Indonesian Authorities Warn of Brokered Marriages Involving Foreigners
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- Bandar Lampung Immigration Office warns the public against marriage-brokerage schemes paying local women up to 100 million rupiah ($5,500) to marry foreign nationals.
- Authorities caution that commercialized arranged marriages pose a high risk of human trafficking and female exploitation.
- Immigration officials have identified Chinese nationals in this newly emerging scheme in Lampung and are currently working to unravel the wider network.
AANDARLAMPUNG, INDONESIAN POST — The Bandar Lampung Immigration Office has urged the public to remain vigilant against schemes in which brokers arrange marriages between Indonesian women and foreign nationals in exchange for unusually large financial payouts.
“We urge the public to promptly report suspicious activities involving foreign nationals and remain alert to marriage schemes involving foreigners,” Taufiq Hidayat, head of the Bandar Lampung Immigration Office, said in Bandar Lampung on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026.
Hidayat stated that brokers arrange commercial deals for prospective Indonesian brides, offering compensation ranging from 60 million to 100 million rupiah (about $3,300 to $5,500).
“These arranged marriages, which involve commercial transactions, could lead to the exploitation of women—a serious issue requiring a coordinated response,” he said.
He clarified that marriages between foreign nationals and Indonesian citizens are entirely legal, provided the couples possess official documentation and valid residence permits.
“Our records show that approximately 102 foreign nationals hold permanent stay permits (KITAP) or limited-stay permits (KITAS) linked to mixed marriages in this area. These are legitimate unions, not brokered arrangements or unregistered religious marriages,” Hidayat explained.
“This marriage-brokerage scheme involving Chinese nationals and Indonesians is a new modus operandi we have encountered in Lampung,” he added.
Immigration authorities continue to investigate the case to uncover the full network behind the alleged marriage-brokerage syndicate.
