Child custody in Indonesia is a family issue that may come into subject matter of the court if you're filing for a divorce. This is something normal in relation to the divorce case. Both parents claim that they are the best for the custody of their children. But do they? How the laws in Indonesian govern something like this? Read on!

Fathers' Engagement

Nowadays, fathers are getting more engaged in the child upbringing in Indonesia. They take the children to school everyday before they go to work. Fathers read with their children at night, teach them and get involved with their everyday's schooling works. Some of them also take them for taking a bath, feed them and get them dressed decently. You can't ignore this phenomenon. This is happening everywhere. They are doing this because they think fathers can do it too. They can even do it better in getting involved with their child's upbringing in Indonesia.  At Wijaya & Co, we always pay attention to details of our client’s case. 

Mother's Career 

Just because your wife is working and have a career, it doesn’t mean that she can’t nurture the child. Just because she’s busy with work, it does not mean she may be able to lose custody of a child if a divorce case in session.

Husband and wife are equal in the marriage life. Both of them have the same rights in their career and business. According to Article 31 of Marriage Law imposed that both husband and wife have the rights to earn a living and. Even sometime, just sometime, wife’s  making more money than her husband. 

Custody of a Child

When you’re still married, they called it parental authority. If you’re divorced, they called it custody. Pretty much the same  issues. It just in Indonesia, we recognized custody parent, and non-custody parent. But this is in theory as in the law books. There's more to it than meet the eyes. The judges are happy as long as you and the child are happy. 

According to Article 105 of Compilation of Islamic Law, child under 12 (twelve) years old, the custody belongs to the mother. For the child above 12, he may choose his custody parent holder. Supreme Court’s ruling number 210/K/AG/1999 imposed that a mother’s privilege for child custody may be revoked if she’s committing apostate and practise other religion beside Islam.

Other Supreme Court’s precedence number 376/PK/Pdt/2011 regarding this matter is also applicable when the female spouse was committing apostate and turned Moslem. Nevertheless, the male spouse was charged with criminal sentence for abandoning their child. So, the judges favor the party with less liability in order to raise the child. 

How to Win the Custody

It’s simple: the best interest of the child! That’s the keywords. It does sounds simple, but might not be easy to do it. Many people knows it, but many of them also fail. Getting yourself involved in school with the children, and teaching them with their English reading are a good start. Really good start. Keep up the good work!

You don’t say that you are richer than your spouse and therefore makes you a better parent. You need to prove that you are better because you put the child first. You need to promote yourself, and destroy the credibility of the opposing party. It sounds cruel, but it's a divorce case anyway. The moment you lodged the case to the court, both of you are opponents. No longer husband and wife. After all, you're doing it for the child. You need to to do it in order to win the custody of the child. But hey! Remember this: it's not about you. It's about the child. Read my lips, put the child first. Please contact me when you need any further assistance with this issue. We have previous portfolios that you can use as your reference. Please contact me should you wish to discuss any further about this.

Our thanks to Mr. Asep Wijaya of Wijaya & Co for sharing this article!

Marriage in Indonesia is a choice of legality, simplicity, and hassle-free. The reason I put legality first is because the marriage laws protects your marriage, and a little family you raise. The laws require you to perform the marriage according to your religion belief, and recorded at a marriage registry. You need to understand that Indonesia does not recognize only civil marriage. You need to conduct religious ceremony first, before your marriage is legally recognized. In another words, solemnization first, then civil marriage, then reception party.

Bonafide of Your Marriage

The marriage registry in Indonesia will issue marriage license to both you and your spouse as proof that you are legally married. For Moslem couples, they will receive two marriage books. One original copy for each spouse. The colours of the books are brown, and green. They have the same biographic information, and both of them have your pictures too. As for Non-Moslem couples, you will receive two marriage certificates. Each spouse gets one certificate. Both certificates represents the groom and bride information and their picture together. At Wijaya & Co, we always pay attention to details of our client’s case.

The marriage license from Indonesia, both being the marriage book and the marriage certificate are legally recognized worldwide. Major countries like the United States, United Kingdom, China, and some other major European countries recognize and may be able to be used as one of the supporting documents for immigration spousal sponsorship.

Ten (10) Days Waiting Period

In order to obtain legal recognition under the marriage law in Indonesia, you need to allow ten (10) days waiting period. This time frame was meant to give time to the public to recognize you, whether you are legally free to marry or not, You need to meet the marriage requirements in Indonesia, otherwise it is challengable at the court of law. You may face annulment claim by one of the relevant parties. Please see here for further details of how you can avoid your marriage being nullified.

Simplicity

You can perform a marriage in Indonesia with a simple, but yet legal. We cherish a marriage because it is one of the good things in life. If you can show that you are legally free to marry and have no legal impediment why the two of you should wed, our marriage registry will register your marriage and issue a marriage license. One of the most important documents to register your marriage in Indonesia ia Non-Impediment Letter. Some call it Certificate of the Non Impediment ("CNI"). Some event call it Certificate In Lieu of the Non Impediment, because this thing does not exist in a country like Canada. Since they are required to issue one, the issue it anyway.

Please give me a call or drop me an email, should you wish to talk of how I can assist you in any way you need!

Marriage legalization is applicable to Moslem couples in Indonesia. It is to legalize the marriage previously conducted under religious rites, but not legal according to the state law yet. It may be happened for so many reasons like one of the spouse was ready to make a new commitment with you, but he/she was not legally divorce yet. This can be a burden socially to you, your spouse, and your family. So, you decided to performed the religious marriage. Consuming a marriage life like this is the same thing as if cohabitation. It is the life without legal recognition. The marriage laws in Indonesia are not applicable to you, yet. Not until you legalize the marriage.

Having a marriage legalization means you are legally recognizing the marriage previously conducted. Your official marriage date would be the date you performed the marriage. They may issue you a marriage license and the issuing date of the documents may be recent. That's fine, as it is only to show the issuing date of the documents only. When they do that, your marriage to your spouse is legally registered with the registry database. The marriage law, and family law in Indonesia are applicable normally to you, your spouse, and to your children. This is why the marriage legalization in Indonesia means for you, and your family. At Wijaya & Co, we always pay attention to details of our client’s case.

The thing is, a marriage only legally recognized when it meets two requirements i.e. it is performed according the couple’s religion affiliation, and it must be registered according to the prevailing laws. Article 7 (1) of Compilation of Islamic Law stipulates that a marriage book issued by the marriage registrar is an evidence of a legal marriage. So, the marriage legalization is applicable to the marriage that does not meet this stipulation. It means you can perform the legalization of marriage for getting your marriage registered and issued a marriage book.

There would be no legal protection for the marriage without any registration. The marriage book itself is an evidence that the marriage exists. The registration is protecting your spouse, and children born into your marriage. You see, the marriage is the very basic foundation in your life. As a father, your name will not appear on your child’s birth certificate. Your spouse may not be able to prevail as your next of kin, nor your children. Your assets may not be distributed according to your wishes, and your family may not receive the benefits of your estate. This is the last thing you want.

Article 7 (2) of Compilation of Islamic Law further states that a marriage legalization application may be lodged to the court in the event you’re unable to prove the marriage with a marriage book. The court responsible for your case may have to cross examine all the evidence you submitted together with the witnesses in this matter. There's no guarantee that the court may approve your application, therefore the attempt to legalize the marriage must be done with enough supporting documents, and compliance to the prevailing procedures with the legal system.

The outcome from the proceeding of the marriage legalization in Indonesia will give your spouse, and your children legal protection. Both of them is legally recognized both their rights and obligations according to the laws in Indonesia. Upon completion of the proceedings, your marriage will be recognized, and the court verdict is the proof of your marriage. It consist of some pages of court decision. It may not be practical, but at least it give you protection you and your family need. Please contact me should you wish to discuss any further about this.

Marriage in Indonesia is a spiritual bond between a man and a woman as husband and wife with the aim of forming a happy and eternal family (household) based on belief to one and only God. We take marriage a very serious matter. We require both religious and civil marriage to be conducted in order to gain legal recognition. The marriage is legal if you perform the religious marriage before the civil one. We have two types of marriage ceremony in Indonesia i.e. Moslem marriage, and Non-Moslem marriage. Both types of ceremony must go through religious marriage. As for Moslem marriage, they don't require civil registration as it is legally recognized. 

Police clearance certificate in Indonesia also known as Surat Keterangan Catatan Kepolisian (so called “SKCK”). This is the police certificate that certifying your crime record. Previously, known as Good Conduct Certificate (Surat Keterangan Kelakuan Baik/SKKB) certifies that you are not involve in a crime until certain period of time.

The police clearance certificate valid for six (6) months since date of issuing. You may submit a renewal application when you think you need a longer timeframe. At Wijaya & Co, we always pay attention to details of our client’s case. 

If you stay in Indonesia for more than six (6) months, according to our experience, the following countries would require a police clearance from Indonesia:

1. Italy;
2. Canada;
3. Australia;
4. New Zealand;
5. United States (Spouses applying for a green card within the United States have to lodge police records instead of police clearance certificate).

Terms and Conditions

Police clearance in Indonesia can only be issued if you stay in Indonesia under a KITAS (Kartu Ijin Tinggal Terbatas/Limited Stay Permit). This is your residency permit as issued by the local immigration office in Indonesia. The KITAS can only obtained through sponsorship of employment or spousal.

Supporting Documents

If you are a foreigner, the required supporting documents for the application of police clearance are as follows:

1. Copy of your passport;
2. Copy of your KITAS;
3. Copy of police report such as SKLD
4. Fingerprints form;
5. Power of Attorney.

Some people might not have all complete supporting documents that cover the period of your stay in Indonesia, or you just don't have the required documents but the police clearance is imposed on you by the immigration authorities. This is not a personal attack on you. This is what happen if you're working with bureaucracy everywhere. Please contact me and we'll discuss how you can move forward with your application.

If you are an Indonesian, the police require the following supporting documents:

1. Attestation from the local Kelurahan/Kecamatan;
2. Copy of your KTP and family card;
3. Copy of your birth certificate;
4. Photograph 4 x 6 cm.

Prerequisite Requirements

The police headquarters require you to supply the police clearance from your local Polres (local police precinct) in the city where you live, before they can issue you one that valid internationally. The reason behind this is because the Polre may know better about your background than the headquarters.

Fingerprints Formula

The police clearance certificate from Indonesia is very complete and has the details of your biographic information, including your fingerprints formula. Each person has very specific fingerprints and non-identical from others. Just like DNA. It consist of number and letters that represent pattern of your fingerprints. This is the reason they may require you to present at the police precinct.

Our thanks to Mr. Asep Wijaya of Wijaya & Co for sharing this article!

Getting marry abroad is a romantic decision to make, among other considerations taking into account. Indonesian who married abroad must pay attention to certain registry requirements imposed by the prevailing laws. Registration of marriage must be conducted with the authorized local marriage registry. When registration with the local registry completed, marriage reporting must be made with the nearest Indonesian Embassy or Consulate. This is a temporary reporting requirements until you return to Indonesia.

There are two (2) prevailing laws governing overseas marriage legalization and reporting i.e. 1974 Marriage Law and 2006 Administration of Population. The first one stipulates that overseas marriage must be legalized and reported within 12 months since the date of your return to Indonesia. The other one stipulates that you must legalize and report the marriage within 30 days since your return, and it has been implemented under the 2008 Government Regulation in April 2008. Both laws are conflicting but the latter is the particular law governing this particular circumstances.

Civil registries all over Indonesia are in the process of transition to the new law. Therefore, it is a wise thing to do to pay attention to the arrival date in your passport. Failure to meet the reporting requirements shall be fined for IDR 1,000,000 equivalent to about USD 100 Other civil registries categorized the failure of meeting the time frame as an "Important Event" which means only a district court may order the civil registry to record your overseas marriage.

You are required to obtain a court decree prior to legalize and record your marriage. You need to submit civil petition at the local district court.  Approximately within 30 days, and upon receipt of completed supporting documents, the court will set-up a hearing to cross-examining all the supporting evidence.  You may be required to provide two witnesses. Usually the hearing will only take place once. After the hearing, the court will issue a court decree to order civil registry to record your marriage. Based on the court decree, the civil registry will issue an STBLP (Surat Tanda Bukti Laporan Perkawinan/Marriage Reporting Certificate).

An STBLP is a very useful certificate. Your overseas marriage will not be legally recognized by the Indonesian laws. It is the same as if no marriage at all. No marriage means no divorce. Children born in the marriage shall be categorized as out of wedlock. Claiming Indonesian citizenship for your child born before August 2006 will require an STBLP, if you were married abroad. Furthermore, it will also take effect to the inheritance issues. It seems the 2006 enacted-law sending  a message the importance of marriage legalization and reporting by imposing more strict time frame. It is more likely people would fail to meet the 30 days reporting requirements as it is too short!

1. As long as the postnup entered into by husband and wife in accordance with Article 1338 Civil Code, then it serves as the law to both of them. Therefore, the parties in the postnup must  perform their rights and obligations as specified in their postnup. In the event one party fails to do so, then the other party may file a complaint to the court of law.
2. Furthermore, the Jakarta Higher Court stipulates that the postnup must be dated with an actual date. So, why should you back-dating the prenup in the first place, while you can have an actual-date postnup and legally endorsed by the Higher Court?
3. No need to record the postnup on your marriage certificate. Unlike the prenup, the postnup does not require registration at the marriage registry to take effect legally between husband and wife. The postnup automatically valid legally when you covenant and agree to execute its terms and conditions. This must be done freely and voluntarily and free from coercion, duress or pressure of any kind, and they have an adequate opportunity to read and study the postnup.

Postnuptial agreements, also known as post-marital agreements, are agreements entered into after a marriage has taken place. There are many reasons why a mixed-nationality married couple might wish to draw-up a postnuptial agreement. Among others, a couple that did not sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage may later determine that they want to have some sort of financial plan in place in the event of death or divorce. Additionally, a major change in the financial circumstances of the couple, such as a major career change or inheritance, may alter the financial landscape, requiring a change to the terms of the couple's existing prenuptial agreement to reflect their current wishes, such as the intention of purchasing property in Indonesia.

Indonesia’s 1974 Marriage Law only recognizes prenuptial agreements, ("prenup" for short), a written contract created by two parties before they are married. The 1974 enacted law only discussed the matrimonial agreement that must be drawn-up prior to marriage. Indeed, the law regarding the validity and enforcement of post-marital agreements is not well developed in Indonesia.

But if we dig a little bit deeper, Indonesian Civil Code provides a special provision concerning property division in the course of marriage. The postnup is a product of the ancient Civil Code. It’s been there for many decades. So, some couples have been using these provisions. It just that the postnup is not as popular as its related document, the prenup. In my personal opinion, the postnup is like a fine wine. It’s being kept in the dark, until it matures enough to become something you would like to have dinner with.

What’s a Postnup?

First of all, a postnup is not a back-dated prenup. It is signed and dated after your marriage. When you’re married, you’re married. There’s no way you can turn the clock back after you are already married and get a prenup or even back-date a prenup. That would be illegal under Indonesian law! The harsh reality is that the courts tend to assume that a prenup is always valid, but they have the opposite reaction to the back-dated prenup. The assumption is, in the majority of cases, that this type of agreement is not valid.

You can’t find a postnup mentioned in the 1974 Marriage Law. Nevertheless, just because the Marriage Law doesn’t say anything about the postnup, it doesn’t mean it’s not legal.  It’s already exists in the Civil Code. This is can be the ultimate solution for mixed-couples in Indonesia who did not sign a prenuptial agreement before their marriage. This also may preserve the rights of the Indonesian to own property in Indonesia, even though they are married to a foreigner.

The postnuptial agreement may be useful to couples seeking to enter into a post marital agreement after a significant financial change or a period of marital conflict. It is signed and entered into in contemplation of an existing, ongoing, and viable marriage. This agreement allows married couples to legally pre-determine how property will be divided, if the couple divorces.

The postnup creates property separation in your marriage since the signing date, and therefore the community property regime, shall not exist any further. As for the property in existence prior to the postnup, you would need to determine what that encompasses. It has to be separated as well. Then, you need to appoint one spouse as the property holder.

Nevertheless, please take a note that signing a postnup is not the only phase required to create a separation of property during the course of your marriage. Your Indonesian lawyer needs to work on other legal issues such as taking prior legal measures to make sure of the legality of the postnup before it is signed by the husband and wife.

Legal Implications of the Postnup

Legal implications will occur due to property division in the course of the marriage in terms of the two parties in the postnup (i.e., husband and wife), the property in the marriage, and other possible related third parties. Both husband and wife shall be bound by the legal binding force in effect from the Postnup. As it is a legally binding contract, therefore it shall serve as the law between both contracting parties; husband and wife. This is in line with Article 1338 of the Civil Code stipulating that: “All contracts legally drafted shall serve as the law to the parties involved.”

The postnup also takes effect upon third parties. In regards to creditors, the further implementation must be specified in accordance with the time frame. Community property shall be liable to serve as collateral in the event a mortgage exists prior to the postnup date.  On the other hand, if one spouse gets a loan from a bank after the postnup date, his/her separate assets shall be in liability to any debts he/she might have created.

Postnup for Mixed-Marriage Couples

In accordance with Article 186 (1) of the Indonesian Civil Code, the wife may, in the course of marriage, request a division of assets, in the following circumstances: "...wife is in imminent danger of losing the security of her dowry and her entitlements pursuant to the law…, and also if ...  in the management of the community property, such property might be endangered." This is totally applicable to the circumstances in every no-prenup mixed-nationality married household in Indonesia. By marrying a foreigner, the Indonesian spouse will be precluded to own property, which is her/his right as an Indonesian citizen. Therefore, his/her entitlements to own property in Indonesia may be endangered.

There are many mixed-nationality married couples in Indonesia that did not sign a prenuptial agreement prior to their marriage. In the absence of a prenuptial agreement, by law, their marriage has joint property regime because the Marriage Law - automatically assuming joint property regime within their marriage. This means that either spouse would require consent from the other spouse for every transaction involving immovable property in Indonesia.

Consent is implemented if both parties co-sign every transaction document. In terms of a mixed-nationality marriage, such consent cannot be retrieved from the foreign spouse because a foreigner is not allowed to own property in Indonesia. An Indonesian will not be able to retrieve such consent from their spouse because the foreign spouse is not in the legal position to own the property in the first place. So, the Indonesian spouse is stuck. This is where a prenup is essential to prevent this dilemma.

Since there are many mixed-nationality couples without a valid prenup, then a postnup may be used as one of the options. Writing a postnup, just because you didn’t have a prenup, is not a routine document. Instead of creating an illegal back-dated prenup, I certainly think the postnup is legally worth considering.

Postnuptial agreements are most often used to settle financial matters, including property ownership in mixed-nationality marriages. The postnup is very useful when spouses failed to create a prenuptial but want to protect their assets. It is not something that is common in Indonesia because the law thinks that you should have gotten a prenup in the first place. Therefore, the requirements to establish a postnup are stricter than for establishing a prenup. The contract must be created with full disclosure of all assets, be entered into voluntarily by both parties, and have terms that are fair and equitable. 

Why should you get a Postnup?

Because it is dated after your marriage and because it is a legal document. The postnup is about admitting that the Indonesian spouse did not realize that they needed a prenup in order to own property in Indonesia before they married a foreigner. It’s about being honest with yourself and to the public institution where the postnup will be registered. Back-dated prenups are about manipulating the facts of your marriage date, and the date when you signed the prenup.

Postnup are the most favorable choice for the difficult situation of having no prenup in the first place. Some mixed-nationality married couples have resorted to questionable measures, such as making purchases using fake ID cards, or risky purchases, such as buying real property using their relative’s name.  You may be trust them, but trust is not the only issue here.

The postnup is about making sure that you control your own property without have to rely on someone else’s mood. With the postnup, you have the power and the authority to make the purchase without being affected by the legal constraints.

What’s Your Marriage Like after the Postnup?

The postnup serves as the law for both contracting parties; husband and wife. After both of you signed the postnup, property shall be separated upon the legal effective date of the postnup. Both spouses shall be independent and will not require consent from the other spouse, including to conduct property transactions. The best part is the Indonesian spouse will no longer be affected by his/her foreign spouse. The rights of an Indonesian to own property are preserved as if you had a prenup from the beginning of your marriage.

Reinstatement of Community Property

You would use these proceedings, if you want to return to the joint property regime, because perhaps the laws may have changed. For example, the Indonesian spouse is no longer affected by being married to a foreigner regarding the ownership of property in Indonesia.

In the event where community property is reinstated, matters relating thereto shall be afforded the same status as that applicable prior to separation, without prejudice to the result of acts carried out by the wife which took place in the interim between separation and reinstatement. Agreement providing for reinstatement of community property by the spouses for any reasons other than those already specified shall be deemed void.

The community property which is dissolved by separation of assets may be reinstated with the consent of both spouses. The reinstatement of community property must be made public by both spouses. Third parties shall not be affected by the reinstatement until the public announcement has been made.

Endorsements from the Jakarta Higher Court

Recent developments related to the postnup have been very important. The latest updates from the Jakarta Higher Court regarding the marital agreement entered into after the marriage. The endorsement from the Higher Court is  subject to the following terms and conditions, among others:

1. As long as the postnup entered into by husband and wife in accordance with Article 1338 Civil Code, then it serves as the law to both of them. Therefore, the parties in the postnup must  perform their rights and obligations as specified in their postnup. In the event one party fails to do so, then the other party may file a complaint to the court of law.
2. Furthermore, the Jakarta Higher Court stipulates that the postnup must be dated with an actual date. So, why should you back-dating the prenup in the first place, while you can have an actual-date postnup and legally endorsed by the Higher Court?
3. No need to record the postnup on your marriage certificate. Unlike the prenup, the postnup does not require registration at the marriage registry to take effect legally between husband and wife. The postnup automatically valid legally when you covenant and agree to execute its terms and conditions. This must be done freely and voluntarily and free from coercion, duress or pressure of any kind, and they have an adequate opportunity to read and study the postnup.

Legally Recognized by the National Land Registry 

In Indonesia, government agency responsible for the titles management of immovable properties in Indonesia is the National Land Registry (so called the BPN/Badan Pertanahan Nasional). Recently, our postnup has been recognized by the BPN. A mixed-marriage couple, a British husband and an Indonesian wife, they were married in July 1993. In the year 2008, she received an inheritance from her father, a house worth more than 15 bio IDR, but was unable to hold it because they didn’t sign any prenup. She nominated her older sister to hold the title of the house. In August 2015, the couple signed our postnup. It took a couple of months for transferring the title. In January 2016, the name of the Indonesian wife was printed on the house ownership certificate. The title of the house is Hak Milik (Freehold Title) and the transfer proceedings were conducted on the certificate of ownership (SHM/Sertifikat Hak Milik) by the BPN in South Jakarta.

So, the BPN recognized her rights as an Indonesian to hold the estate as it is vested by our postnup they signed during the course of marriage. This is of course a very good news for married couples without any prenuptial agreement in Indonesia. I do believe the married couples can thrive in owning the property even without a prenup, and I can say that our postnups have definitely been enriched with the recent developments.

Registration of the Postnups

On May 19, 2017, the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs issued a clarification of the Constitutional Court Decision No. 69 / PUU-XIII / 2015 dated October 27, 2016 by which Article 29 of the 1974 Marriage Law was declared unconstitutional. This clarification regarding the registration of postnuptial agreements is in the form of a letter concerning the Recording of Reports of Marriage Agreements No. 472.2 / 5876 / Dukcapil dated May 19, 2017 addressed to the Heads of the Departments of Population and Civil Registry in Regencies and Cities across Indonesia. This letter regognizes the legality of postnuptial agreements for separation of assets. The postnup agreement must be reported to the Marriage Registrar. This is the Civil Registry Office for non-Muslim couples and the KUA for Muslims.

The documents required to be submitted are:

1. Photocopy of couple’s identity cards (KTP Elektronik);
2. Photocopy of family card;
3. Photocopy of notarial deed of marriage agreement that has been legalized by showing the original;
4. Excerpts of marriage certificates of husband and wife. 

I am Asep Wijaya. Thank you for visiting my blog, and reading my posts.

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Manfaat Perjanjian Pranikah Dibuat

Walaupun bagi sebagian orang perjanjian pranikah merupakan topik yang tabu dibicarakan dan banyak menuai pro kontra dari berbagai pihak, namun harus diakui bahwa ada banyak sisi positif yang bisa dipetik dari adanya perjanjian ini.

Beragam masalah yang timbul pada pernikahan yang akhirnya sering kali berujung pada perceraian membuat sebagian kalangan merasa perlu membuat perjanjian pranikah.

Prenuptial agreement atau lebih dikenal dengan sebutan perjanjian pranikah adalah perjanjian yang dibuat sebelum pernikahan dilangsungkan dan mengikat kedua belah pihak calon mempelai yang akan menikah. Perjanjian ini berlaku sejak pernikahan dilangsungkan dan isinya mengatur bagaimana harta kekayaan Anda berdua akan dibagi jika terjadi perceraian atau kematian dari salah satu pasangan.

Awalnya perjanjian pranikah banyak dipilih oleh kalangan atas yang memiliki warisan besar serta bagi duda atau janda yang hendak menikah lagi tapi ingin memberkan kekayaan pada anak dari hasil pernikahan sebelumnya. Keinginan orang untuk membuat perjanjian pranikah kian berkembang sejalan dengan makin banyaknya orang menyadari bahwa pernikahan merupakan sebuah komitmen.

Nikmati Manfaatnya

Dengan banyaknya kasus perceraian yang berujung masalah, tak ada salahnya jika kita mulai berpikiran terbuka terhadap fenomena perjanjian pranikah dan melihatnya dari sudut pandang yang berbeda. Adanya perjanjian pranikah justru diharapkan dapat memberikan batasan yang jelas mengenai apa yang harus dan tidak boleh dilakukan pasangan, sehingga kelangsungan pernikahan akan tercapai.

Lepas dari masalah pro dan kontra, sebenarnya cukup banyak manfaat positif yang didapat dari adanya perjanjian pranikah, antara lain bagi perempuan Indonesia yang menikah dengan lelaki WNA, dimana sebaiknya mereka memiliki perjanjian pranikah karena kalau tidak ia tidak akan bisa membeli tanah dan rumah atas namanya sendiri.

Akhir-akhir ini malah banyak pasangan yang lebih menitikberatkan hal lain diluar masalah finansial (pemisahan harta dan utang serta masalah pembiayaan anak-anak yang lahir dari hasil pernikahan tersebut) sebagai perjanjian pranikah, seperti kebebasan bekerja dan berkreasi termasuk disini menekuni olah raga, hobi, atau mengoleksi barang langka yang tergolong mahal yang dianggap mengganggu keuangan keluarga. Bahkan ada pula pasangan yang memasukkan soal kekerasan dalam rumah tangga (KDRT) sebagai bagian dari perjanjian pranikah.

Dengan berbagai pertimbangan, Anda dan pasangan tentu dapat menentukan sendiri perlu tidaknya perjanjian pranikah dibuat. Yang jelas, pastikan bahwa hal ini memberikan manfaat positif bagi Anda berdua dan tentunya dilegalisasi oleh hukum.

Sumber: Harian Kompas tanggal 9 Januari 2007.

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I am Asep Wijaya, Managing Director of Wijaya & Co. Thank you for visiting my blogs and reading my posts.

Postnuptial agreement in Indonesia is 100 percent legal and recognized by the courts of law. In 2015, the Indonesia’s Constitutional Court issued a verdict saying that the marital agreement may be entered into before, after, and during the marriage. Many thinks that this ruling is a breakthrough verdict, but surprisingly, of course, it's not the first one to ever happened in Indonesia.

Long before the ground breaking verdict, courts in Indonesia have been come up with similar rulings. From Jakarta to Malang, from Makassar to Tanjung Pandang. All of them are saying the same thing: postnup is legal. The way they see it, it's a contract between two parties entered into freely, with voluntarily consent, and without any duress. 

I managed to get some court orders gathered from a few places in Indonesia, such from Malang, Tanjung Pandan, Makassar, North Jakarta, Central Jakarta, and of course South Jakarta. Their considerations in reaching the verdicts were pretty similar. The courts tends to think that even though the marital agreement may only be entered before and on the marriage date, but as long as it does not violate the rules, religious norms, and moral, the amendment of marital agreement may take place during the course of marriage. This is where they allow postnuptial agreement. Mutual consent, and as long as the contract does not jeopardizing the third party, the courts are welcome with the marital agreement after the marriage.

The other legal reasoning is because the Marriage Law in Article 29 allows amendment to the marital agreement. This does not contradicts with the other provision that postnuptial agreement is forbidden. Furthermore, our Civil Code recognised post-married contract  in Aricle 139, and therefore, they allow postnuptial agreement to legally take effect without any hesitation. 

The only hi-cough was we didn't have any prevailing rules regarding registration at the civil registries. This is in order to meet the requirement as imposed by the Marriage Law that a marital agreement must be registered at a marriage registry in order to take effect legally between the two spouses. As the holding from the court does not say anything about registering the postnup with a marriage registry, it does not prevent the postnup from taking a legal stand within our legal system. But luckily, the circular letter from the Ministry of Interior breaks the ice. Marriage registries all over Indonesia have been instructed to receive registration for postnuptial agreements, and issued a certificate as proof of a registration. This heals the hi-coughs.

I am Asep Wijaya. Thank you for visiting my blog, and reading my posts.

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