Where to marry?

[Jon]

Hi All,

Hope you can give me some advice.

I'm an Engish guy living in Hong Kong and have an Indonesian girlfriend. We'll be getting married later this year and will initially stay in HK. In time we'll leave here and probably return to the UK.

As we both love Bali (holiday visits only - my girlfriend is from Malang) a different option would be to try to make a life on the island.

My question (finally!) concerns where best to get married this year - London, HK, Malang/Bali? My enquiries lead me to believe that she will have residency and working rights in all of these places regardless of where we get married.

For me, however, is there an advantage in terms of gaining residency rights and work permit for Bali by getting married in Indonesia rather than elsewhere?

I'm sure there must be a few forum members who've been in the same position. Any advice will be really welcome.

Jon

 

[juskiff]

Dear Jon:

First and foremost, congratulation!!! You are indeed a lucky guy to marry an Indonesian Girl from Malang.

As for a place for the ceremony, I vote for Bali... where in Bali?? It's your choice... you can have a beautiful wedding almost anywhere in Bali. In Kuta - at The Legian, Gado Gado, or Ku De'Ta, In ubud, what could be better and reasonable but Maya Ubud. Candidasa at the new Allila... the choice is endless... Since your wife is from Malang.. now that's a beautiful city, what about holding the reception at Tugu in Malang? The place is small but done with the class and taste.

Unfortunately, marrying an Indonesian Girl will NOT make it any easier for you to obtain a permanent visa. Eventhough we have a woman President here, unfortunately women don't carry a lot of weight here. So ask around as to what kind of visa would suit you better... there are plenty of options when the time comes.

Again good luck and congratulation.

Best
Augie

 

[Iris]

Hello Jon,

Selamat menikah! I hope you and your wife to be will have a beautiful wedding day. Your questions remind me of my own 'unek-unek' more than three years ago!

About the location you want to choose for marriage. I just want to give you this advise: get yourself well informed about the regulations both in England and in Indoneisa at this moment. I don't know if you know that Indonesian law only allows couples from the same religion to marry. Meaning that if you and your wife have the same religion..... no problem! But if your wife is Muslim (probably) and you are not, than you will have to decide wether you want to enter Islam (Christianity, Buddhism or what ever religion your 'sayang' has) or the other way around.

For me this law was one of the reasons I married in Holland, since I was not willing and ready to enter Islam (the religion of my husband, who's by-the-way from Medan, Sumatra). Although I would have reallly wanted our wedding to take place in the tropical sun instead of a cold winterday in December.

Considering the visa for you future wife.... English friends of us married in Indonesia, since it is more easy to get your partner in to England.

By the way there is this very good site were you can find a lot of information about mixed marriages with Indonesians. The law in Indonesia makes the working and staying in Indonesia as a Western husband way more difficult than for a Western wife. The site: http://www.expat.or.id/info/mixmarriages

And other thing you do have to realize...... don't forget about your Indonesian in-laws!!!! Indonesian family bounds are different from Western and it is mostly very difficult for them to understand your different way of living.

Well one thing is for sure, you both will absolutly wait an interesting life together :wink:

Good luck and lots of happy years for you both!

Iris

 

[Jon]

Hi Augie & Iris,
Thanks for the good wishes and the info. I found the website Iris passed on very useful and will give it some serious study. One guy at the Indonesian consulate here in HK made the whole process sound very easy - get married at my fiancee's home (get your KUA) then start a business in Bali and get your KITAS that way. He said I would then be able to live in Bali as a semi-permanent resident only having to leave the country once a year. Don't know if it's as easy as that? - will read the tons of info supplied on the website and and see if things become clearer.
Thanks again
Jon