I am a U.S. citizen married to a sasak woman. We have 2 kids and will move to lombok in 1 1/2 yrs. My wife will operate a homestay and cafe we own. I will not work in the legal sense. I am wondering what visa is best for me and if you recomend hiring an agent to assist in the process.
visa for western husband married to indonesian.
Hi Tom, we have just completed the process - finally my husband has a so-called 'family kitas' - sponsored by me (Indonesian wife). All together, it took about 6 weeks to process. So, what I would suggest, come to Lombok with a 'social budaya' visa first. You can apply for this type of visa at the Indonesian Embassy (or maybe consulate - depends where you live) in the US. You will need a sponsor (Indonesian citizen who has a valid 'KTP' - which is an ID card). If your wife doesn't have a valid KTP, anybody else (best someone from her family) can give you a sponsor letter. This visa is valid for 2 months, and once you are in Lombok, you can extend this visa (on a monthly period) to up to 6 months validity. I would suggest, once you are here, you start with the process for the family kitas, which allows you to stay (not work though) for 1 year. For this - first thing first, your wife needs to have a valid KTP - then all the supporting documents (married certificate etc). We did use an agent for this - but it was still tedious, as always just stay patient during the process. hope this helps.
Hi Tom, we have just completed the process - finally my husband has a so-called 'family kitas' - sponsored by me (Indonesian wife). All together, it took about 6 weeks to process. So, what I would suggest, come to Lombok with a 'social budaya' visa first. You can apply for this type of visa at the Indonesian Embassy (or maybe consulate - depends where you live) in the US. You will need a sponsor (Indonesian citizen who has a valid 'KTP' - which is an ID card). If your wife doesn't have a valid KTP, anybody else (best someone from her family) can give you a sponsor letter. This visa is valid for 2 months, and once you are in Lombok, you can extend this visa (on a monthly period) to up to 6 months validity. I would suggest, once you are here, you start with the process for the family kitas, which allows you to stay (not work though) for 1 year. For this - first thing first, your wife needs to have a valid KTP - then all the supporting documents (married certificate etc). We did use an agent for this - but it was still tedious, as always just stay patient during the process. hope this helps.
IDR 700.000 if you do it yourself.
Read here if you want to have an idea about the procedure and steps it involves.
Alternatively use an agent to deal with the paperwork if you don't speak Bahasa Indonesia. Though I know a fair number of people who have organised it themselves. It works OK as long as you bring with you a couple of prints of the law to literally explain them what they have to do. No kidding.
Thank you. That is helpful. My wife has her I.D. here. When time gets a bit closer we will go to the consulate in Los Angeles and start the process. I will ask them if we can complete the entire family visa process here. They seem to be much more efficient than the authorities in Indonesia. They also don't require any "additional fees" as is often required to complete some processes inside Indonesia.
We have been married for over 6 years and now have only 1 1/2 years until our planned move to Kuta Lombok takes place. Not time to get excited yet but it is getting closer and I am really looking forward to the move. Definantly not the place for everyone is what I tell inquisitive people. But so far it suits me well. Never lived there but have visited alot.
We have been married for over 6 years and now have only 1 1/2 years until our planned move to Kuta Lombok takes place. Not time to get excited yet but it is getting closer and I am really looking forward to the move. Definantly not the place for everyone is what I tell inquisitive people. But so far it suits me well. Never lived there but have visited alot.
visa for western husband married to indonesian.
you are absolutely right, Tom - things keep on changing, let's hope that the process will be more efficient over here in future. As Atlantis said, you can certainly do the process on your own - much more cheaper than using an agent of course. However, one needs to have good nerves and thick skin - which we don't have
Good luck with your move and I am sure that you will be happy in Lombok.
you are absolutely right, Tom - things keep on changing, let's hope that the process will be more efficient over here in future. As Atlantis said, you can certainly do the process on your own - much more cheaper than using an agent of course. However, one needs to have good nerves and thick skin - which we don't have
Good luck with your move and I am sure that you will be happy in Lombok.
I may have to work on registering our marriage. That is an interesting topic. When we planned our narriage we wanted to marry in lombok and then stay in the U.S. My wife wouldn't be allowed by her family to travel without being married first. ofcourse she was an adult but unlike in the west she is still obligated to abide by her family's wishes or risk being dis-owned. Our U.S. immigration lawyer said it would take much longer to process the permenant residence required for a wife than it would for a fiance visa. We had a muslim marriage in Lombok, kept on the down low. Then we went to the U.S. and were married in the county court with no hoopla. We recognize our Muslim marriage as our annivirsary date. That is the short version. When we first attempted the down low I was approached by public service "opportunists" hoping for some extra cash.
So now it looks like we need to do the opposite and register our marriage in Indonesia. I think we may need to register our U.S. marriage to keep things less complicated than they already are.
So now it looks like we need to do the opposite and register our marriage in Indonesia. I think we may need to register our U.S. marriage to keep things less complicated than they already are.
Don't know that term. We don't think that is what we had. Our marriage in Lombok was only registered at the local office of Islam. It would have automatically gone on to Jakarta or wherever and that is where we had some sticking points. Special handling fees which we got around. We were afraid once we started doling out it wouldn't stop until the end of a long line of "opportunists".
Nikah siri is a marriage performed in the villag by the Kepala Desa. It's not a legal marriage, it's just a ceremony so people can live together without the neighbours going crazy. It's not registrered anywhere.
A marriage performed and registrered at the religious office Kantor Agama is legal. You get a Boku Nikah as proof of your marriage.Contains photos of the cd being signeddouple, birthinfo and name of parents an
A marriage performed and registrered at the religious office Kantor Agama is legal. You get a Boku Nikah as proof of your marriage.Contains photos of the cd being signeddouple, birthinfo and name of parents an
My reply was submitted before I finished it so I'll continue: Contains photos of the couple, birthinfo, name of parents and is signed and stamped by the official at the Kantor Agama.
This is if your wife is Muslim, which I presume as she is coming from Lombok.
This is if your wife is Muslim, which I presume as she is coming from Lombok.
Our marriage was performed by an Imam and registered with the office of Isalm. Don't remember any fotos but it doesn't really matter. Since we have a marriage in the U.S. which there is no question about the legality I suppose when the time comes we will use that one. I will visit the consulate prior to my return to Indo. to sort things out and at least get a head start on the visa process.
It is not as simple.
If your first marriage in Indonesia has been registered at KUA (Kantor Urusan Agama or religious affair office in english) and that buku nikah have been issued for both of you, then you are considered as legally married and your indonesian spouse qualifies to sponsor you for a temporary stay permit (Izin Tinggal Terbatas, valid 1 year). If it has not been the case, it is very certainly a nikah siri, which has we said, has no legal value.
Then, you guys could have your wedding in the US recognised in order for you to get a temporary stay permit but it requires two steps:
1. a registration of your US marriage in a KBRI or KJRI (embassy or consulate) in the US
2. A report to the Dinas Kependudukan than Catatan Sipil of the wilayah you will reside, in a maximum delay of 30 days after that your indonesian spouse return to Indonesia.
Both steps are pretty straightforward and easy. However, they are important if you don't want later to have to run everywhere or to be fined for a late report. Without a registration of your US wedding at the KBRI and at the CaPil, your wife will be considered in Indonesia as legally single! Without it, your marriage in the US has no legal value under indonesian law.
Very valuable information Atlantis. Thank yoy so much. I will try to sort it out. Never is that simple is it. Indonesia, or another country. Immigration is the epitomy of gov bureaucracy. Dealt with it with my wife in U.S.A. Btw. Valuable info that may not be widely known. My wife is a legal U.S. resident therefore is exempt from the outrageous fiscal fee charged to Indonesian citizens leaving Indonesia, $200 I think,maybe $250, I forget. But there is an exception to the exemption. If said Indonesian citizen/foreign resident stays longer than 6 months in Indonesia he/she does need to pay the fiscal tax. I am sure there expats out there who have experienced this. It was "only" $100 a few years ago.
Hi Zoyra and Tom.
I also have this and my wife did it herself. Took 4 weeks. I don't like paying agents. They rip you off! Just remember to obtain both a tax card and a exit permit as well. Or you will have to pat fiscal.
cheers
reporting to immigration office
Hi Z,
I am eligble to apply for a family visa to stay in Indonesia for 1 year as my wife is from INDO. She has a valid KTP and our legal marriage certificates.
The only concern I have is do I have to report regularly to the kantor imigrassi? I despise dealing with these public servants. I have dealt with them in the past during social budaya visas.
Hi Z,
I am eligble to apply for a family visa to stay in Indonesia for 1 year as my wife is from INDO. She has a valid KTP and our legal marriage certificates.
The only concern I have is do I have to report regularly to the kantor imigrassi? I despise dealing with these public servants. I have dealt with them in the past during social budaya visas.
reporting to immigration office
Hi Wisedog, within one year of your visa validity, as far as I know (and I hope I am right), you don't have to deal with the immigration office. One month prior to the expiry date of your visa, you need to start with the extension process. However, during the process of your Kitas application, you will be asked for an 'interview' at the immigration office. There is no other way - just be ready, be patient and deep breath....
With the sos-bud visa, you don't need to go for the interview - so, there is no need to deal directly with the immigration people (unless you do the extension on your own, without using an agent). It's an option, it is valid for 6 months. Then you start the process again (applying the sos bud visa from outside).
Does it help?
Hi Wisedog, within one year of your visa validity, as far as I know (and I hope I am right), you don't have to deal with the immigration office. One month prior to the expiry date of your visa, you need to start with the extension process. However, during the process of your Kitas application, you will be asked for an 'interview' at the immigration office. There is no other way - just be ready, be patient and deep breath....
With the sos-bud visa, you don't need to go for the interview - so, there is no need to deal directly with the immigration people (unless you do the extension on your own, without using an agent). It's an option, it is valid for 6 months. Then you start the process again (applying the sos bud visa from outside).
Does it help?
