Hello people Me and my fiance was going to do the fiancé visa but after speaking to people on this site it seems better to marry in the Philippines then do spouse visa... Sorry if I'm being thick I've never been married or even thought about it until I fell in love with my Filipina.. From what I've been reading on the Internet can anyone tell me if I'm understanding this properly. . #1. . Download and fill in my affirmation (but don't sign it yet) #2. .book a appointment though the gov.uk to make a appointment in manila for a date when I'm next there #3 take my passport, my completed affirmation form, a bank statement with my UK adress on it and my UK driving licence... Does my fiance have to do one there aswell I've just been reading online I haven't spoke to her yet because of the time difference If so that's all I need and shouldn't have any dramas neither of us have been married before Thanks people
That sounds about right for the embassy requirements from you. Just do exactly what they say on their website. You print out your completed form, but don't sign it, because the idea is that you sign it in front of the embassy man, at your appointment there. He'll then give you a nice certificate and some guidance notes for the Filipino registrar. I was in and out of there in 30 mins. Your fiancee needs to find out what the registrar at the place you plan to marry wants from her and from yourself. Bring your birth certificate for starters. She will at the very least need a CENOMAR (cert of no marriage) from her nearest NSO (National Statistics Office)... plus her birth cert and some IDs, etc. The costs are small. (The Affirmation Certificate is now the equivalent of YOUR cenomar. Up to a couple of years ago, we had to bring one from UK). Registrar will book you in for a marriage 'seminar'(daft session where they 'advise' you about married life bla bla bla... but it's compulsory). I forget how many days notice you have to give before getting your marriage licence, but 10 days seems to ring a bell. I'm sure others on here can chime in with more advice. I would print out at least 2 copies of all your docs, and also store copies of them on 'the cloud'. If in doubt... bring it.
Thats about it Manila all very straightforward, as you say book the appointment on line report to security gate show them appointment confirmation, go in at the office security they will take in for safe keeping your mobiles, guns! and search any bags you have. You will take a seat along with others and wait for your name to be called. Upto the desk do the paperwork and you will be taken to small office to swear an oath and thats it. Takes about 10 minutes once your called and dont be late! if you are you miss your slot they run pretty much to time.
I'm going for 2weeks in may to get all paperwork sorted then I'm going to come back again before the 120days is up is 2weeks enough time to do the relevant paperwork at embassy and for the marriage license? ?
That timing is about right. Most would travel twice - first to arrange the documentation and then 2nd for the wedding and some last minute ‘seminar’ or arrangement.
Have you done that do you think 2weeks there is enough time to sort out the documents? And I don't need a seminar do I that's what my affirmation is? Is that correct?
No I don't think so that was another question I was going to ask because I'm Christian and she's Catholic I don't think we can without converting ??
We did it in 13 civil. Land manila day 1 Affidavit day2 Visit district civil office day 3 Wait 10 days for the marriage notice Marry following day The marriage seminar is not the same as the affiavit
Thanks mattecube you've been very helpful and direct with all my posts I've put on this site! I will buy you a beer sometime when we're out there the same time
I will take that as an invite! We have been through it as we go to Manaoag from Dagupan to see the daughters family
You need to ask your fiance for the detailed requirement from the local civil registrar as the requirements vary from place to place. One member mentioned that they were required to plant tree before getting the marriage license.
It's not a seminar it's a CENOMAR - CErtificate of No MA Record - And you will BOTH almost certainly need one - not just her - You'll get one from the PSA (used to be NSO) - they'll want to see the document the Embassy is going to give you in order to issue it to you. Having said that you may also need to attend a Seminar - where they talk about the birds and the bees and things like that - waste of time and given our ages the woman doing ours simply gave us the "sign off" we needed to fulfil the local requirements... depending on where you marry there may be other things you need to do... That's to say @Maley is absolutely right - your fiancee needs to get the detailed local requirements. And you also need to make sure you avoid marrying near to Holy Week or any other holidays (of which there are many) if you're going to try and do it in two or three weeks. Our local waiting time here was 3 weeks not 10 days ... Ours was civil but the local requirement was for three readings of the banns ... When I found out that it was going to take at least 3 weeks in my wife's home town I suggested marrying in another location where only 10 or 15 days were required... as long as you don't mind paying for (all) her family's travel and board at a nice hotel... Lastly, if I had my time again I would get married in Church - My wife is quite religious (Catholic) and she was happy with a civil marriage but she would have much rather we married in Church - As @a8amg said - Basically as long as you've been baptised and can say you "regularly" attend a "church" they'll let you marry in the Catholic Church - more requirements (and time required) if you do though.
