Going to Philippines to get married

[Journey4Two 2]

I'm glad I found this site.

I'm planning on getting married next month in the Philippines. My fiancee, Gina and I have been friends for ten years and in a relationship for 3 1/2 years. 

I know that I need to go to the US Embassy and show that I can get married (i.e., divorce papers for first marriage, and second wife's death certificate).  Should I bring Gina with me through this process? I'm getting conflicting info on this.

After that is the Philippine court to submit the paper I just received from the embassy. I then submit this to get our marriage license. This can take up to 7-10 days.

My question is is there anything that I'm missing in this process. I'll be in The Philippines for a month, so I think this should be enough time to get everything done.

 

[jskibo 588]

Take your papers to the embassy, they never asked to see mine, but good to have just in case.  Be sure to make an appointment at the embassy as they will not take a walk in.

 

Your Pinay fiancee cannot go in with you so no sense taking her.

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, Journey4Two said:

I'm glad I found this site.

I'm planning on getting married next month in the Philippines. My fiancee, Gina and I have been friends for ten years and in a relationship for 3 1/2 years. 

I know that I need to go to the US Embassy and show that I can get married (i.e., divorce papers for first marriage, and second wife's death certificate).  Should I bring Gina with me through this process? I'm getting conflicting info on this.

After that is the Philippine court to submit the paper I just received from the embassy. I then submit this to get our marriage license. This can take up to 7-10 days.

My question is is there anything that I'm missing in this process. I'll be in The Philippines for a month, so I think this should be enough time to get everything done.

 

You should have your SO check with the baranguay if they even need the affidavit, as it has been reported that some want a cenomar.  Yes I said cenomar it is a strange concept where a usc gets a cenomar from PSA but that has been the situation.  Also, what is up with the submission of the affidavit to the courts?  First time I have heard this

[Hank_ 9,174]

7 hours ago, Journey4Two said:

I'm glad I found this site.

I'm planning on getting married next month in the Philippines. My fiancee, Gina and I have been friends for ten years and in a relationship for 3 1/2 years. 

I know that I need to go to the US Embassy and show that I can get married (i.e., divorce papers for first marriage, and second wife's death certificate).  Should I bring Gina with me through this process? I'm getting conflicting info on this.

After that is the Philippine court to submit the paper I just received from the embassy. I then submit this to get our marriage license. This can take up to 7-10 days.

My question is is there anything that I'm missing in this process. I'll be in The Philippines for a month, so I think this should be enough time to get everything done.

 

Anything you are missing ~   Yup.  Most everything you have listed is not quite correct.

 

The embassy won't care about seeing copies of your divorce decrees or such, waste of time & paper bringing those documents.  You will sign an affidavit that is notarized/witnessed by the embassy (Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry).   Gina won't be allowed in the embassy.    You need an appointment to complete this.

 

You take nothing to the Philippine court.   You& Gina take your affidavit and other required documents to the local registry to apply for a marriage license.

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married/?_ga=2.171945638.764480744.1515702843-1618516958.1515702843

 

 

 

7 hours ago, jskibo said:

Take your papers to the embassy,  they never asked to see mine, but good to have just in case.  Be sure to make an appointment at the embassy as they will not take a walk in. 

 

Your Pinay fiancee cannot go in with you so no sense taking her.

Embassy does not want to see documents, which is why they didn't take yours

Edited June 14, 2018 by Hank_

[j&ana 363]

Quote

 

You will need to make an appointment online for the embassy in manila. the consul agency  in Cebu you do not need to make appointment they except walk in . You can take your fiancé with you but she will  have to wait in the waiting area.  After you get the Affidavit In Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity to marry. You and your fiancé can go to the local registrar and show them that and any other  document needed. There is a 10 day waiting period for the license to be issue. the license will be good 

for 120 days and anywhere in the Philippines. Any one that is Authorize can perform the ceremony .One month will be plenty of time for  a civil wedding, as me and my wife got married there in 2014 in 21 days. We got married at her parent house by the Mayor of their town . You did not mention if you are planning a civil wedding or church wedding. After you get married ask the local registrar to expedite your Marriage certificate to The NSO( National Statistics office ) of the Philippines, as that is the copy of the Marriage certificate , you will need when you file the petition for her to come to the U.S  

Congratulations on your wedding 

[j&ana 363]

correction to my earlier post the  NSO is now know as The PSA ( Philippines statistics Authority)  

[payxibka 10,045]

19 hours ago, j&ana said:

You will need to make an appointment online for the embassy in manila. the consul agency  in Cebu you do not need to make appointment they except walk in . You can take your fiancé with you but she will  have to wait in the waiting area.  After you get the Affidavit In Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity to marry. You and your fiancé can go to the local registrar and show them that and any other  document needed. There is a 10 day waiting period for the license to be issue. the license will be good 

for 120 days and anywhere in the Philippines. Any one that is Authorize can perform the ceremony .One month will be plenty of time for  a civil wedding, as me and my wife got married there in 2014 in 21 days. We got married at her parent house by the Mayor of their town . You did not mention if you are planning a civil wedding or church wedding. After you get married ask the local registrar to expedite your Marriage certificate to The NSO( National Statistics office ) of the Philippines, as that is the copy of the Marriage certificate , you will need when you file the petition for her to come to the U.S  

Congratulations on your wedding 

NSO is now PSA

[j&ana 363]

13 minutes ago, payxibka said:

NSO is now PSA

yes I did correct my self if you would of read my next post

Edited June 16, 2018 by j&ana

[RO_AH 1,659]

What others above said is all correct. I just did this 9 months ago. No need for any documents. IMPORTANT:; make appointment online in advance. She cannot come inside. Also very important to have your fiance go to the local municipal to verify what will be needed because nothing is consistent in the Philippines.

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

19 hours ago, RO_AH said:

because nothing is consistent in the Philippines.

 

[Journey4Two 2]

On 6/14/2018 at 10:46 PM, j&ana said:

You did not mention if you are planning a civil wedding or church wedding.

The main reason for getting married in The Philippines is so that she could be married in her church. I've had some interaction with her pastor. He has even asked me to do a testimony/sermon for one of the Sunday services. In toll, Gina has me speaking at four different places while I'm there. She was even trying to line something up in Batangas.

 

Greg

[Journey4Two 2]

I want to thank everyone for the responses. I think I have everything set up for this first step for Gina and me.

 

Thank you again,

 

Greg

[John & Rose 7,239]

We just got married in Manila last week.  Here is what we did...

 

I made an appointment for the notary public at the Embassy.  I made it a few weeks out.  I went to the Embassy and waited in queue.  I didn't bring Rose with me but some others did have their SO with them.  They did look at my divorce papers and took a copy to attach to the affidavit.  Went to the window and they asked for the paperwork.  They handed me a piece of paper to go to the cashier and I paid the $50 USD.  I took the receipt back to the window and they asked me to wait until my name was called.  A few minutes later they called my name, made me take an oath that the information I submitted was correct and they stamped the affidavit.  I was in the Embassy for about 90 minutes total.

 

In Pateros we needed the affidavit AND a CENOMAR for me.  We had to take a Family Planning Seminar which we got out of by buying some treats and explaining that we were not going to have any more kids.  They issued us the certificate of completion that we had to bring to City Hall.  There we had to fill out the license in triplicate and submit it to the registrar.  Once we submitted that and paid the fee we were told the date when the license would become active.  There is a 10 day window where they put an announcement in the papers and people have a chance to contest the marriage.  After the 10 days you can get married.  The license is good for 120 days.

 

Our license became active on June 5 and we were married by the Mayor on June 11.  

 

You will need the annulment paperwork (if annulled) and CENOMAR for the Philippines citizen.  We also needed a CENOMAR and divorce decree from the American.  The affidavit from the Embassy was required for us.  Make sure you check with the local registrar because some dont need the affidavit and other don't accept it as they want a full blown Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage.  

 

It was tedious but not difficult.  Ours was probably easier since the family is very well known in Pateros.  In fact, the Mayor mentioned that I was marrying into the family that was about ⅓ of the town.

Edited June 19, 2018 by John & Rose

[Journey4Two 2]

 

Thank you, everyone. John and Rose you were right on the mark when you described the embassy experience. It took a little longer. The city hall day took all day. We didn't need to take the family planning class after she talked to us for ten minutes, and deemed us 'mature enough'. A lot of running back and forth, and hurry up and wait. Everything is done. We pick up the license on July 30th and getting married on August 4th.

[John & Rose 7,239]

On 6/14/2018 at 3:45 AM, Hank_ said:

Anything you are missing ~   Yup.  Most everything you have listed is not quite correct.

 

The embassy won't care about seeing copies of your divorce decrees or such, waste of time & paper bringing those documents.  You will sign an affidavit that is notarized/witnessed by the embassy (Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry).   Gina won't be allowed in the embassy.    You need an appointment to complete this.

 

You take nothing to the Philippine court.   You& Gina take your affidavit and other required documents to the local registry to apply for a marriage license.

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married/?_ga=2.171945638.764480744.1515702843-1618516958.1515702843

 

 

 

Embassy does not want to see documents, which is why they didn't take yours

In my case the Embassy did ask to see my divorce and they kept the files as it made the rounds at the Embassy.  They were even stapled to the affidavit when I attested and they notarized.  That was my case anyway.  

 

Also, a majority of Americans that were there for the affidavit had their SO with them.  Dozens of them.  I didn't and I saw no advantage to them being there.  They just sat in the chair while the USC talked to the Embassy officials.