) 390 7484-88
Fax. (00-62-21) 316 0858

1. Marriage certificate (including the copy) should be legalized by a British notary public or solicitor. If the couple return to Indonesia and live there, then they should take the MARRIAGE certificate to the British Consulate General in Jakarta to be legalized and then report the marriage to the Civil Registration Office (Kantor Catatan Sipil) in Indonesia.
2. Please be informed that the Indonesian Embassy in London cannot and will not legalized a British marriage certificate since it is a document of and issued by the British Government. The Indonesian Embassy can only legalized Indonesian marriage certificates of marriages performed in Indonesia.

FOR THE BRITISH HUSBAND:

IF YOUR INDONESIAN WIFE WISH TO BE KNOWN AS YOUR LEGAL WIFE

1. The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia is not authorized to add your full name or any part of it, as a family name, under your Indonesian wife's name in her passport. The Indonesian Immigration Office is the only authorized government agency with the authority to change a name in a passport. Therefore, the only way to acknowledge/to show that your Indonesian wife is legally married to you is by endorsing your name, as her legal husband, in your Indonesian wife's passport based on the legalized marriage certificate.
2. The Indonesian wife should come in person to the Consular Department at the Embassy, and bring with her the original as well as the legalized copy of the marriage certificate and also her British husband's passport. Providing that all documentation is in order then the endorsement can be processed. There is no charge for this service.

IF YOUR INDONESIAN HUSBAND/WIFE WISHES TO STAY AND LIVE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WITH YOU AFTER THE MARRIAGE

1. The Indonesian husband/wife should come in person to the Consular Department at the Embassy and to register his/her name with the Embassy. It is the duty/obligation of every Indonesian citizen to report and to register at the Embassy in London if he/she intends to stay more than five days in the United Kingdom.
2. With regard to a visa/permit to stay in the United Kingdom, it is strongly suggested that the Indonesian husband/wife, together with his/her British wife/husband contact and report immediately to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office in the United Kingdom to process his/her United Kingdom visa status.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)
Block C Whitgift Centre
Wellesley Road
Croydon
Surrey CR9 IAT
Tel. 0870 606 7766

IF YOUR INDONESIAN HUSBAND/WIFE WISHES TO RETURN TO STAYAND LIVE IN INDONESIA WITH YOU AFTER THE MARRIAGE

The British husband/wife can choose either of the following:

Procedure I:

1. The British husband/wife must apply for a Social Visit Visa which has a maximum length of stay of 5 (five) weeks with the possibility of extension (subject to approval from the Immigration Office in Indonesia). After arriving in Indonesia, the British husband/wife together with his/her Indonesian wife/husband should go as soon as possible to the Indonesian Immigration Office to apply for a Limited Stay Permit Temporary Resident Visa.
2. The following required documents should be submitted when applying for a Social Visit Visa:
1. Valid passport (with a minimum validity of 6 months as from the date of entry into Indonesia)
2. Two application forms (duly completed and signed)
3. Two colour passport sized photos
4. A letter of support from the Indonesian husband/wife setting out the reason(s) for the visit, and details of the duration of the proposed visit, and accepting responsibility for the accommodation and living expenses of the applicantwhilst the British husband/wife is in Indonesia.
5. Evidence that the applicant has sufficient funds to maintain him/herself during his/her stay (e.g. a recent bank statement etc.) or a third-party letter guaranteeing to support the applicant financially during his/her stay in Indonesia, together with documentary evidence to do so.
6. The fee for a 5 (five) week Social Visit Visa is £30, which is non-refundable under any circumstances.

or

Procedure II:

1. The British husband/wife may apply for a Limited Stay Permit/Temporary Resident Visa at the Indonesian Embassy in London. The Indonesian husband/wife (who is still in the United Kingdom), should first contact his/her family in Indonesia and ask them to go to the Indonesian Immigration Office and to apply for the aforementioned visa on the couple's behalf. The Indonesian Immigration Office will then process and consider the application. Please be advised that this process may take a considerable length of time; months may pass before an application is approved and a visa is granted by the Indonesian Immigration Office. The necessary visa will only be issued by the Embassy after approval/authorization is received by the Embassy directly from the Immigration Office in Indonesia. The Embassy will notify the applicant accordingly if and when approval has been received by the Embassy.
2. Requirements to apply for a Limited Stay Permit/Temporary Residence Visa at the Indonesian Embassy in London:

Completed visa application forms and two coloured passport size photos plus a valid passport (with a minimum validity of passports is 18 months as from the date of entry into Indonesia) must be submitted when applying for a visa together with:

1. Written approval from the Immigration Office in Indonesia;
2. A complete and updated Curriculum Vitae
3. The original and a copy of the Marriage Certificate'
4. A supporting letter of recommendation from the applicant's Indonesian husband/wife stating the reason(s) for the visit, and details of the proposed visit, and accepting responsibility for the accommodation and living expenses of the applicant whilst the applicant in Indonesia.
5. Evidence that the applicant has sufficient funds to maintain him/herself during his/her stay in Indonesia (e.g. a recent bank statement) or a third party letter guaranteeing to support the applicant financially during his/her stay in Indonesia, together with documentary evidence to do so.
6. The fee for a Limited Stay Permit/Temporary Resident Visa is £ 50, which is non-refundable under any circumstances.

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CITIZEN STATUS OF YOUR INDONESIAN HUSBAND/WIFE

1. Regarding your Indonesian husband's/wife's status as an Indonesian citizen, he/she will be required to register at the Indonesian Embassy in London if he/she intends to stay more than five days in the United Kingdom, and also every two years should he/she need to extend/renew his/her passport, or notify the Embassy of a change of address. In addition, when your Indonesian husband/wife comes to the Embassy to report his/her arrival, he/she should also bring the marriage certificate with him/her so that it can be translated by the Embassy. The translation of the marriage certificate should then be taken to your local marriage registration office to be registered.
2. Please be informed that Indonesia does not recognize dual nationality, and so your Indonesian husband/wife cannot hold Indonesian and British passports at the same time. Provided that your Indonesian husband/wife does not apply for British citizenship, he/she will not lose his/her Indonesian nationality. However, this will in no way restrict you and your Indonesian husband/wife from travelling to and from Indonesia or the United Kingdom, provided that both of you always have the necessary visas.

NATIONALITY OF CHILDREN BORN OF A MIXED MARRIAGE

1. With regard to children born of a mixed marriage, Indonesia acknowledges the principle of "us sanguinis", that is, a child's nationality is based upon the father's nationality. Therefore, a child born in either Indonesia or the United Kingdom and having an Indonesian father is automatically Indonesian. Indonesia does not recognize dual nationality, and this applies to children born under this category as well.
2. Should the British mother like the child to be attached to her passport or become a British citizen (that is, to have a British passport), then the Indonesian father must give his consent in writing legalized by a solicitor/notary public, and the child should surrender his/her Indonesian nationality and return his/her Indonesian passport to have it cancelled (if the child already holds his/her own Indonesian passport).

In this regard please read the following information carefully:

1. If the child already holds his/her own Indonesian passport and resides in the United kingdom:

The parents must come to the Consular Department of the Indonesian Embassy in London to have the child's Indonesian passport cancelled. They must also contact the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office in the United Kingdom to report the status of the child.

2. If the child already holds his/her own Indonesian passport and resides in Indonesia:

The parents must go to the Immigration Office in Indonesia to have the child's Indonesian passport cancelled. They must also contact the British Consulate General in Jakarta, Indonesia to report the status of the child.

3. If the child does not as yet hold his/her own Indonesian passport but is attached to his/her Indonesian father's passport:

The child's status in his/her Indonesian father's passport must be cancelled immediately by the Indonesian Embassy in London (if they are staying in the United Kingdom), or by the Immigration Office in Indonesia (if they are living in Indonesia).

3. The following required documents should be submitted to the Consular Department of the Indonesian Embassy in London in orderto cancel the status of a child in an Indonesian passport:
1. Letter of Consent from the Indonesian father stating that he has no objection whatsoever to the child having a British passport or being attached to his/her British mother's passport and becoming a British citizen.
2. Marriage certificate (the original as well as the legalized copy)
3. Birth certificate of the child (the original as well as the legalized copy)
4. The passports of both parents (the originals)

1. With regard to a child with a British father and an Indonesian mother, Indonesia acknowledges the principle of "us sanguinis" (that is, a child's nationality is based upon the father's nationality). A child born in either Indonesia or the United Kingdom and having a British father is automatically British. Indonesia does not recognize dual nationality, and this applies to children born under this category as well.
2. Should the Indonesian mother like the child to be attached to her passport or become an Indonesian citizen (that is, to have an Indonesian passport), then the British father must give his consent in writing legalized by a solicitor/notary public and the children should surrender his/her British nationality and have his/her British passport cancelled immediately (if the child already holds a British Passport).

In this regard please read the following information carefully:

1. If the child resides in the United kingdom and already holds a British passport

The parents should surrender their child's British passport to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office in the United Kingdom so that the child's British passport can be cancelled immediately. The parents should make sure that they received proof of this or a letter of confirmation from the Home Office stating that the child's British passport has been cancelled and that the child is no longer a British national. This document from the Home Office is very important for the parents should they wish to apply for an Indonesian passport for their child, as this document is also required by the Indonesian Embassy in London to consider and process the child's Indonesian passport application.

2. If the child resides in the United kingdom and does not as yet hold his/her own British passport but attached to his/her British father's passport)

The parents should obtain a letter of confirmation from the Home Office in the United Kingdom that the child has never apply for a British passport nor posses one.

3. If the child lives in Indonesia and hold his/her own British passport:

   The parents should contact the British Consulate General in Jakarta to have the child's British passport cancelled and to report to the Immigration Office in Indonesia.

4. If the child lives in Indonesia and does not hold a British passport but is attached to the child's British father's passport:

   The parents should contact the British Consulate General in Jakarta, Indonesia to have the status in the child's British father's passport cancelled and to report to the Immigration Office in Indonesia.

3. The following required documents should be submitted to the Consular Department of the Indonesian Embassy in London when applying for an Indonesian passport for your children or for the child to be attached to the Indonesian mother's passport:
1. Letter of Consent from the British father stating that he has no objection whatsoever to the child to having an Indonesian passport or being attached to the child's Indonesian mother's passport and becoming an lndonesian citizen.
2. Marriage certificate (the original as well as the legalized copy)
3. Birth certificate (the original as well as the legalized copy)
4. The passports of both parents (the originals)
5. Letter of confirmation from the Home Office that the child's British passport has been cancelled and that the child is no longer entitled to or possesses a British passport (if the child previously held a British passport).

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