Business licensing in Indonesia requires documents in Indonesian. For corporate shareholders based abroad, that means their entire corporate documentation must be translated by a sworn translator and, usually, certified in its home country first.
Documents from a corporate shareholder
- Articles of association or constitutional documents of the foreign entity
- Evidence of registration or a current certificate of good standing
- Current list of directors and shareholders
- The corporate resolution approving the investment in Indonesia
- Power of attorney to the party acting in Indonesia
- Latest financial statements where financial capacity must be evidenced
- Bank reference letter
Documents from an individual foreign shareholder
- Valid passport
- Proof of residential address
- Home-country tax identification number where required
- Curriculum vitae for prospective directors or commissioners
- Declarations required under the applicable regulations
The order that avoids repetition
Getting the order wrong here is expensive, because every repetition means sending documents back and forth across borders.
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Certify the documents in the home country first
Local notary, then Apostille if that country is a convention member, or legalisation at the Indonesian mission if not. This certification attaches to the original document, so it must precede translation.
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Send the certified documents to Indonesia
Send physical files, not only scans, because physical files are needed at the next stage.
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Translate with a sworn translator in Indonesia
Including the certification and Apostille pages themselves, which are often overlooked.
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Use them in the licensing process and the notarial deed
The Indonesian notary needs the sworn translation to draft the deed recording the foreign shareholder's details.
The mistake that happens most often
Translating foreign documents in Indonesia before they have been certified in their home country. The certification that follows then does not attach to the translated file, and the whole process has to restart, cross-border shipping included.
Ask us to map the documents for your caseExpected timing
The least predictable stage is certification in the home country, because it depends on local practice and mission queues. Starting this stage early, even before the transaction structure is final, is the most effective way to shorten total elapsed time.
The sworn translation stage itself is relatively predictable: a corporate document set of reasonable size is normally completed in three to five working days, with faster options available.