If you’re a foreigner legally married to an Indonesian citizen, the Spouse KITAS (index E31A) is the residence permit that lets you live in Indonesia long-term, sponsored by your Indonesian husband or wife. It’s one of the most stable family-based residency routes available, and it leads to permanent residency over time.
Note: Indonesia moved its visa system fully online to the Molina / e-visa platform, and visa codes were reclassified — what used to be called the “spouse KITAS” is now formally the E31A. Older guides referencing the previous portals and codes are out of date.
What it gives you
- The right to live in Indonesia based on your marriage
- Multiple entry — travel in and out freely
- Access to residency benefits like opening a local bank account and applying for an Indonesian driving licence
- A path to permanent residency (KITAP) after two years of marriage
What it does not give you: the E31A is a residence permit, not a work permit. You cannot work for an Indonesian company or earn Indonesian income on it alone. To work, you’d need a separate work permit and work KITAS through an employer.
Who can apply
Any foreigner legally married to an Indonesian citizen, where the marriage is officially registered in Indonesia (with an Indonesian marriage book or certificate, or a foreign marriage properly reported and registered here). There’s no minimum number of years of marriage to get the KITAS — the two-year mark matters for the later KITAP step. Your Indonesian spouse acts as your sponsor (guarantor).
Validity
Typically issued for 1 or 2 years, and renewable. After two years of registered marriage while holding the KITAS, you become eligible to apply for a KITAP — the permanent stay permit — which removes the yearly renewal cycle.
Documents you’ll generally need
Exact requirements are set by immigration and can change, but applications typically ask for:
- A passport valid for the required minimum period
- Your Indonesian spouse’s KTP (ID card) and Kartu Keluarga (family card)
- Your marriage certificate or marriage book, registered in Indonesia
- A recent colour photograph
- Proof of funds — a personal bank statement (recent sources indicate around USD 2,000 or equivalent, covering the last few months)
- A sponsorship or guarantee letter from your Indonesian spouse
How to apply
Applications are handled online through Indonesia’s official immigration portal (evisa.imigrasi.go.id), with the Indonesian spouse acting as sponsor. Because the online system and its exact step-by-step flow have changed since this visa was first introduced — and immigration procedures are detail-sensitive — we’d strongly recommend following the current steps directly on the official portal, or using a licensed visa agent, rather than any older walkthrough.
Bringing children
Children under 18 can generally be included as dependents under a related index (E31E), sponsored on the same basis.
Last verified: August 2026. Immigration rules, document lists, and fees change frequently — always confirm the current requirements and process with the Directorate General of Immigration (imigrasi.go.id) or a licensed visa agent before applying.
Continue here to learn how to convert a Spouse KITAS to a KITAP (permanent stay permit).
Please, explain to us….me and my wife (indonesian) try to follow your procedure but there is no place on site of imigrasi to upload marriage certificate…. can you tell me under what ‘type ‘ of visa we need to apply, but tell me on English, and where will be need to upload marriage certificate ! thanks a lot
p.s. we are reject for visa how you explain procedures cause lack of documents !
MARKO and YULIANA STOJKOVIC
Hello Marko, in chapter 2 above you can see a screen shot of the visa you need to choose. The indeks number should show “317”. As for the wedding certificate that is explained above also in chapter 2. On the top it will ask you to upload your application form, proof of funds etc … . And below that there is a mark box you have to click. After you click that box you will see the option to upload the scan of the wedding certificate. Sorry, I don’t have a screen shot of that. If you get there please take a screenshot and I will add this in the post above. Good luck 🙂
Yes, thanks, we found already and upload…. didn’t make screenshot cause we finish before I saw your reply, but it is in 2nd chapter, under 3th box (only on Indonesian language )…. 😊hope everything pass well now with my application, otherwise I will make you screenshot next time ! 😁 thanks one more time !
Ok, good luck Marko and let us know if you have other questions.
12.december2017. update :
come back from Singapore to Indonesia with Vitas supporting with ur information. Embassy in Singapore finish visa now in 1 day ( Monday leave passport at Tuesday afternoon collect ). Price or visa fee now is 160 S$.
Thanks a lot on this information about complete process to get KITAS helps me a lot !
Big Regards
Mr MARKO STOJKOVIC
Thanks for creating this guide! It was extremely helpful. As of Feb-Mar 2018, it has the most current and accurate info. In my case, we never received any email notifications. Check the online visa system daily to track the application status & download the approval letter.
I am glad to hear this was useful to you. I didn’t get any email notifications also on my Hotmail. I mentioned this to the immigration office and they said I should use a Gmail account. If you have any remarks or additions to the above post please let us know 🙂
Hi
Ive been married for one year and am currently in Bali on a social budaya visa.
I wish to convert to a spouse visa , my wife has changed her KTP and Kartu Keluarga to married status . Her address on both documents still shows as Malang , Java .
We have been living at the same address for 12 years in Bali and her KIPEM shows this address.
Are we able to process our Spouse Visa in Bali.
Thank you
Hi Barry, I am sorry but I don’t know the answer to your question. Maybe the best would be to visit the immigration office and ask. They are generally very helpful.
Why putting the number of Surat penguasaan visa (the number with IMI…..) is really hard..should i put all characters including dots? i tried many ways but never works.
I really appreciate the time you put into this guide. It is very accurate and really helped my wife and I through the entire KITAS process. There is absolutely no reason to waste money on an agent if a person follows this guide. For those wondering, the total cost for the Limited Stay Permit (VITAS: 3 months with single entry) from KBRI Singapore and the 12 mo. Limited Stay Visa (ITAS with multiple entry) from your local Kantor Imigrasi is about Rp 3.7 million. Thanks again for all the help. 😉
Thank you Michael, I am glad to hear this post was useful to you.
I have been married to an Indonesian man for 20 years and lived her permanently for 14 years but on a work sponsored Kitas -which I now wish to change to husband sponsored. We were married in Indonesia and have the relevant documents -when we married I provided the the letter free of impediment to marry but do not have a copy of this – I understand this is needed for the application .What do I do ?
Hello Jane, I don’t think that document is required at least it was not when we did it. I actually do have the document you mention above and never had to show. I did mine in Renon, Denpasar. Which immigration office do you use?
Hey Ketut,
thx for providing such detailed KITAS process information.
I wanted to order your document package, but the order form does not provide payment gateway “from my country”. I am in RI now.
However, we just applied for online sponsor registration, but I’d rather have an experience Indonesian handle the whole process.
I am ready to pay a resonable fee for such a service.
Please contact me!
Hi there, I am applying for my family/marriage KITAS and I want to know do I go to my consulate (Australian) or the Indonesian consulate for the Lapor Nikah / Surat keterangan bebas menikah dari konsulat? And also can you tell me what is the Telex Visa?
Thanks
Hi Rachel, the Surat keterangan bebas menikah should come from your Australian consulate and is a document you will likely have applied for previously as it is also required when you get married (at least that was the case for me). The Telex is something you will be emailed if your online application was successful. With this Telex you then go to an overseas Indonesian Embassy (e.g. Singapore). I suggest you use a Gmail account for the online application as I had lots of trouble getting emails on my Hotmail.
hello and thank you very much for this guidelines 🙂
I am just still confused about the ktp and Family Card of my Indonesian Husband and Sponsor. The status has to be “married” in this two dokuments for make telex?
I dont have yet KTp of course. So how can they put me in this papers?
We also ask in Immigration in Lombok and they told us, this is not requiered.
But maybe somebody has experience about that?
I would be very thankfully for some help 🙂
The way it went for us (in Bali) is that the foreign husband is mentioned on the Kartu Keluarga as the father of the children (second last column). If you don’t have children I don’t know how otherwise your name could appear. As for KTP I don’t think the foreigner is to supply that. It is the Indonesian sponsor who has to supply copy of KTP. I hope it all works out for you.
Thanks for your reply Ketut, I still have the original of my Surat keterangan bebas menikah from when we got married do you think I can use the original one or do I need to get a new one with a current date? They are quite expensive to get so I am hoping I can use the original. Also when scanning documents to be submitted do you know can they be in black and white or do they need to be in colour. Colour makes the size much larger it seems and you have mentioned that they cannot exceed 400kb. Thanks again for your help.
I don’t think colour or black/white makes a difference. I used my old surat keterangan bebas menikah document (5+ years old). What is a big thing is that any documents you complete have to be done with black ballpoint. If you use blue ballpoint you have to redo.
Hello!
Just wondering about the process of extending my family / marriage kitas. Can anybody explain the process? I have used an agent for applying for the Kitas, but I want to extend it now by myself. Can I do this directly at the immigration office in Renon?
Cheers,
Lars
Hi Ketut and others, just an update on my last question.I tried a black/white copy and the system only allows colour copies.
Thanks Ketut this post really was very helpful.
Hello Ketut. I’m wondering. I just got my working kitas but I want my wife and my son get dependent kitas also. Can I apply spouse visa 317?
Hello, congratulations on getting your work visa 🙂 The spouse visa is if your husband or wife is Indonesian. If you have an Indonesian husband or wife then your Indonesian spouse can be the sponsor of your visa and this is the spouse visa.
I will be going to the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore for my VITAS. How many days should I expect the process to take there before I receive my passport back with the visa? I’m trying to coordinate my itinerary and projected expenses for my stay there. Thanks.
It takes 3 working days
Hello,
I would like to apply for spouse visa. This post looks very helpful to avoid the high agent charges. I am born in Indonesia, but I have Dutch nationality. I heard, due to my born in Indonesia, I can also apply for KITAP directly. Is this correct?
Hi thier I made a mistake on the online registration I spelled Gmail wrong.i spelled it Gail my bad.but when I tried to register again it Siad I was already registered I cannot receive a email with my password or contact immigration is their any way to fix this
Kind regards
I am sorry I don’t know the answer. Best would be to ask the immigration office.
How long do I have from the TELEX being issued to report to the embassy I selected to complete the VITAS application? Thanks!
Thank you so much for this brilliant guide.
Will process my Kitas in about 2 months.
One question:
On the KK my name (as father of my daughter) isn’t written, will there be any issue during online application?
Hello, sorry it has been a while but from memory you first apply for the Spouse Kitas and if that was succesful, you can get your name added onto the KK. After your name is on the KK you can then also get an Indonesian KTP for WNA (foreigner). Good luck and please let us know how it went or if things have changed so we can make adjustments.
Hi @ketut how are you? hope you are well i Read all the information that you provide to get Spousal KITAS and i think it will be very useful when i will apply for it. After reading all i just have two related questions.
1. Shall my wife have to change the Marital status on her KTP and KK before Register account on immigration website?
2. Can i come to Indonesia from Pakistan on tourist visa for marriage? And then can apply VITAS?
Hi Ketut,
sure thing I’ll let you know about it.
Thanks a lot for your prompt reply.
Hi I am coming to Bali (where my partner works) we are looking to be married in his village in Sumatra on Boxing Day.
Do I come in on a visitors visa as usual
Once we are married do I need a different visa what is the visa called and is this visa multi entry
I am returning to Aus as I need to return to work I am confused
What do we need to do after the wedding
Thanks
Yes you can enter on a regular tourist visa. If you plan to stay in Indonesia for longer periods you can get a social visa (6 months I think) or get a spouse visa (1 yearly or with some more paperwork 5 yearly). Your Indonesian husband would be the sponsor of your villa. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!
Hallo, thank you for the information. it helps alot.
1. now Im doing the registration for my spouse. there is a question of duration of KTP. all i know its for life time, but i have to fill it with date. what should i fill in that.
2. for the adress, should i mention the adress the same like in KTP or should be the destination adress , which is different from adress in KTP.
thanks alot