Source: KKC Archive and Internet
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.
PART 1 : A MIXED MARRIAGE TO BE PERFORMED IN INDONESIA
IMMIGRATION PROCEDURE
(for the prospective British husband/wife of British nationality going to Indonesia)
- 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.
- The maximum length of stay is 5 (five) weeks with the possibility of extension (subject to approval from the Immigration Office in Indonesia).
- The following documents should be submitted with an application for a Social Visit Visa
- Valid passport (with a minimum validity of 6 months as from the date of entry into Indonesia)
- 2 application forms (duly completed and signed)
- 2 colour passport sized photos
- 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.
- 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.
- The fee for a 5 week Social Visit Visa is £30, which is non-refundable under any circumstances.
- 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)
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY THE INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES:
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:
- Kantor Urusan Agama (the Religious Affairs Office) and the Mosque, if the marriage is to be performed according to Islamic law or
- 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
- 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).
- Letter from his/her parents/guardians, stating that they have and there are no objections to the marriage.
- Legalized written statements confirming the status of the individual (that is, single, widow, widower, divorcee etc.)
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES:
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
THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE
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.
RESIDENCY AFTER THE MARRIAGE
IF YOU WISH TO STAY AND LIVE IN INDONESIA WITH YOUR INDONESIAN HUSBAND/WIFE AFTER THE MARRIAGE
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 WITH YOU IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AFTER THE MARRIAGE
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