If you’ve lived in Bali and Indonesia for a while, then you might already be familiar with the country’s legality and that it can be a long and tiring process.

In this article, we’ll go through all the essential things about mixed marriages in Indonesia along with your rights as a person to get married legally to an Indonesian citizen and make your wedding day more enjoyable.

Long term stay in Indonesia for Mixed Marriage

Obtaining KITAS or KITAP

If you’re looking to stay in Indonesia after getting married to an Indonesian citizen, applying for a permanent stay permit is essential. This permit is called KITAP.

The KITAP works as a ‘holy grail’ of visas in the country. Everyone is after that visa, but only a few lucky ones can obtain it. The reason is that the process can take years and comes with some bumpy roads along the way.

The first step after getting married legally is to apply for a spouse KITAS (limited stay permit). To get the KITAS, you must put together a lot of paperwork that primarily needs to get legalized and translated. This can be very time-consuming and costly, requiring a few months to get everything done. But you don’t have to go through the process by yourself, as there are numerous agent services to assist you during the process.

Extending KITAS and KITAP

The process of KITAS takes up less time and is overall easier. Then, you have to be married for at least two years to apply to convert your KITAS into a KITAP. The KITAP saves you the extra efforts and headaches of annual visa extensions as it is valid for five years. And after ten years of marriage, it’s valid for life even if there is any divorce case.

Restrictions for work

Obtaining a spouse-sponsored KITAS doesn’t mean that you can legally work in Bali and Indonesia. It’s considered illegal to work under this visa and get you into some hefty penalties like deportation atop a significant monetary fine. Popular places in Indonesia for foreigners such as Bali and Jakarta are known to punish them for violating the country’s law and not holding a work permit.

However, having a KITAp doesn’t close doors to all kinds of work in Indonesia, as it is still possible to work under certain conditions and provide for your family. Here are some permissible jobs available with KITAP.

Sole entrepreneur

This option is possible for you who’s married to an Indonesian and starting your own business. However, only you own and run the business, as hiring anyone else is prohibited.

Company-sponsored work permit

It is also possible to work for a company as long as it has a work permit (IMTA). This is only possible for foreigners with a stay permit (KITAP), so you’ll most likely get hired. In this case, your spouse will still be the sponsor for your KITAP and your company will become your IMTA’s sponsor.

Property rights and Prenuptial agreement

A specific right exists for stating who gets what in case of a divorce or death. This right applies in a prenuptial agreement document. It’s essential for mixed marriages couples who are looking to buy a property or land.

Foreigners alone are not allowed to own land in Bali and Indonesia under any condition. If no prenup was made, then mix married couples might be subject to these rights, which means that neither you nor your foreign partner can own land or property. In case of any death or divorce, the foreign spouse has a one-year to sell the property before its reclaimed by the government.

Over time, these rules did luckily change for the better.

Only a few years ago, couples needed to make Prenup before they get married. If they’ve skipped this process or forgot about it, then they could never own land or property, which seems like a high price to pay.

Nowadays, it is possible for the couple to make the Prenup agreement after they get legally married, which is a much better rule.

How to change your nationality

If you are over 18 years old and married to a Balinese or Indonesian, you can become an Indonesian citizen.

It is not allowed to hold dual nationality, so you must give up on your original nationality to become an Indonesian. Here are the requirements you must follow to become an Indonesian citizen legally:

• You need to live in Indonesia for a minimum of 5 consecutive years with KITAS or KITAP or 10 years with a couple of breaks
• You must speak the national language of Bahasa Indonesia and get certified by a recognized language school
• You have never been guilty of a crime and within imprisonment for one or more years
• You must be working with a job or business
• You must be both mentally and physically healthy
• You must regularly pay the citizenship fee

In summary, here are some of the benefits of having a spouse visa:

• You can stay in Indonesia for long periods as long as you extend your KITAP every 5 years.
• After being married for ten years, your KITAP doesn’t have an expiry date, even in a divorce. However, you need a guarantor with an Indonesian nationality.
• It is possible to obtain an Indonesian national ID called KTP (Kartu Tanda Penduduk)
• It is possible to obtain a MERP (multiple exits or re-entry permit) with a 2-year validity
• It is possible to obtain a local driver’s license called SIM (Surat Izin Mengemudi) with a 5-year validity
• It is possible to get a local police registration card called SKLD (Surat Keterangan Lapor Diri) with a 5-year validity
• It is possible to put your money in local banks
• You can get a credit card and obtain loans
• You don’t need to pay as much for hotels and tourist attractions as they usually charge more for tourists
• Starting a business as a sole entrepreneur is possible
• You can join ownership of properties with your partner

These are some of the benefits of mixed marriage in Indonesia; it may take a few years to enjoy these advantages fully. But after all the patience and hassles, it will be worth it in the end. If you’re looking to get married to an Indonesian citizen in Bali, then check out our beautiful venues list for a romantic destination wedding for the start of your new life in Indonesia.