Indonesian Document Translation for UK Visa: 2026 Complete Guide

Core Indonesian Civil Documents

Every non-English document you send to UKVI must come with a certified English translation. These civil documents are the ones Indonesian applicants are asked for most often, across family, study, and work visa routes.

Akta Kelahiran (Birth Certificate) Deep-dive

Indonesian birth certificates come from the Dinas Kependudukan dan Pencatatan Sipil (Dukcapil) in the district where the birth was registered. Since 2006, new Akta Kelahiran are printed on national A4 paper and are only partly bilingual — the headings appear in both Bahasa Indonesia and English, but the fields that matter (names, places, dates, the registrar’s declaration) stay in Indonesian. UKVI still needs a full certified English translation. The bilingual headers do not change that, because the evidence itself is not in English.

Older, pre-2006 certificates (Kutipan Akta Kelahiran) vary a lot by region. They may be handwritten, printed on coloured paper, or use Dutch-era wording that some districts still keep. These always need a full translation, and often a translator’s note to explain the old vocabulary.

Kartu Keluarga (Family Card) — The Indonesian Household Register

The Kartu Keluarga, usually shortened to “KK”, is a one-page family card from Dukcapil. It lists every person registered at a household address and their relationship to the head of the family. For a UKVI Spouse visa, the KK works as:

• Evidence of marital status before marriage (applicant listed as child of parents)
• Evidence of who lives in the household after marriage (spouse and children listed together)
• Address history that backs up bank statements and utility bills
• Proof of the link between parents and dependants for Dependant visas

The KK has headers in Bahasa Indonesia only (Nomor Kartu Keluarga, Nama Kepala Keluarga, Alamat, Status Hubungan Dalam Keluarga). The translator must convert every relationship term correctly: Kepala Keluarga (Head of Family), Istri (Wife), Suami (Husband), Anak (Child), Menantu (Son/Daughter-in-Law), Orang Tua (Parent).

SKCK (Surat Keterangan Catatan Kepolisian) — Police Certificate

The SKCK comes from the Indonesian National Police (POLRI). UKVI asks for it for Settlement, Indefinite Leave to Remain, and some Skilled Worker categories. It applies if you have lived in Indonesia for 12 months or more since you turned 18. Key points for translation:

• The SKCK is valid for only 6 months from the issue date — time the translation so it still covers your UKVI application window.
• It usually comes from the Polres (district police) or the Polda (provincial police), depending on why you need it.
• The form has a Rumus Sidik Jari (fingerprint formula) section. Translators copy this code as it is rather than translate it.
• Since 2024 the electronic SKCK (e-SKCK) is the standard — the translator should keep the QR code in the same place in the certified PDF so UKVI caseworkers can check it is genuine.

Apostille — Indonesia’s 2022 Accession

Indonesia joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 5 January 2022, and the Convention came into force on 4 June 2022. This made legalisation far simpler for Indonesian applicants. The old chain of steps (Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights + Ministry of Foreign Affairs + UK Embassy Jakarta) is gone. One Apostille stamp from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kementerian Hukum dan HAM) now does the job.

Financial & Employment Documents

Indonesian financial documents for Appendix FM-SE or Skilled Worker financial evidence include:

Academic Documents

For Student (Student route) and Skilled Worker visa applicants:

• Ijazah — the diploma or degree certificate from the university. University names and faculties must be translated exactly, with the Indonesian original kept in brackets.
• Transkrip Nilai — the academic transcript that lists courses and grades. Grade letters (A, B, C) and number GPAs translate directly. The 4.00 scale is the national standard.
• SKL (Surat Keterangan Lulus) — a temporary graduation certificate given before the formal Ijazah. Student route applicants often use it when the Ijazah is not ready yet.
• Akreditasi — the BAN-PT accreditation certificate that confirms the degree is accredited. It matters when your qualification needs to be recognised.

Date Formats & Indonesian Calendar Notes

Indonesian documents use the Gregorian calendar. Dates appear in the European format DD-MM-YYYY or written out as “15 Maret 2024”. Translators should turn month names into English (Januari → January, Agustus → August) and keep dates in the DD Month YYYY format, which is what UKVI expects. Some older documents also show the Islamic Hijri calendar next to the Gregorian date — keep both and label the second one “Hijri”.

Common Transliteration & Translation Traps

Frequently Asked Questions