What do I need to arrange if I want to marry in Indonesia?
If you are a Dutch national planning to marry in Indonesia, you will need to provide certain documents. And you may need to meet extra requirements.
Can I get married in Indonesia?
Ask the organisation that you want to perform the marriage whether the rules in Indonesia allow you to marry there as a Dutch national.
In Indonesia people of different faiths cannot marry each other. If you are a Dutch national and want to marry an Indonesian national of a different faith in Indonesia, you will be expected to convert to their faith. An exception applies to Muslim men: they are allowed to marry a woman of a different faith.
In Indonesia you can only register a marriage at the civil status records office (Catatan Sipil) or Kantor Urusan Agama (KUA) if a religious marriage has been performed first.
You cannot get married at the Dutch embassy.
Catholics cannot marry in a catholic church if:
- one of the partners previously entered into a religious marriage; and
- this marriage ended in divorce.
Give notice to the church or KUA and the registrar 15 days before your marriage date.
Same-sex couples cannot get married in Indonesia.
Requirements for getting married for Dutch nationals
If you are a Dutch national and you want to marry, you must meet the following requirements:
- You and your partner must be 18 or older. If you are under 18 and you marry abroad, the Dutch authorities will not recognise your marriage until you and your partner are both 18.
- You and your partner must not already be married to or have a registered partnership with someone else.
- If you are under guardianship, you will need the permission of your guardian or of the limited jurisdiction judge (‘kantonrechter’).
- The following family members are not allowed to marry each other or enter into a registered partnership with each other: parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and brothers and sisters.
What documents do I need to marry in Indonesia?
If you want to enter into a Muslim marriage in Indonesia the documents you need depend on the local KUA. Ask the local KUA for information well in advance.
To get married in Indonesia you will need the following documents:
A certificate of legal capacity to marry shows that you and your partner are legally allowed to marry. To get this certificate, you will need to submit a number of other documents.
A declaration of marital status shows that you are unmarried. To get this document, you will need to submit a number of other documents.
More information about applying for a declaration of marital status
Is my marriage valid in the Netherlands?
Marriages performed in Indonesia are recognised in the Netherlands. But you must have your marriage certificate legalised.
Do I have to register my marriage in the Netherlands?
You may need to register your marriage in the Netherlands. This depends on where you live.
If you live in the Netherlands, you must register your marriage with your municipality. You will need your marriage certificate to do this. First have your marriage certificate translated and legalised.
To register your Muslim marriage, first have your original marriage book legalised by the KUA and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kementerian Agama). Then have it legalised by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta and by the Dutch embassy in Indonesia.
More information about having documents from Indonesia legalised
If you live outside the Netherlands, you can have your marriage certificate converted into a Dutch certificate by the municipality of The Hague. This is not mandatory, but it can be useful if you ever need an extract in the future.
More information about registering a foreign marriage certificate in the Netherlands