Apostille in Indonesia is handled by the Ministry of Law through its AHU online service, and the official fee is Rp150,000 per document. If the country you’re sending the document to is a member of the Apostille Convention, that apostille replaces the old chain of ministry and embassy stamps.
Last checked: November 2026. Rules and fees change. Confirm with the relevant office or your embassy before you start.
This is practical information, not legal advice. Requirements for individual document types can change, and the receiving country may have its own rules on translation, so check both ends before you start.
Quick answer
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Since when? | The Apostille Convention took effect for Indonesia on 4 June 2022 |
| Who issues it? | AHU (Direktorat Jenderal Administrasi Hukum Umum, the Directorate General of General Legal Administration) at the Ministry of Law |
| Where? | Online at apostille.ahu.go.id. Regional offices of the Ministry of Law (Kanwil) also help at their service counters |
| Fee | Rp150,000 per document, paid with an official billing code |
| Which documents? | Indonesian public documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, diplomas, and notarial deeds. The Ministry has published a list of 66 document types |
| Countries | Only countries that are parties to the Apostille Convention |
| Not a member? | You still need legalisation through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the destination country’s embassy |
What an apostille actually is
An apostille is a certificate that confirms the signature, stamp or seal on a public document is genuine. It doesn’t check what the document says. It just tells the foreign office “yes, this Indonesian official really signed this”.
Before 2022, getting an Indonesian document accepted abroad meant a chain: the issuing office, then the Ministry of Law, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the foreign embassy. Indonesia ratified the Apostille Convention by Presidential Regulation No. 2 of 2021, and it took effect on 4 June 2022. For member countries, the apostille now does the job of that whole chain.
It works the other way too. Foreign documents coming into Indonesia from a member country need an apostille from the country that issued them, not legalisation at the Indonesian embassy.
Which documents can get an apostille?
Indonesian public documents. Official regional offices of the Ministry of Law give examples like:
- birth certificates (akta kelahiran)
- marriage certificates (akta perkawinan, and the KUA’s Buku Nikah)
- diplomas and academic transcripts (ijazah and transkrip)
- notarial documents
The Ministry’s NTB regional office says the service covers 66 types of public documents, with a downloadable list on the AHU portal. Check your document is on it before you start.
Step by step
This follows the process described by the Ministry of Law’s regional office in Yogyakarta (Kanwil Kemenkum DIY).
- Prep the document. Make sure it’s the right version, signed by the right official. Some documents need an earlier step first (see the next section).
- Check the destination country. It must be a party to the Apostille Convention. The AHU portal has a country check tool.
- Register and upload at apostille.ahu.go.id. Create an account, enter the document details and upload a scan. Pick the destination country.
- Wait for verification. AHU checks the document online.
- Get your billing code. Once verified, you receive a Kode Billing.
- Pay Rp150,000 per document. Pay through official payment channels using the billing code. The DIY office stresses there’s no cash payment at the counter.
- Get the certificate. At the Ministry’s regional service counter, staff do a physical check and print the apostille certificate. Ask your nearest Kanwil Kemenkum how they handle printing and collection.
The official pages I checked don’t state a standard processing time. Plan for at least a few working days and ask the office when you submit.
Prep work for common documents
This is where most delays happen. The apostille confirms an official’s signature, so the signature has to be one AHU can verify.
- KUA marriage book (Buku Nikah). The Ministry’s NTB regional office says a marriage certificate for a foreigner married to an Indonesian is legalised with the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) first, using its online legalisation service, and then goes to AHU.
- Civil registry certificates (birth, Akta Perkawinan). Get them issued or reissued by Dukcapil. Ask Dukcapil whether your copy is the version AHU accepts.
- Diplomas and transcripts. Expect to get them legalised by the issuing university or school first. Ask your institution and the AHU helpdesk.
- Notarial deeds. Ask your notary how their signature gets verified for apostille before you rely on a timeline.
When in doubt, contact the AHU helpdesk or your provincial Kanwil Kemenkum before you upload. A rejected upload costs you days.
Document checklist
- ☐ The original document, issued or reissued by the right office
- ☐ A clean, full colour scan for upload
- ☐ Any prior legalisation needed (for example Kemenag for a Buku Nikah)
- ☐ The destination country’s name, confirmed as a Convention member
- ☐ Your ID details for the AHU account
- ☐ Payment method for the billing code
- ☐ A plan for translation, if the destination country requires it
What if the country isn’t a member?
The apostille won’t help. The Ministry’s NTB office says documents for non-member countries still go through legalisation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu), after which the destination country’s embassy legalises them. A sworn translation into that country’s language is often needed too. Check the specific embassy’s requirements.
Common mistakes and delays
- Apostilling the wrong version. A photocopy or an old format may be rejected. Get the right official copy first.
- Skipping the prior step. A Buku Nikah without Kemenag legalisation is a common reason for rejection.
- Assuming the destination accepts Indonesian. The apostille doesn’t translate anything. Many countries also want a sworn translation, and some care whether the translation is done before or after the apostille. Ask the receiving office.
- Paying the wrong person. The official fee is Rp150,000 per document, paid with a billing code. Anyone asking for cash at the counter isn’t collecting an official fee.
- Using an apostille for a non-member country. It won’t be accepted. Use the Kemenlu and embassy route.
- Bringing a foreign document to the Indonesian embassy for legalisation. If it’s from a member country, get it apostilled where it was issued.
Plenty of people pay a document agency to handle the uploads and collection, especially when they’re outside Indonesia. The official process is designed to be done yourself, though.
Using the apostille for wedding paperwork? Browse our Living in Indonesia guides. For trips home and back, see the Entering Indonesia section.
FAQ
How much does an apostille cost in Indonesia?
The official PNBP (non-tax state revenue) fee is Rp150,000 per document, according to the Ministry of Law’s regional offices. Agencies charge their own service fees on top if you use one.
How long does an apostille take in Indonesia?
The official pages I checked don’t give a fixed processing time. It depends on verification and whether your document needed a prior step. Ask your Kanwil Kemenkum when you submit.
Can a foreigner apply for an apostille in Indonesia?
Yes. The service is for Indonesian public documents, and the Ministry’s NTB office says it’s open to Indonesians and to foreign nationals from Convention countries. You need an account on the AHU portal.
Do I need an apostille for my foreign documents to use in Indonesia?
If your country is a Convention member, yes, usually. Get the apostille in the country that issued the document. Then get a sworn Indonesian translation if the Indonesian office asks for one.
Can I apostille a translation?
Only some documents qualify, and a translation isn’t always a public document. Check with the AHU helpdesk and the receiving country before paying for anything.
Is the apostille accepted everywhere?
No. Only in countries that are parties to the Apostille Convention. The Ministry’s NTB office said in 2022 that an Indonesian apostille could be used in 122 member countries, and that number grows over time.
