Indonesian entrepreneurs wishing to do business in Italy: documents required to set up a company in Italy

Indonesia is the largest economy in South-East Asia and trade relations with Italy are constantly growing. Thanks to the conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in 2025, it will be easier to import from Indonesia or export to the Asian country.

But what documents are actually required, and which ones need a certified translation from Indonesian into Italian?

Let us look at each case individually.

1) An Indonesian entrepreneur moving to Italy

If an Indonesian citizen intends to reside in Italy to run their own business, they require a residence permit for self-employment issued by the relevant police headquarters.

To do this it is necessary to obtain two preliminary documents issued by the Chamber of Commerce of the province in which the business is to be established. Obtaining these documents is an essential part of to the administrative process as they verify and certify the requirements necessary for opening and operating the business in Italy, as well as providing an initial official classification of the business itself within the relevant chamber of commerce system:

Certificate of No Impediment to the Carrying on of the Business

This is the declaration by which the Chamber of Commerce certifies that there are no legal impediments to the start of trading. It is only issued to businesses as such (not to freelancers or consultants).

Certification of economic and financial qualification

This demonstrates that the entrepreneur possesses the minimum financial resources required by law. The amount, updated to 2026, is approximately €21,303, equivalent to three times the annual value of the social security allowance.

2) An Indonesian entrepreneur operating from Indonesia who intends to set up a company in Italy

Many Indonesian businessmen prefer not to relocate and to be resident in Italy, but prefer to be to operate from a distance by, for example, setting up an Italian limited liability company (SRL) or establishing a branch or secondary office of their Indonesian company. This means they are able to continue with strategic and operational management in their country of origin, minimising the need for a permanent presence in Italy, while ensuring access to the market and local commercial opportunities through a legal structure that is recognised in Italy. In this case, the documents required are the following:

Personal documents

• A valid Indonesian passport, with a certified translation into Italian
• An Italian tax identification number, which can be requested from the Italian Consulate in Jakarta or directly from the Italian Revenue Agency

Company documents required for the opening of a branch

If the businessman wishes to open a secondary office or branch of an Indonesian company that is already trading, the following have to be submitted to an Italian notary:

• Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Indonesian company
• Certificate of registration with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce or certificate of registration in the Indonesian Companies Register
• Financial statements for the last financial years filed
• A Resolution of the company’s board authorising the opening of the Italian office
• A notarised power of attorney for the company’s legal representative in Italy

All documents issued in Indonesia must follow a specific legalisation procedure to be legally recognised in Italy.

Apostilles and certified translations: the procedure for legalising Indonesian documents

As of 4^th June 2022, Indonesia has been signed up to the 1961 Hague Convention, thereby significantly simplifying the legalisation process. Italian consular legalisation is no longer required: An Apostille is sufficient, issued in Indonesia by the Directorate of the Central Authority for International Law at the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights (known locally as Kemenkumham), which can also be accessed via the online portal apostille.ahu.go.id.

Once the Apostille has been affixed to the original document, it must be translated into Italian by a specialist translator and subsequently certified (i.e. sworn before a court clerk or an Italian notary) to be fully legally valid.

Please note: documents issued by the Indonesian Public Prosecutor’s Office (Kejaksaan), as a judicial body, are not covered by the Hague Convention. For such documents, traditional consular legalisation is still mandatory. A typical example is the Indonesian police clearance certificate (Surat Keterangan Catatan Kepolisian – SKCK). The signature of the Public Prosecutor’s Office official on the original document must be legalised by two Indonesian ministries in Jakarta:

• at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kementerian Hukum dan HAM – Kemenkumham)
• at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kementerian Luar Negeri – Kemlu)

Final legalisation takes place at the Italian Embassy in Jakarta. The Italian consular office will verify the stamps of the Indonesian ministries and affix the final consular legalisation, making the document formally valid for the authorities in Italy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does a certified translation from Indonesian to Italian cost? The cost depends on the type and length of the document. Globostudio offers free, personalised quotes for every request.

How long does it take to obtain a certified translation? Turnaround times vary depending on the complexity of the document, but on average they are completed within 3–7 working days.

Is the certified translation also valid for Italian banks? Yes. Italian banks require foreign corporate documents with a certified translation for the opening of business current accounts.

Is an Apostille required for all Indonesian documents? Yes, for most documents issued in Indonesia after 4^th June 2022. The exception is documents issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which still require consular legalisation.

Globostudio translates documents from Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) into Italian using native-speaking translators specialising in corporate and commercial law, ensuring the terminological and formal accuracy required for certification. We manage the entire process, from translation and certification to the Apostille and consular legalisation, supporting the Indonesian businessmen at every stage.