Marriage in Indonesia

Marriage in Indonesia requires a religious ceremony.  Indonesian law requires that both parties must be of the same religion and the marriage must conform to the laws of the countries of the parties involved.  Four religions are recognized in Indonesia:  Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity (Catholic/Protestant).  Depending on the type of religious marriage ceremony, there are different requirements to make a marriage in Indonesia legally valid.

If your fiancé is Muslim, the ceremony must be held at the local Office of Religious Affairs (Kantor Urusan Agama (KUA)).  The KUA will issue a Marriage Book (Buku Nikah), which is evidence of a legally valid marriage with a Muslim.  A Muslim marriage ceremony does not need Civil Registration (Catatan Sipil).

Other religious ceremonies require Civil Registration.  If you are a Christian, Buddhist, or Hindu you must hold the religious ceremony first, then record the marriage with the Civil Registry Office (Dinas Kependudukan or Kantor Catatan Sipil).  The Civil Registry will issue a Marriage Certificate (Akte Perkawinan or Surat Nikah), which is evidence of a legally valid marriage with a non-Muslim.

Both religious and civil documentary requirements may vary from district to district.  Contact the office where your marriage will take place or be registered for more information.

Please get extra official records of your marriage.  There is no central repository of civil actions, including marriages, in Indonesia.  So it may be impossible to obtain an official record of your marriage in the future.  The U.S. government has no record of marriages that occur outside of the U.S.

Indonesian authorities require all non-Indonesian citizens to obtain a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage from their embassy prior to marriage in Indonesia.  Download the form and instructions here.