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 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.

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 a full copy of the marriage certificate.

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.

If you marry according to another religion, the Civil Registry (Catatan Sipil) will issue an extract (Kutipan) of the marriage certificate. This is standard practice in Indonesia, but a full copy of the certificate is required to register the marriage (Salinan Lengkap Akta Perkawinan). Make sure that your first name(s), last name and any other information are stated correctly in the marriage certificate.
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.