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If you are Belgian, all changes to your civil status are governed by Belgian law.
Belgian law applies even if you live abroad. It is therefore of the utmost importance that you inform the embassy, where you are registered, about changes to your civil status.
Below are the following topics:
Birth
The birth of a child must be declared to the local government, which will draw up a birth certificate. This document can be recognized in Belgium if the certificate has been drawn up by the competent authority and in the form that is customary in the country.
The local birth certificate can be registered in the Belgian national register through the embassy.
The embassy strongly advises you to also transcribe the birth certificate into the current registers of the civil registry of a municipality in Belgium. You can then always obtain copies or extracts in Belgium in a simple manner. For more information about this, please refer to the Registration Certificates.
In Indonesia
The registration at the embassy is done on the basis of a translated and legalized Excerpt of the birth certificate (Kutipan Akta Kelahiran) (see procedure for legalization of documents).
Marriage
Marriage in Indonesia
In Indonesia it is compulsory to marry religiously. The religious marriage can be solemnized according to one of the 6 official religions. This marriage is official and valid if it is registered 1) with the Bureau of Religious Affairs (KUA) in case of a Muslim marriage 2) with the local Civil Registry (Catatan Sipil) for the other 5 religions.
For the registration of the marriage in Indonesia, the local authority will request a Certificate of no Impediment to a Marriage (CNIM) from the Belgian partner.
The Embassy in Jakarta can issue this certificate. You can contact the embassy by mail (jakarta@diplobel.fed.be) and submit the following documents in pdf format:
- A completed application form: Dutch - French
- A certificate or certificates issued by your municipality stating: your identity, nationality, domicile and marital status (original, recently delivered, not older than 6 months).
- If you are registered in a Belgian embassy, you can request a consular extract there.
- Copy of your passport and identity card
- Copy of your future spouse’s identity card and/or passport
- Proof of relationship (history, photos, communications,…)
In some cases, the embassy will invite you and your partner for an interview at the embassy.
Additionally, if the couple has not yet met or hardly met each other physically before the application of the CNIM the dossier will be send to the Procureur of the King for a decision. This can take 3 – 5 months before a decision is taken.
The CNIM will be issued in 1 of our 3 national languages (Dutch, French or German). Please specify which language you wish to receive the document in during the application.
For the cost of the CNIM: see consular fee.
What should happen after marriage? Registration in the National Register.
- The marriage must be registered in the national register. This is done in your Belgian municipality or at the embassy where you are registered.
- For the registration of the marriage, you will have to submit an Excerpt of the marriage certificate (Kutipan Akta Perkawinan).
In case of a Muslim marriage, you will receive a marriage booklet (Buku Nikah) from the KUA office. This is an official copy of the marriage certificate of an Islamic marriage.
All documents must be issued less than 6 months from the competent authorities. In case the document is older, please follow the procedure of the renewal here.
- The marriage certificate must then be legalized and translated. See Legalization of documents.
- The original documents are required for registration of the marriage at the embassy. You can do this in person by appointment or through an administrative agent (see External Services in Indonesia). The original documents will be returned after registration.
- For registration of the marriage in a Belgian municipality, it is best to contact the municipality in advance, to inquire whether a sworn translation in Indonesia is accepted.
Marriage in East Timor
To get married in East Timor, both parties must be marriageable. This means that they must be able to legally marry each other (for example, they are not close relatives) and that they have no impediments that would prevent legal marriage (such as being underage or mentally incapacitated) (Article 1485).
There are three types of legal marriages in East Timor: catholic, civil and traditional.
Only people over 16 years of age with intellectual ability are allowed to marry.
Weddings should be performed in the presence of the authorities; both spouses must consent to the marriage; all marriages must be registered.
Marriage in Belgium
If an Indonesian person wishes to get married in Belgium, a visa “with a view to marriage” must be applied for.
More information on visa page.
Divorce
A divorce pronounced abroad can, with regard to the dissolution of the marriage itself, be recognized in Belgium without the intervention of a Belgian court. The divorce must however be registered in the national register. This happens in your Belgian municipality or at the embassy where you are registered.
- For the registration of the divorce, you will have to present a divorce certificate.
- For registration of the divorce at the embassy, the original documents are required. You can do this in person by appointment or through an administrative agent (see External Services in Indonesia). The original documents will be returned after registration.
- If you were married in Belgium or if your marriage was transcribed in the registers of civil status in Belgium, you can ask the registrar of births, marriages and deaths of the municipality to add a side note to your marriage certificate. More information about the transfer of foreign civil status certificates can be found in the Registration Certificates section.
In Indonesia
- A divorce certificate for Indonesia is a Kutipan Akta Perceraian.
- The divorce certificate must be legalized and translated. See Legalization of documents. For registration of the divorce in a Belgian municipality, it is best to contact the municipality in advance, to inquire whether a sworn translation from Indonesia is accepted.
- Attention: In Indonesia, the term “Talak” is often used in a divorce certificate. Strictly speaking, this term refers to a divorce by repudiation in which the rights of the woman are not respected. Repudiation is not accepted under Belgian law, as is a divorce certificate that mentions the this term.
Death
If one of your Belgian relatives dies abroad, the death must immediately be notified to the competent local authorities who will draw up a death certificate.
It is essential that this notification is made within the legal timeframes laid down in the legislation of the country where the death occurred.
The funeral company and/or the company which will repatriate the deceased's remains may be able to provide more information on this subject.
It is important not to confuse the actual death certificate (civil status certificate) with the medical certificate certifying the death of the person concerned.
If the deceased person was registered in the consular population register, the embassy registers the death in the national register on the basis of the translated and legalized death certificate.
In Indonesia
An Indonesian death certificate (Kutipan Akta Kematian) is legally valid in Belgium, provided it is drawn up by the competent local authority and in the form that is customary in Indonesia. The Indonesian death certificate must be translated and legalized (See Legalization of documents).
