Arranging a marriage in the Philippines

[Dougmal 0]

My fiancé is currently living in the Philippines, and I am in the US. I'll be visiting this summer, and hoping to get married this winter. My concern though, is that the requirements for marriage in the Philippines will require me to take an extra long trip, and I don't have that many vacation days saved up! I was hoping to get it done over two weeks. But it sounds like the waiting for the embassy and the license will take all of that!

And it also sounds like I can't just do it this summer, because it would all expire before the winter!

Does anyone have any advice on how we can make this happen? I know it would be easier to get a fiancé visa, get married in the US and then go back later for the church wedding. But if we prefer it this way, is there anything we can do to make this work? Also, the two weeks will likely overlap with parts of the holidays! So I don't know what will be closed or how much extra delay that would bring...

Is there anything I can do this summer to make it faster this winter?

If I come out briefly over Thanksgiving, can I get a lot of it done so it's ready by newyears?

Any help is appreciated!

[bendinlar 16]

Short version: it can be done, if you plan ahead and line up your ducks beforehand. I arrived in the Philippines on July 11th, and we were married on the 29th. And that's with flying back to Manila to go to the embassy.

Longer version: It is possible to get a wedding done in that amount of time, if you plan it right. First stop would be the embassy to get your affidavit in lieu of legal capacity to marry, , a morning trip for that. Then to the local civil registrar with your lady, with all the requirements (have her go and get a list, there are some lists out there online, but some lcr's like to tweak the list a little), then wait out your ten days, taking in your counseling session while you wait (assuming the lcr's has a session available in this time). Then go get married.

This is a really simplified version, but it's the way it worked for us more or less.

Also of note, this is for a civil wedding, if you're going to do the whole Catholic/Church wedding thing, well, I don't know about that, but I do believe there are a few more hoops to jump through.

[teddy k 35]

Hi the civil wedding is the easiest way to go. But if you want the church wedding it will take you about a month to do alot more work

[JoBri 552]

We did it even shorter, in just 3 days. I had her get the marriage license, fill it out for her stuff, then send it to me by mail. I then filled out and signed my part, and attached our pictures to it, and mailed it back to her. We went through the 10 day wait while still apart. I arrived on Sunday, January 13. We went together to the US Embassy on Monday morning, January 14. We went together to City Hall in Quezon City that afternoon and gave them the legal cap to get married and made arrangements to marry the following day there. We were told we didnt need to go to counseling because we were both older. Then on Tuesday afternoon, January 15 at 1:00 PM we got married at City Hall. Nine years married this coming January.

[bendinlar 16]

We tried to file for the license before we flew to Manila to get the legal capacity paper, so we could get the clock started, so to speak, but the lcr would not allow it. Had to have all required papers first.

Just another instance of how everything is open to the interpretation of the person in charge in the Philippines.

[Dougmal 0]

Thanks for the responses! I take it the lcr is the person in the office? Maybe we could just try a different office if the first wants the embassy paperwork first?

That's my worry, the embassy paperwork is only good for a limited time I think? Maybe I'll contact the embassy and see if they can help me long distance?

[bendinlar 16]

LCR- local civil registrar.

That's the office where they record all the local stats, births, deaths, marriages, and forward the info to the NSO/PSA(?). The application will have to be done at the one where she is living.

In theory the affidavit would be good as long as a cenomar, usually 6 months for the embassy at least anyway. That's the easy part, just go in, fill out the form, and wait. That's the longest part of the process. Less than a hour, two tops. Does require appearance in person, so not much they can do from a distance.

Keep researching, and remember to breathe. It's easier than it seems.

[chillin4me 15]

My fiancé is currently living in the Philippines, and I am in the US. I'll be visiting this summer, and hoping to get married this winter. My concern though, is that the requirements for marriage in the Philippines will require me to take an extra long trip, and I don't have that many vacation days saved up! I was hoping to get it done over two weeks. But it sounds like the waiting for the embassy and the license will take all of that!

And it also sounds like I can't just do it this summer, because it would all expire before the winter!

Does anyone have any advice on how we can make this happen? I know it would be easier to get a fiancé visa, get married in the US and then go back later for the church wedding. But if we prefer it this way, is there anything we can do to make this work? Also, the two weeks will likely overlap with parts of the holidays! So I don't know what will be closed or how much extra delay that would bring...

Is there anything I can do this summer to make it faster this winter?

If I come out briefly over Thanksgiving, can I get a lot of it done so it's ready by newyears?

Any help is appreciated!

Plan ahead. Have your fiance prepare everything ahead of time. Get a wedding planner. But filing for marriage license in the Philippines has 10days wait. 2 weeks is very short for that.

[Greenbaum 12,260]

Here is another way to process for early marriage. Some information is a repeat from others who have answered, but still this is another perspective.

Have your fiancée go to her local registrar and advise them of your intentions to send a blank marriage application to you here in the states and that you her fiancé will be getting endorsements from a Philippine Consulate in the USA. If the local registrar agrees, she obtains the application and fax or scans as a PDF file and sends to you.

You in turn have to appear in person at one of the Philippine Consulate office here in the States. See website http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/index.php?page=consulate-finder-main for the nearest Consulate Office. Present the marriage application with just your information filled in on the document. The counselor will endorse the marriage application verifying that this is you who is applying. Bring two ID's, preferable your passport and a pictured driver's license. You as the applicant will need to present the affidavit, death certificate or divorce decree signifying that you are free to marry along with the application and id's. I would call ahead and make an appointment and explain what you are doing and verify my details as to what is required before attending the process in front of a Philippine Consular.

Once you have the endorsements then send to your fiancée by LBC, DHL or other currier to your fiancée in the Philippines. She receives the original document with all endorsements from you and takes the marriage application to her local registrar for filing. She will fill out her part of the application when she is in front of the registrar. Again, she should bring two government ID's with her to validate her identity. She will receive the license either on that day or the next day. Each local registrar is different and she should verify all necessary documents that are required by her local registrar.

Applicants shall apply for the "Affidavit in Lieu of a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage" at the Embassy's American Citizen Services Branch (US Embassy in Manila) by appointment only. There is a fee of $50.00 or its peso equivalent for the affidavit, payable in cash only. For those who do not want to experience the hustle and the bustle of Manila (like me), there is a U.S. Consular Agency in Cebu that you can visit to get this Affidavit.

One more item to add and that is required is the "Affidavit in Lieu of a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage" which will be required. After landing in Manila you can go over to USEM to get your affidavit. Follow the instructions below:

You apply for the "Affidavit in Lieu of a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage" at the Embassy's American Citizen Services Branch (US Embassy in Manila) by appointment only. There is a fee of $50.00 or its peso equivalent for the affidavit, payable in cash only. If you do not want to experience the hustle and the bustle of Manila, there is a U.S. Consular Agency in Cebu that you can visit to get this Affidavit.

If you are marrying in the Catholic Church this will not work in 10 days because you are required to take the marriage class required by the church. If you are going to do a "Justice of the Peace" style wedding you can pull this off in 10 days.

If she is between the age of 18 to 21 she must have parental consent in writing, those age 21 to 25 must have written parental advice (a written indication that the parents are aware of the couple's intent to marry).

These are your first steps and you should begin the process about three weeks before your trip to PI.

Further details are on the embassy website here: http://manila.usembassy.gov/marriage.html or call The Embassy's American Citizen Services Unit at (632) 301-2000, Ext. 2246.