CELEBRANTS

Unlike other countries of the world, it is not possible in Indonesia to be married by a Civil Celebrant and, in fact, there is no such thing in Indonesia. The only way for non-Moslem couples to be legally married (as mentioned above) is to have a religious ceremony followed by the Government Registration of the marriage.

Overseas Celebrants are only licensed and legally permitted to perform a wedding ceremony and provide a Certificate of Marriage to a couple when the marriage they perform takes place in the country where they are licensed to practise as a Marriage Celebrant. They are not legally permitted to provide such a service in Bali or anywhere else in the world.

We understand that Australia is currently (and in fact has been for quite a long time now) giving consideration to allowing licensed Marriage Celebrants to perform ceremonies overseas but, if and when this is approved, it will apply only to marriages performed by the Australian Marriage Celebrant on Australian soil, ie: in the Australian Consul General office in Bali or the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

A marriage performed by a foreign licensed Celebrant would not be a legal marriage if performed in Bali or anywhere except in the country in which the Celebrant is licensed to operate.

DO NOT BRING A FOREIGN CELEBRANT TO BALI TO PERFORM YOUR MARRIAGE AND EXPECT TO BE LEGALLY MARRIED !

Australian couples may reconfirm this information with the Australian Registrar Generals' Office in Canberra.

For couples from other countries, we advise you to check with your country's
Consulate/Embassy here in Indonesia, or with the particular Government officials
in your country of origin who deal with matters of legal marriage regarding this
issue.

We have used Australia as the example here, not to give Australians any particular special attention, but simply because the statistics to date show that the majority of weddings taking place in Bali currently originate from Australia.