PI Marriage License

[Removed-02242014 19]

Just a question for those of you that have done so - After you get your Legal Capacity to Marry Certificate from the U.S. Embassy I have been told several things. I know that Philippine law states 10 days for the approval but I was wondering if you have gotten your marriage license sooner? I have been told that 2000 pesos and you get it on rush service. Anyone with experience of this in Cavite province? We have to fly out exactly 10 days after to another island for the wedding and I am concerned of the time constraint. Note: Civil wedding only - Not church.

[Hank_ 9,173]

Who is getting married?

[apple21 953]

No to red tape.

[ladylex 0]

It is true. Philippine law states marriage licenses are to be issued after 10 calendar days from the time of application. There are no exceptions to that law. There are no rush services and I am quite sure, there is irregularity in the issuance of a rush marriage license. Suffice it to say also that marriages (civil or church) celebrated without marriage licenses are void, except in cases where the couple have executed a joint affidavit of cohabitation (for a period of at least five years).

[notusinganymore 31]

I suggest that you do not marry 10 days prior to the issuance of the LEGAL marriage license. It is not a rush job but an under the table or shady job if you pay for 2000 or even higher. If it is less than 10 days (which is the legal and approved time) then it is illegal unless you were to get married via exception of marriage license which is if you were in the middle of a battlefield. Be it civil or church 10 days for marriage license is a rule/standard/law. The church wedding actually takes longer since you have to attend stuff that are required by the church. Don't think that the US embassy will not know this because you are tracked via your passport upon entry and departure from the country. Dates need to match. Getting married is not an easy thing especially here in PI. Allot at least 21 days for civil weddings and at least a month for church.

Good luck with it though! I suggest that you plan accordingly like let your fiance handle reception in advance or other planning God bless!

[GaryKO 49]

There is a 10 day waiting period from the time the marriage license application is filled out until a marriage license is issued. The application is posted on a bulletin board for 10 days to give notice of the planned marriage in case someone wants to object to the marriage.

Have your Fiancee ask the Local civil registrar if it would be possible for her alone to apply for the marriage license, since you are out of the country and would have a problem being in the PI for the time needed to complete this process. They allow this sometimes, and do it a lot with Filipinos getting married if one of them needs to travel a distance so both can fill out the application in person. Just have your Fiancee ask about this and what documents you will need to send in advance, and what documents you need when you arrive in the PI to get the marriage license.

[Hank_ 9,173]

This is sort of confusing as the OP had their K-1 visa approved last year, so not sure who the wedding is for. If they are only doing a "second marriage" -renewal of vows- in the Phils they don't need a marriage license for that as they are already married.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Hank_

[sunandmoon 450]

This is sort of confusing as the OP had their K-1 visa approved last year, so not sure who the wedding is for. If they are only doing a "second marriage" -renewal of vows- in the Phils they don't need a marriage license for that as they are already married.

the Op and his fiance did not marry. the fiance returned to the Philippines before the I-94 expired. looks like now they are planning to marry in the Philippines and file an I-130.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/422021-second-k-1-petition/page__p__6095740__fromsearch__1#entry6095740

[Hank_ 9,173]

Ah.... sorry they had the hiccup... at least they worked through it.

[Tahoma 2,291]

It's my understanding that you can legally satisfy the ten-day waiting period without having to be present in the Philippines. Basically, the process involves having your fiancé(e) send you the marriage application while you are still in the U.S. I believe you need to have your signature on the application notarized and then you have the application authenticated by the Philippines Consulate which has jurisdiction over the place where you live. Then, send the authenticated application back to your fiancé(e). Check with your Philippines Consulate for details.

When you arrive in the Philippines, you can get an Affidavit in Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry from the U.S. Embassy in less than a day. Make an appointment to do this. Check out the Embassy's website for details.

You may or may not be required to take a marriage seminar. In any case, you can complete a civil marriage just a few days after you arrive in the Philippines.

[ladylex 0]

There is a 10 day waiting period from the time the marriage license application is filled out until a marriage license is issued. The application is posted on a bulletin board for 10 days to give notice of the planned marriage in case someone wants to object to the marriage.

Have your Fiancee ask the Local civil registrar if it would be possible for her alone to apply for the marriage license, since you are out of the country and would have a problem being in the PI for the time needed to complete this process. They allow this sometimes, and do it a lot with Filipinos getting married if one of them needs to travel a distance so both can fill out the application in person. Just have your Fiancee ask about this and what documents you will need to send in advance, and what documents you need when you arrive in the PI to get the marriage license.

As a general rule, both parties should appear before the Local Civil registrar or his OIC when they file the marriage license application since in one of the forms, they need to sign it and state that they affirm as to the truth of the facts stated in their application form. Though sometimes, the LCR do not entertain the parties anymore, it is on the assumption that his subordinates are doing their regular function of ascertaining both parties to the marriage license application are present and in fact, signed the form. Hence, if one of the parties is not present, or at least could not prove in his/her passport entries, that he/she is here in the Philippines on that date, there is a clear irregularity in the procedure and procurement of the marriage license. That is still a shady transaction. This is just my two cents.

[ladylex 0]

It's my understanding that you can legally satisfy the ten-day waiting period without having to be present in the Philippines. Basically, the process involves having your fiancé(e) send you the marriage application while you are still in the U.S. I believe you need to have your signature on the application notarized and then you have the application authenticated by the Philippines Consulate which has jurisdiction over the place where you live. Then, send the authenticated application back to your fiancé(e). Check with your Philippines Consulate for details.

When you arrive in the Philippines, you can get an Affidavit in Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry from the U.S. Embassy in less than a day. Make an appointment to do this. Check out the Embassy's website for details.

You may or may not be required to take a marriage seminar. In any case, you can complete a civil marriage just a few days after you arrive in the Philippines.

Yes, I believe this is a better option. Though not present, as long as you signed the form outside the Phils and have it notarized and authenticated by the Philippine Consulate which has jurisdiction of the place where you reside, you still substantially comply with the affirmation of the Marriage License Application Form that the Philippine Law requires.

[GaryKO 49]

The strictness of the policy of getting married in the Philippines is a big myth, you have people on the internet telling people they must do it this way, or you will break the law....the law and the process of getting a marriage license in the PI is whatever the local civil registrar says it is.

Both bride and groom need to be present when applying for the marriage license is the biggest myth. What if one of the parties is out of the country, or far away so travel would be costly just to sign the marriage application to start the process of getting a marriage license?

The correct way to start the process of getting married in the PI if both parties cannot be present when applying for the marriage license is for one of the parties to go the the local civil registrar and explain the situation and ask the local civil registrar what needs to be done in order to start the marriage application process.

The local civil registrar in various municipalities and cities may or may not make exceptions to the process of applying for the marriage license. Different local civil registrars in the PI may have different rules, and require various other documents.

The truth is each municipality has its own set of requirements when you apply for a marriage license. So the best and only correct advise on what is needed to get married in the PI, is to go in advance and ask the LCR where you intend on applying what are the requirements. Then do what they tell you.

The myth that you see posted on the internet is both parties must apply together in person to fill out the marriage application. That is not what the law says, but like I said before the law is what the LCR says it is. The law says that the parties contracting marriage sign a application for marriage and swear a oath separately before him or before any public official authorized to administer oaths, to an application in writing setting forth that such party has the necessary qualifications for contracting marriage.

It comes down to the LCR and how they interrupt the Civil code, so you need to ask first what are the requirements if both parties cannot apply together for the marriage license application.

Article 59. The local civil registrar shall issue the proper license if each of the contracting parties swears separately before him or before any public official authorized to administer oaths, to an application in writing setting forth that such party has the necessary qualifications for contracting marriage. The applicants, their parents or guardians shall not be required to exhibit their residence certificates in any formality in connection with the securing of the marriage license. Such application shall insofar as possible contain the following data:

(1)

Full name of the contracting party;

(2)

Place of birth;

(3)

Age, date of birth;

(4)

Civil status (single, widow or widower, or divorced);

(5)

If divorced, how and when the previous marriage was dissolved;

(6)

Present residence;

(7)

Degree of relationship of the contracting parties;

(8)

Full name of the father;

(9)

Residence of the father;

(10)

Full name of the mother;

(11)

Residence of the mother;

(12)

Full name and residence of the guardian or person having charge, in case the contracting party has neither father

nor mother and is under the age of twenty years, if a male, or eighteen years if a female.

[Removed-02242014 19]

It is true. Philippine law states marriage licenses are to be issued after 10 calendar days from the time of application. There are no exceptions to that law. There are no rush services and I am quite sure, there is irregularity in the issuance of a rush marriage license. Suffice it to say also that marriages (civil or church) celebrated without marriage licenses are void, except in cases where the couple have executed a joint affidavit of cohabitation (for a period of at least five years).

I must correct you because I have American friends that live there and they have seen it done depending on the province. I just wanted to know where -- In the Pampanga region there have been 3 day issuance. You might be reading from a Philippine law manuscript but anything happens there with a little $$

[Removed-02242014 19]

This is sort of confusing as the OP had their K-1 visa approved last year, so not sure who the wedding is for. If they are only doing a "second marriage" -renewal of vows- in the Phils they don't need a marriage license for that as they are already married.

I am just trying to get the question answered - No need for my details off the timeline.