FULL LEGAL CEREMONY

Indonesian law dictates that marriages must be conducted by a priest or minister of Religion, or Penghulu, or Buddhist Monk. There are five religions recognised by the Indonesian government – Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic or Protestant. A religious rite must take place, and the marriage must also be performed under civil rites, conducted by our Civil Minister.

Indonesian authorities require that all foreigners planning to marry in Indonesia obtain a “CNI” (Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage) before the wedding. For your Consulate or Embassy to issue this letter, you and your fiancé(e) must call personally at the Consulate (in Bali) or Embassy (in Jakarta). You will need to present your Passports (valid for more than 6 months) and Certified Divorce Decrees (absolute/final) and/or Death Certificates regarding the termination of all previous marriages. You will then be required to swear an affidavit (oath) confirming that you are free to marry. Once the oath has been taken, the Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage will be prepared immediately and handed over.  Please contact the Embassy or Consular Representative of your country for details well before your intended date of marriage.

There will be two certificates presented at the end of ceremony, one from Minister of Religion and the other from the civil register.

If you want to be legally married in Bali this is the process.   

For the Notice of Intention to Marry you have to submit the following documents for both partners to the Civil Registry Office (you will need to show the original and present a photocopy):

1. Passports for foreign citizens with validity of at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Indonesia; or KTP (Identity card) for Indonesian citizens
2. Certified Birth certificates of Bridegroom and Bride.
3. Details of religious faith (i.e. baptism certificates).
4.  Occupation & domiciles of Bridegroom and Bride.
5. Written parental consent for any person under the age of 21.
6. Certified Death certificate of former spouse (if relevant).
7. Certified Decree Absolute divorce certificate (if relevant).
8. Six (6) photographs (6 X 4 cm) of the couple in the same photo. Photo must be of the head & shoulders only, side by side, looking straight ahead. These photos will be attached to the wedding certificate.
9. Letter notifying change of surname (if any) from the Barrister / Solicitor.
10. Copies of passport of witnesses I and II
11. Foreign Citizens 'Letter of No Impediment to Marriage' issued by your Consular Representative for Bali or Indonesia.
12. Indonesian citizens: Never married: letter Surat Keterangan Belum Kawin from Kepala Desa or Lurah (mayor); Men aged 18-21 and women aged 16-21: parental letter of consent, signed across the materai/tax stamp

Before the marriage, you and your fiancé(e) also may wish to file with the Civil Registry a prenuptial Property Agreement (Surat Pernyataan Harta) which must be signed before a local Notary Public. This contract is necessary if you wish to hold property separately during the marriage. In the absence of such a document, Indonesian marriage law assumes joint ownership of property, and subsequent property acquisitions by the Indonesian partner will be regulated according to the laws restricting foreign property ownership.

Two witnesses over the age of 18 are required. They must show the originals and present photocopies of their passports if they are foreign citizens, or KTP (identity cards) if they are Indonesian citizens. Civil Registry employees can act as witnesses.

The Civil Registry office has a Mandatory Waiting Period of 10 working days from the date of filing. This waiting period may be waived for tourists presenting a guest registration form (Form A).

Islamic Marriage Certificates (Buku Nikah) issued by the Office of Religious Affairs (Kantor Urusan Agama) are legally valid in Indonesia and do not require registration with any other agency if you are planning to live in Indonesia. However, if there is a possibility that you might move somewhere else in the future, you should obtain a marriage certificate issued by the Civil Registry and an officially certified translation immediately (see below).

All other Marriage Certificates will be issued by the Civil Registry usually on the same or the next day. A sworn English translation of the marriage certificate should be obtained for use overseas. It is not necessary for the marriage certificate or translation to be registered by your Consular Agency. However, to have the sworn translation of the marriage certificate verified, or to have a special translation made by the Consulate of your home country or the Consulate of your country of residence, might prove useful.

MARRIAGE LAWS, LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES

Bali is part of the Republic of Indonesia and is subject to Indonesian Laws. Every couple considering getting married in Bali must comply with these Laws.

In accordance with Law No. 1 of 1974 concerning marriages in Indonesia (Article 2 (1): "a marriage is legitimate if it has been performed according to the laws of the respective religious beliefs of the parties concerned."

All couples who marry in Indonesia must declare a religion. Agnosticism and Atheism are not recognized. The Civil Registry Office can record marriages of persons of Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian-Protestant and Christian-Catholic faiths. Marriage partners must be of the same religion; otherwise one partner must make a written declaration of change of religion.

The Religious Marriage under Islam is performed by the Office of Religious Affairs (Kantor Urusan Agama) in a ceremony at a mosque, the home, a restaurant, or any other place chosen by the couple and is legal immediately after the ceremony.

A Christian, Hindu or Buddhist marriage is usually performed first in a church or temple ceremony. After the religious ceremony, every non-Islamic marriage must be recorded with the Civil Registry (Kantor Catatan Sipil). Without the registration by the Civil Registry these marriages are not legal. Recording by Civil Registry officials can be performed directly at the religious ceremony for an additional fee.

Persons of non-Islamic faith are required to file with the Civil Registry Office in the Regency where they are staying first a 'Notice of Intention to Marry' as well as a 'Letter of No Impediment' obtained from their consular representatives.

BUDDHIST WEDDING

In accordance with the rules of the Buddhist society (Walubi), a Buddhist wedding blessing must be performed in a Buddhist temple (Vihara), where you can ask the blessing of the four faced Buddha. The ceremony must be led by the Pandita or Buddhist Monk.