marriage certificate's validity: comments and suggestions are welcome

[voxdei 2]

What makes a marriage certificate valid?..is it enough that it has been issued by the issuing authority in a particular country where the marriage took place?

Case: Marriage was legally officiated, certificate was issued on hand by legal authority, but THE BASIS OF MARRIAGE WASN'T REALLY TRUE. Commonly, most couples get solemnized for wedding after they obtain a marriage license but some authorities nowadays allow marriage when couples have been living together for 5 yrs provided that they are atleast 23 yrs old upon the date of marriage.

Note: wedding ceremony did happen and marriage cerificate was legally issued.

Question: What if for example, marriage was conducted because the local municipal office declared that you have been living together for 5 yrs yet in fact you are living apart( i mean totally on opposite side of the world)

Will it still be honored by the US embassy as valid marriage certificate and basis of bonafide relationship?

Does the embassy examine every detail of the marriage contract?

Do they question the legality of marriage certificate issued by the respective countries?

[notusinganymore 31]

What makes a marriage certificate valid?..is it enough that it has been issued by the issuing authority in a particular country where the marriage took place?

Case: Marriage was legally officiated, certificate was issued on hand by legal authority, but THE BASIS OF MARRIAGE WASN'T REALLY TRUE. Commonly, most couples get solemnized for wedding after they obtain a marriage license but some authorities nowadays allow marriage when couples have been living together for 5 yrs provided that they are atleast 23 yrs old upon the date of marriage.

Note: wedding ceremony did happen and marriage cerificate was legally issued.

Question: What if for example, marriage was conducted because the local municipal office declared that you have been living together for 5 yrs yet in fact you are living apart( i mean totally on opposite side of the world)

Will it still be honored by the US embassy as valid marriage certificate and basis of bonafide relationship?

Does the embassy examine every detail of the marriage contract?

Do they question the legality of marriage certificate issued by the respective countries?

This is a good question. Looking at it plainly they couldn't marry you with the grounds you have been living together for 5 years because you have not been living together for 5 years. This idea covers those people who are in cohabitation or living in. They will be considered married even without a marriage certificate or getting married. With your however, you got married and therefore are entitled to a marriage certificate. Am I correct by thinking that you did not get a marriage license then? Because if you didn't and you were married on the grounds of "living-in" then it would be perceived as an under the table kind of job which is by the way very common in the Philippines.

The embassy will look at the marriage certificate and will not look for the marriage license so I think you would be ok. I'm just stating it how I see it. I mean, you got married and have a marriage certificate. However, if asked if you have been living together for 5 years, I would say no because you weren't. You being together in a relationship for 5 years is a yes but not living together.

Edited September 29, 2013 by emmandenn

[voxdei 2]

Thank you for the reply. Yes in its purest sense. it was really manipulated by the local office that's why we were allowed to get marry even we are not actually living together for 5 years . In fact, we've been gf/bf for 5 yrs before our marriage. I was 23 yrs old that time and I couldn't get license to marry, so to make it possible we settled through article 34 and not by license. It is common in the Philippines.

We have now the marriage certificate issued by the NSO and it was legal.

If the embassy would just look for the marriage certificate per se, probably safe. But if they look at it in detail, it was cited that it was solemnize through article 34. I have been bothered if they get more into it and discover what article 34 means. Do you think the embassy will be as meticulous as that to see in detail the basis of our marriage? or the fact that we were issued a marriage cert from the NSO satisfies all its legality on any basis?

pls i need your advice guys..any experiences you may share related to this case would be a big help. Thank u!