Guidance

Living in Indonesia

InformationAdvice aboutfor movingBritish to,people livingmoving to or retiringliving in IndonesiaIndonesia, – including visas,information working,on healthcarehealth, driving and driving. residence requirements.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
26 July 2013
Last updated
412 FebruaryDecember 20262025 — See all updates

Getting

This helpguide withsets livingout inessential Indonesia

Helpinformation fromfor theBritish Indonesianpeople government

For any questions about moving to or living in Indonesia,Indonesia.

Read youabout mayhow beour ableembassy toin getJakarta helpand fromconsulate the:in Bali can help.

Theget UKdefinitive governmentinformation andfrom the BritishIndonesian Embassyauthorities. inThe JakartaForeign, cannotCommonwealth give& personalisedDevelopment adviceOffice on(FCDO) movingis to,not livingliable orfor retiringany inaccuracies in Indonesia.this information.

Professional

Support helpfor inBritish Indonesia

Younationals canabroad: alsoa getguide helpsets fromout English-speakinghow professionalsBritish innationals Indonesia,can including:

  • lawyers
  • translators
  • notaries
  • funeralstay directors

Helpsafe fromabroad and how the UKFCDO government

can help if you do get into difficulty.

Read thegeneral travelguidance adviceon formoving Indonesiaor retiring abroad.

To stay up to understanddate: follow the risksBritish youEmbassy mayJakarta faceon ifFacebook, X you(formerly liveTwitter), inInstagram orand visitYouTube.

Before Indonesia.you Thisgo

See includesour thetravel latestadvice informationfor on:

  • visasIndonesia andfor up-to-date information on entry requirements
  • requirements, local laws and culturalcustoms, differences
  • safety and security
emergencies.

ReadInformation our guidance on moving,how livingUK orbusinesses retiringcan abroad.

Getcontrol helprisks fromwhen theoperating UK government abroad, including in an emergency.Indonesia.

Visas, residency and citizenship

MakeCheck sure you meet the entry requirements for Indonesia beforein youour travel.travel advice.

Visas

Using anda stayvisa permits

Checkwith whichthe visawrong category, or stayoverstaying permityour youvisa, needcan lead to liveprosecution,  inpotentially Indonesia.resulting Youin candetention applyand fordeportation aat visayour orown stayexpense. permitFind onlinemore information about visa overstay and deportation. and how the British Embassy in Jakarta can help.

YouFor candetailed getinformation aon visa orand stay permit to:

  • work
  • study
  • retire
  • joinrequirements family

Ifplease youcontact wantthe toIndonesian extendEmbassy yourin visathe orcountry stayin permit,which readyou guidanceare forresiding youror specificrefer visato orthe stayIndonesian permitImmigration Authority.

For moreadvice information,on readapplying  for Indonesian immigrationcitizenship, lawssee onthe visasguidance from the Indonesian Ministry of Law and stayHuman permitsRights.

Registering asIf ayou’re resident

Onceasked youto arrive,provide youa must‘no registerobjection atto yourIndonesian localcitizenship’ civilletter registrationfrom office.the TheyBritish willembassy, issuedownload yourthe residenceIndonesia certificateletter (‘Suratfrom Keteranganour British Tempatnationality Tingal’,letters SKTT).page.

Passports and travel

IfComplete youthe haveemergency anycontacts problemspage orat questionsthe aboutback registering,of contact:

Permanent residency

You maycan beapply ablefor toor applyrenew foryour permanentBritish residencypassport infrom Indonesia.

Check dependingthe onIndonesia yourtravel personaladvice circumstances.for passport validity requirements.

To

Healthcare findin outIndonesia

The ifNHS you’rehas eligibleinformation andfor howpeople tomoving apply,abroad.

You readshould guidancebuy oncomprehensive permanenttravel stayand permitsmedical insurance. before you enter the country.

Citizenship

InIf mostyou cases,are Indonesiaresident doesin notIndonesia, recogniseyou dualshould citizenship.ensure Thisthat meansyou thathave taken out an appropriate health insurance policy. If you mayare haveworking toin giveIndonesia, upcheck (renounce)with your Britishemployer citizenshipif tohealth becomeinsurance anis Indonesianpart citizen.of your employment package.

IfMedical you’recare askedand access to providefully aequipped ‘nohospitals objectionvaries togreatly Indonesianacross citizenship’Indonesia, letterespecially fromoutside of the Britishmain embassy,tourist downloadareas theof Jakarta and Bali. Healthcare is not provided free of charge in Indonesia letterand frommedical our Britishbills nationalitycan lettersbe page.high.

ToThere findis outno ifreciprocal you’reNational eligibleHealth forService Indonesianagreement citizenship:

Helpout withbefore visa,you residencytravel. andMake citizenshipsure applications

that your policy provides for the following:

The

Benefits

Claiming

Check which UK benefits

you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.

ReadMany ourincome-related guidancebenefits onsuch moving,as livingPension orCredit retiringand abroad.Housing ThisBenefit coverscannot howbe topaid claimif UKyou’re benefitsabroad abroad,for includingmore Childthan Benefit.4 weeks.

Claiming Indonesian benefits

The Indonesian government does not provide benefits to foreign nationals. nationals.

BuyingPensions

If andyou rentingretire property in Indonesia

ReadIndonesia, ouryou guidancecan onclaim moving,your livingUK State Pension or retiringnew abroadUK State Pension. ThisContact coversthe buyingInternational andPension rentingCentre propertyfor abroad.further information.

ForeignRead nationalsState canPension buyguidance propertyif you have lived in Indonesia,Australia, butCanada thereor New Zealand and you are restrictionsclaiming onor owningwaiting land.to Contactclaim anyour English-speakingUK lawyerState Pension.

Armed Forces pensions are not paid automatically. You could be eligible for a pension if you’reyou consideringare buyingover property59 oryears land.

Votingof age and served in Indonesia

the armed forces for more than 2 years. Contact the Veterans’ Gateway for more information.

Life certificates for UK electionsState Pensions

ReadIf ouryou guidanceget ona moving,‘life livingcertificate’ orfrom retiringthe abroadUK Pension Service., Thisyou coversmust howrespond to:

  • voteas insoon UKas electionspossible. fromYour abroad
  • registerpayments asmay anbe overseassuspended voter

Indonesianif elections

you do not.

YouThe cannotBritish voteembassy and Consulate in IndonesianIndonesia electionsdo unlessnot youprovide holdlife Indonesiancertificates citizenship.

Studyingfor inBritish Indonesia

Ifnationals youclaiming plana toBritish studypension abroad. Someone in Indonesia,a recognised profession can witness your life certificate if you mustare meetclaiming allState visaPension abroad. They do not need to live in the UK, or stayhave permita requirementsBritish beforepassport. youThe travel.list Youof people who can applysign forthe aform visaare orthe staysame permitas onlinethose who can ‘countersign’ a passport photo.

Money and banking

ForNot all morebanks information:in Indonesia accept bank notes issued by Scottish banks.

See buying a property abroad.

ChildrenDriving in Indonesia

ReadIf ouryou guidanceare onplanning moving,to livingdrive orin retiringIndonesia, see general guidance on driving abroad.

You Thiscannot coversdrive movingusing abroadyour withUK children,driving including:licence, you must have either an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an Indonesian national driving licence.

Schoolspermit andcard education

(KITAS) can apply for an Indonesian national driving licence.

TheForeign Ministrynationals ofinvolved Primaryin andeven Secondaryminor Educationtraffic (inviolations Indonesian)or providesaccidents informationmay aboutbe thevulnerable schoolto systemextortion. For more information, read our guidance for travelling by road in Indonesia.Indonesia.

AllIf childrenyou’re agedasked 7for toa 15letter mustauthenticating, attendcertifying school or homevalidating schoolyour inUK Indonesia.driver’s licence, you should contact your UK issuing office (eg the DVLA)

ForRead moreguidance information,on readtaking guidanceyour onvehicle out of the IndonesianUK.

Disabled government’sdrivers

If Educationyou Househave websitea (inUK Indonesian,Blue Badge and live in Indonesia, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some pagesUK requireelections. signYou in).can Thischeck includesif informationyou andare servicesable forto parentsvote and children.register as an overseas voter.

Births, deaths, marriagesmarriage and civil partnershipspartnership

Births

If your child is born in Indonesia, you should register the birth with the Indonesian authorities within 60 days of the birth. You can do this at your local civil registry office (‘Kantor Catatan Sipil’ or ‘Disdukcapil’) within 60 days of the birth.  ‘Disdukcapil’).

Check with your local civil registry office what documents you needrequire to register the birth and get an official birth certificate (‘Akte Lahir’). YouThis will need this to register with immigration. The documents you need may include:

  • include a hospital birth certificate (‘Surat Keterangan Lahir’)
  • Lahir’), your passport(s)
  • marriage certificateand, if applicable
applicable, your marriage certificate.

Unmarried parents may not be able to state the father’s name on an Indonesian birth registration. You Forshould advice,consider contact:

for advice.

You should use the official birth certificate (‘Akte Lahir’) to register with immigration.

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

  • register the birth with the UK authorities to get a UK birth certificate
  • apply for your child’s first British passport

Deaths

ReadYou ourcan guidancecheck onif moving,your livingchild orwas retiringautomatically abroad.a ThisBritish covers:

  • whatcitizen toat do after someone dies abroad
  • how to register the death with the UK authorities
birth.

Deaths

If someone dies in Indonesia,Indonesia read our guidance on:

.

MarriagesMarriage and civil partnershipspartnership

ReadFind ourout guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how toyou can get married or get a civil partnership abroad.abroad.

Emergencies

SameIf sexyou marriageshave andbeen civilthe partnershipsvictim areof nota legallyrape recognisedor insexual Indonesia.assault For information about LGBT+ rights in Indonesia, read guidanceour oninformation safetyfor andvictims securityof inrape theand travelsexual advice for Indonesiaassaults.

Divorce See andalso separation

Read our general guidance onfor moving,victim livingof orrape retiringand sexual assault abroad.

If Thisyou’re coversthe howvictim toof get a divorcecrime, have been arrested, or endare affected by a civilcrisis, partnership.

Tocontact getthe divorcedBritish inEmbassy Indonesia,Jakarta theor courtBritish youConsulate useBali.

Read dependsthe guidance on yourinternational religion.parental Muslimchild couplesabduction mustif useyour thechild religiousmay court.be Non-Muslimsat mustrisk useof thethis.

Property districtand court.

property disputes

ConsiderThe takingIndonesian legalLand adviceand fromProperty anpolicy English-speakingnow lawyerallows inforeign Indonesia.

Documentsnationals forto Britishown peopleland or property in Indonesia

ReadIndonesia. For ourmore guidanceinformation on documentsthis forplease Britishconsult peoplea abroad.lawyer Thisin covers: Indonesia.

  • legalising

    Social ethics and certifyingtraditions

    Please UKrefer documents

  • marriageto andour civiltravel partnershipadvice documents
  • affirmationsfor andfurther affidavits
  • witnessing signatures
information.

Lawyers,Leaving translators and notariesIndonesia

ToIf findyou anhold English-speakinga lawyer,temporary translatorstaying orpermit, notaryknown inas Indonesia,a readKITAS, guidanceplease onensure professionalthat servicesyou ifhave you’rean abroad.

Pets

IfExit/Re-entry youPermit wantfrom toIndonesian bringimmigration.

People yourwho petdo withnot youwish to Indonesia,extend youtheir willexpiring needKITAS/KITAP ancan importleave licenceIndonesia fromwithout thereporting Indonesianto Directoratethe ofImmigration LivestockOffice, andwho Animalare Health.currently Thereunable areto someissue areasExit ofPermit IndonesiaOnly you(EPOs) cannotand bringExit petsRe-entry into.Permits For(ERPs). moreEPOs information: 

.

Returning to the UK

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently. Thiswhich includes information on bringing family membersmembers, back to the UK, tax and access to services.

Disclaimer

We provide this information as a guide only.  For definitive information, contact the Indonesian authorities.

Read our consular information disclaimer.

Updates to this page

Published 26 July 2013
Last updated 412 FebruaryDecember 20262025 + show all updates

  1. Rewrote guide to make it easier to read and understand. Includes new information about dual citizens travelling to the UK ('Passports and travel' section).

  2. Added further information on registering a birth in Indonesia to the 'Births, deaths, marriage and civil partnership' section

  3. In 'Visas, residency and citizenship' information added on applying for Indonesian citizenship.

  4. Adding a link to a visa overstay and deportation guide in 'Visa and residency' section.

  5. Complete redrafting of this guidance, including removal of content related to coronavirus.

  6. Coronavirus section added with a link to guidance on vaccines.

  7. Update on contents, including COVID-19 related information.

  8. Updated.

  9. Updated.

  10. Revise the links on the article.

  11. First published.

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