American Men Top Choice in Jakarta Mixed Marriages

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Jakarta’s evolving social landscape is being reshaped by a steady rise in international unions, with American men emerging as the top choice for Indonesian women entering mixed marriages. 

Recent data from the Jakarta Provincial Population and Civil Registry Agency (Dukcapil) reveals that since 2020, hundreds of local residents have tied the knot with foreign nationals, signaling a consistent trend in cross-border romance within the capital.

Speaking during the "Jawara Podcast" titled "From the Altar to Civil Registry: International Marriages" on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Witri Yenny, Head of the Civil Registry Division at Jakarta Dukcapil, disclosed that 158 Indonesian women reported marriages to American citizens between 2020 and August 2025. 

This demographic was followed closely by unions with men from Singapore at 132 pairs and Germany at 120 pairs. Other significant contributors to this trend include grooms from China, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and South Korea.

The data also highlights a distinct preference pattern when the roles are reversed. For Indonesian men marrying foreign nationals, Singaporean women are the most frequent partners with 58 reported marriages.

"If the husband is an Indonesian citizen and the wife is a foreign national, it’s different. Those from Singapore are the most preferred," explained Witri, as quoted by Antara.

This category also saw notable numbers of marriages with women from China, Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea, though the figures generally remain lower than those of Indonesian women marrying foreign men.

In total, the Jakarta Dukcapil has processed 1,952 reports of mixed marriages over the five-year period ending in August 2025. 

Witri noted that the frequency remains stable. "On average, from 2020 to 2025, there are about 250 to 300 couples per year." 

These unions are legally governed by Articles 57 to 62 of Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage, which provides the framework for weddings between Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals. As Jakarta remains a global hub, these figures reflect a broader integration of cultures through the most personal of bonds. ***