You need a visa.
There's no visa-free travel between British passport holders and Indonesia for family. British citizens apply at the Indonesia embassy or visa application centre before travelling. Plan ahead — appointments and processing both take time.
Family visas have major life consequences.
Long-stay visa decisions affect your right to live, work, study, or remain with family. Always verify with a qualified immigration adviser or the destination's embassy before making travel, employment, or relocation decisions.
Your visa options
10 routes availableUnique visa pathways
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application timelineWhat you'll need
Family visa for Indonesia
Specific to British passport holders.
Start ~0–4 weeks before your intended travel date.
Order these first — they have the longest lead time
Evidence of genuine relationship
Relationship2–4 weeksJoint financial accounts, lease/mortgage in both names, photos across the relationship, communication logs, statements from family/friends — every modern partner visa requires this.
How: Self-compile over time. Most routes want 12+ months of co-habitation evidence; some accept communication-only for long-distance.
Medical examination
Medical1–4 weeksConducted by a panel physician approved by the destination's immigration authority. Includes chest X-ray, blood tests, and an interview.
How: Book directly with a panel physician — find them on the destination's immigration website.
Valid passport
Identity1–3 weeksMost countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your departure date, with two or more blank pages.
How: Renew at gov.uk/renew-adult-passport — 3 weeks standard, 1 week premium (£177).
Police certificate
Background0–2 weeksA criminal-record clearance from every country you've lived in for 6+ months in the past 10 years. Universally required for work, study, family and PR routes.
How: ACRO Police Certificate — apply at acro.police.uk. 10 working days standard, 2 working days premium (£105).
Apostille / certified document copies
Credentials1–5 daysHague Apostille on civil documents (birth, marriage, education certificates) for countries that recognise the convention. Other countries require consular legalisation instead.
How: FCDO Legalisation Office at gov.uk/get-document-legalised — standard 2 working days, premium same-day in person.
Then gather these
Marriage / civil-partnership certificate
Relationship1–4 weeksOriginal or certified copy of the marriage or civil-partnership registration, apostilled if applicable.
How: Issuing registry office of the country where the marriage was registered.
Birth certificate (and children's)
Relationship1–4 weeksFor family and dependent-child routes. Original or certified copy, apostilled if applicable.
How: Vital records office of the country of birth.
Biometrics (fingerprints + photo)
Background1–4 weeksCaptured at a Visa Application Centre (VFS, BLS, TLScontact). Walk-in is rarely possible — appointment slots fill up.
How: Book on the VAC website after submitting your online application.
Sponsor's income evidence
Financial1–3 weeksLast 6–12 months of payslips, employment letter, or tax returns from the citizen-sponsor in the destination country.
How: Sponsor supplies. Tax returns may need an IRS / HMRC / CRA transcript, which takes a few weeks to order.
Certified translation of documents
Credentials1–2 weeksIf your documents are not in the destination's official language, you may need a sworn or certified translator.
How: ATA-certified (US) / ITI-qualified (UK) translators, or a sworn translator registered with the destination's consulate.
Proof of funds (long-stay)
Financial1–2 weeksCountry-specific minimum savings — e.g. ~CAD 14,000 (Canada study/work permits, single applicant), ~£1,334/month + £8,000 reserve (UK family), proof of income for digital-nomad routes.
How: Bank statements stamped and signed by the bank, plus HMRC SA302 or P60 for proof of income. Some destinations also accept the gov.uk Tax Summary download.
Passport-style photograph
Identity1–3 daysA recent biometric photo to the destination's specifications. Most consulates require their own dimensions, not your home country's.
How: Any high-street photo studio, or app-based services that meet ICAO 9303 spec.
Online visa application form
Application1–3 daysThe destination's online form (DS-160 for US, gov.uk for UK, IRCC portal for Canada, ImmiAccount for Australia, e-Visa portal for most others).
How: Apply directly on the destination government website — never via a third-party paid service.
Application fee payment
Application1 dayPayable to the destination government directly. Fees range from ~$25 (e-Visas) to $2,500+ (US EB-1).
How: Card payment on the destination's portal. Receipt required for the application.
What carries weight in the application
route-specificIndonesia caseworkers weight 6 things heavily for british family-visa applicants. Get these right and you almost certainly get the visa; get any one wrong and you waste money on a refused application that haunts every future Indonesia attempt.
Relationship-duration test — usually 12 months living together OR married/civil partnership
Nearly every partner / spouse / family visa demands proof the relationship is GENUINE AND HAS LASTED. Typical thresholds: Australia (Subclass 309 / 820) requires 12 months of cohabitation OR a registered relationship OR marriage; New Zealand Partnership-based wants 12 months living together; UK Spouse / Partner visa wants marriage / civil partnership OR 2 years cohabitation; Canada Spousal Sponsorship accepts marriage / common-law (12 months cohabitation) / conjugal partners; US CR-1 / IR-1 requires a legally valid marriage with no minimum duration but heavy bona-fide-marriage scrutiny. Read your specific destination's threshold above — refusal is common when applicants assume their own country's rule applies.
Genuine, subsisting relationship evidence — spread is what matters
Caseworkers watch for relationships of convenience. Spread of evidence across financial, household, social and communication dimensions beats volume in any single category — 30 photos and nothing else is weaker than 5 photos + joint tenancy + joint bank statements + WhatsApp logs going back through the relationship. Anglophone destinations specifically use the phrase 'genuine and subsisting' (UK) / 'genuine and mutual commitment' (AU) / 'genuine relationship' (CA) — copying their exact terminology in your statement signals you've read the rules.
Financial-requirement compliance
The sponsor's income / savings test is binary — you meet it or you don't. Most refused partner-visa applications fail here before the caseworker even reads the relationship evidence. UK Spouse: sponsor £29,000/year (raised April 2024). Australia Partner: no formal income test but AOS (Assurance of Support) if requested. US CR-1: 125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines via Form I-864. Canada Spousal: no income requirement for spouse but MNI applies for parental sponsorship. Calculate the threshold for Indonesia's partner / spouse visa precisely (it's in the visa fee + processing details above); most countries have hard-coded ways of evidencing salary, self-employment, savings, and pension income — they don't substitute freely.
Personal statement / letter of intent
A clear, DATED narrative of how you met, when the relationship became serious, the major milestones (moving in together, engagement, marriage), and your plans for the destination is the caseworker's roadmap through the evidence bundle. A confused or contradictory statement does damage that strong evidence can't fully undo. See our DIY personal-statement guide for the section-by-section skeleton + an AI prompt template that saved one of us £1,500+ in lawyer fees.
Police certificates from every long-term residence
Most destinations want a police certificate from every country you've lived in 6 or 12 months as an adult. Missing one sets the application back 8–12 weeks. They're the slowest-to-obtain document — start them on day one. UK: ACRO Police Certificate (£55 standard, £95 premium). US: FBI Identity History Summary via Channeler (~$50, 1–3 days) — DON'T use FBI Mail (2–3 months). Australia: AFP National Police Check ($43). Canada: RCMP Police Certificate.
Medical exam (when required)
Long-stay partner / spouse visas to Australia, Canada, New Zealand require panel-physician medicals. UK requires TB test if you've lived 6+ months in a high-TB country (~100-country list). US CR-1 / IR-1 requires medical by Embassy-designated panel physician. Book early — 4–6-week waits in major cities are common.
How to save money
6 tipsDon't pay for translations of documents already in the destination's official language — many applicants over-translate. Check what's mandatory.
Police certificates: use the FAST channel (FBI Channeler / ACRO Premium / AFP urgent) for ~$20-50 extra rather than the standard mail-in route that can take 8-12 weeks; missing a visa appointment because your police check was delayed costs far more.
If your sponsor's income is just below Indonesia's threshold, savings can usually substitute (the exact ratio varies by country — typically 2-3x the annual income requirement held in cash for 6+ months). Combining sources is permitted in narrow ways — get this right before paying the application fee.
Don't pay for a translation of WhatsApp / iMessage screenshots in English to the destination's English-speaking immigration service. People do this.
Time your application to your visit, not to a deadline — most partner visas are valid 30 days from issue. Apply too early and you'll re-pay if you can't enter in time.
Premium / priority processing is rarely worth it for partner visas (a few extra weeks) but often worth it for student / Skilled Worker visas with semester / contract start dates.
Personal-statement skeleton
6 sectionsFill each section with your own facts, dates and circumstances. The structure mirrors what Indonesia caseworkers expect to find — copying the order makes their decision faster, which is good for you.
- 01
1. How we met
Date, place, context. Were you introduced by friends / family / app / work / study? Lead with concrete dates. 'In March 2022, we met through a mutual friend at her birthday in London' beats 'we met through friends a few years ago' every time.
- 02
2. How the relationship developed
First few months: how often did you meet? What did you do together? When did you decide you were a couple? When did your families first meet? Caseworkers want a TIMELINE, not just a feeling — annotate dates.
- 03
3. Cohabitation and shared life
When did you move in together? What's the address? Whose name is on the tenancy / mortgage? What bills are in joint names? Who pays what? Cover ANY long-distance periods explicitly — they're not disqualifying as long as you can show communication and visits.
- 04
4. Big milestones — engagement, marriage, kids
Date, location, who attended. If parents / siblings travelled to be there, name them. The detail signals authenticity.
- 05
5. Why we want to live in [destination]
Job offer? Family ties? Existing residency right? Education? Be SPECIFIC about what you'll do in the destination — vague 'we want to build our life there' is weaker than 'I have a Skilled Worker job offer from Company X starting June' or 'my partner's parents are in [city] and need care.'
- 06
6. Long-term intent
A line on your intent to live together in Indonesia long-term, raise a family, contribute economically, etc. Match the wording to Indonesia's own policy language — Anglophone destinations use phrases like 'genuine and subsisting relationship' or 'bona-fide marriage'; lifting that exact phrase signals you've read the rules.
When to DIY · when to hire a lawyer
honest triage- First-time application, no prior immigration history, English-speaking destination, sponsor meets the income test cleanly, no children from previous relationships, no criminal history on either side
- Re-applying after a refusal where the refusal reason was a clearly fixable document gap
- Renewal applications where nothing material has changed
- Prior visa refusal or immigration violation on either side (overstays, deportations, false-statement findings)
- Criminal record (any) on the applicant's side — destinations interpret rehabilitation periods differently
- Complex sponsor finances (mixed self-employment + employment, recent job change, business owner, overseas income)
- Same-sex relationship to a destination where local recognition is uncertain (UAE, Saudi Arabia, much of Africa) — a specialist understands the workarounds
- Dependent children from a prior relationship, especially across multiple jurisdictions
- Adult Dependent Relative (UK), Parent Sponsorship (CA), Caregiver routes — exceptionally complex evidence requirements
This guidance is general — not legal advice. For high-stakes routes (refusal history, criminal record, complex finances), spend the money on a qualified immigration adviser regulated by your destination (UK: OISC / SRA; AU: MARA; US: bar-admitted attorney).
Save £500–£3,000 on lawyer fees
Write your partner-visa personal statement yourself — we'll show you how.
Six-section skeleton caseworkers actually want, copy-paste AI prompt for Claude / ChatGPT to neaten your draft, the exact legal phrases each authority looks for, and a clear list of when you SHOULD pay a lawyer instead.
Open the DIY guide
Where to apply in person
Find a Indonesia embassy or VAC near you
Most long-stay applications need an in-person appointment. We can't book it for you — but we can point you to the right physical place in one click.
Nearest embassy / consulate
Where you'll attend in person to submit documents and biometrics. Embassies handle long-stay visa applications directly.
Open in Google Maps
Visa application centre
Outsourced VAC (VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS International) that collects fees + biometrics for many embassies.
Open in Google Maps
Immigration medical clinic
Designated panel physician for Indonesia-immigration medicals. Required for most long-stay work, family, and skilled-migration visas.
Open in Google Maps
Passport photo provider
Walk-in pharmacy or photo shop that prints to Indonesia-spec dimensions and background colour.
Open in Google Maps
Need a curated provider list instead? See our biometrics directory, medical-check panel physicians, or passport-photo services.
For United Kingdom applicants specifically
Your documentation process at a glance.
What the generic requirements above actually mean for you in United Kingdom — the exact agency, fee, and processing time for each.
Police / background check
ACRO Police Certificate
ACRO Criminal Records Office
Fee: £59 (Standard, 10-day)
Processing: 10 working days standard; 2 working days premium (£99)
Covers Police National Computer + force records. Required for most Schengen long-stay, Australian PR, Canadian Express Entry, NZ residence, US adjustment of status.
Official site →Apostille / legalisation
Hague Apostille (single-step)
FCDO Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Fee: £45 (Standard, 2-day) / £75 (Premium same-day)
Processing: 2 working days standard; same-day premium at Milton Keynes office
UK joined Hague Apostille 1965. Documents must be notarised by a UK solicitor / notary public FIRST, then sent to FCDO. Online tracking + courier return available.
Official site →Tax records / income proof
SA302 Tax Calculation + Tax Year Overview
HMRC
SA302s download free from HMRC online portal. Most consulates accept the SA302 + Tax Year Overview pair as proof of self-employment income for the last 3 years.
Official site →Certified translation
ITI / CIOL Member or sworn translator for the destination's legal system
Sworn / certified translator
For Spanish NLV, Italian Elective, Portuguese D7, French long-stay: use a translator on the destination consulate's approved list (consulado.uk / it.esteri.it / lisbon.gov.uk). For US: ATA-certified translator OR certified statement of accuracy.
Standard civil documents you'll often need: Full UK passport (not provisional) — issued within 10 years for Schengen entry; UK driving licence or BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) for non-UK-born residents; Council tax bill / utility bill in your name (address proof, within 3 months); Bank statements (UK high-street bank, certified copy if asked); Original birth certificate (long-form, with parents' details — for citizenship-by-descent applications); …
Fees on the destination's visa page are typically quoted in the destination currency. Your preferred currency for budgeting: GBP. Where to apply: Most embassies in London (Belgravia / Mayfair). Spanish + Italian + Portuguese have additional consulates in Edinburgh + Manchester. Australian + NZ + Canadian use VFS Global / TLScontact centres.
Post-Brexit British applicants are 'third-country nationals' for EU long-stay routes — no preferential treatment vs Americans, Australians etc. Some EU member states still offer streamlined processing for British applicants (Spain, Portugal, France in particular).
Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
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Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
Other visa types for this route
We also have data on these visa categories between GB and ID.
More for British travellers
Other places to go and other reasons to go to Indonesia.
Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
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Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
Sources & references
Every link below is a primary government source. We aggregate; the source is the authority. If anything on this page disagrees with a link below, the link wins.
Where this page's data came from
Your country's foreign-affairs ministry
Independent travel advisories
While you're here
Practical next steps
Useful links for travel to Indonesia
Official government and authority links only. Commercial provider slots (travel insurance, international health insurance, passport photos, registered immigration advisers) are coming soon — we're shortlisting the first cohort. Get featured here →
Required vaccinations & shots
All providers →Up-to-date guidance from the CDC, NHS Fit for Travel, and other national health bodies on required and recommended vaccinations for your destination. Yellow Fever certificates are mandatory for entry from some routes.
NHS Fit for Travel (UK)
OfficialUK National Travel Health Network's country-by-country vaccination + malaria advice. Authoritative for UK residents; covers routine, recommended, and certificate-mandatory shots.
Australian Smartraveller
OfficialDFAT travel health guidance for Australians, with country pages covering required and recommended vaccinations plus health-system risk levels.
CDC Yellow Book (US)
OfficialAuthoritative US CDC guidance: required + recommended vaccinations and prophylaxis by destination, plus advisories on outbreaks, food/water safety, and traveller's diarrhoea.
Informational only. A valid visa permits entry subject to officer discretion at the border. Always verify with the destination's embassy or official source before travel, employment, or relocation.