Good afternoon to all members and Happy Father's Day to any dads here. I have a number of questions which I can't seem to find clear answers for, if anyone of you fine gentlemen or ladies can help. I plan to get married to my beautiful fiancee in the Philippines in October, and I am in the process of gathering the relevant documents. I understand I need a document called Cedula, I was just inquiring how I go about obtaining this, and is this the same as a Community Tax Certificate? As a foreigner to the Philippines I need another document called Barangay Clearance. Again, I am not too sure how I acquire this, and is this the same as the UK Criminal Record check? (Now known as DBS) And finally, I have ordered my Cenomar document from the Philippines, but I think I read somewhere that I also need a Cenomar document from the UK, as I am a UK Citizen. If anyone can help with these queries then I would be more than grateful, I am eager to secure all requirements before I return to the Philippines again in August to submit this paperwork. I have searched many different websites and cannot seem to find definite answers to my questions, and for obvious reasons I would like to be as thorough as possible. Many thanks, Nick Louca
I think @Markham might be the chap to help you here, I seem to remember that there was a thread recently regarding what has changed regarding the paperwork side of getting married in the Philippines. If Markham doesn't know then one of the other fine people here will know I'm sure.
We got married in the Philippines in 2011, 4 years ago this month. I dont recall a "cedula" being a requirement. However, we used an agent to help us deal with the marriage side of things. We were going to use a friend of my wifes family who is a councilor in Cavite, but she couldnt find a way around fitting everything in to a short duration, which the agent did. So I was carried along by them and just gave them what they asked me to give them. A cedula was not one of them. I recall being whisked into Paranaque City Hall and signing a few bits of paper. It all worked and knitted together well. One thing I have noticed is that the requirements or the stringency that they are applied, can vary regionally / one place to an other.
For UK requirements. If you are intending to settle in the UK, you will need to prepare and submit an affidavit in relation to your eligibility to marry. That is done at the embassy. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...the_Philippines_leaflet_as_of_30_JAN_2015.pdf
i'm very interested in this post--ive been advised by my local registry office that i need to find out from the philipines what UK docs they require---but i think this explains it: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...the_Philippines_leaflet_as_of_30_JAN_2015.pdf also-- i need to give 28 days notice at the local R.O---but not sure if that can be well before my date of marriage--which isnt decided yet -for various reasons---but likely to be october.
Most people that didnt use an agent usually get their Filipina to vist the local civil offices to find out what is needed. Like I say, it seems to vary a little from one place to the next. So its a job for the girls... This was an area I knew absolutely nothing about. My wife was tasked with looking into it. Two of her cousins had married Korean men and use the same agent, so the agent was known to the family. So we decided to go the same way.
so--am i right--no docs needed from the UK--i just need a sworn statement done in the philis--with my passport, birth cert and divorce decree--and of course yet another wad of cash
I cant remember what docs I used. I had passport, divorce papers, birth certificate and we got the exchange CNI from the embassy but that is no longer required and the affidavit has taken that over. The process took a couple of weeks including a trip to the embassy. After marriage, we went on honeymoon. Upon return all was complete in 10 days. I went home and my wife collected the Marriage Certs a few weeks later.
some thing to read http://www.british-filipino.com/index.php?threads/the-marriage-seminar.2221/#post-5096 http://www.british-filipino.com/index.php?threads/the-marriage-liscence.2284/#post-5516 http://www.british-filipino.com/index.php?threads/a-wedding-in-the-phils.2334/#post-5654 http://www.british-filipino.com/index.php?threads/our-wedding-planner-in-cebu.2504/#post-6753 http://www.british-filipino.com/i...-the-phils-as-a-married-woman.2565/#post-6751
Thank you for your PM, Nick, but if you don't mind, I'll answer your questions here so that others may learn. A Cedula is indeed a Community Tax Certificate and costs around Php 25. You get this from the CTC window at your local city hall. You currently do not need a Police Clearance Certificate issued by ACPO although Congresswoman Gwen Garcia of Cebu has submitted a Bill which would require such a document - among others - to be submitted by foreigners wishing to marry here. You apply at your local Barangay Hall for a Barangay Clearance however unless you have lived in the Barangay for between 6 months and a year as a minimum, they may decline to issue it. The Embassy no longer issues Certificates of No Impediment (to contract marriage) but now authenticate an affidavit as per JohnAsh's contribution: However John is incorrect in stating it's (purely) for UK requirements as it is required by the Local Registry Office here to prove singleness. Are you getting married on the island of Cebu per chance? I have only ever heard of Cedulas and Barangay Clearances in respect of foreigners being demanded by LROs on Cebu.
I didnt state that it was purely for UK requirements. But it certainly involves a trip to the British embassy. Yes. I couldnt remember if it was needed for the Philippine marriage. In our case we gathered our exchange CNI for our visit to Paranaque City Hall. But of course that isnt a requirement now. From the Embassy document: MARRIAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES Explanatory Notice to British Nationals Planning to Marry in the Philippine "You should apply for a marriage licence from the Philippine local civil registrar once the affirmation/affidavit has been completed. The process normally takes 10 working days." We found out a lot by visiting the embassy
You may not have intended it but anyone reading your post might reasonably infer that the affidavit is only necessary if it is intended to apply for a UK settlement visa. You can not get married here without either a CNI issued by your country's Embassy or the British Embassy's replacement affidavit. But such is not required by the authorities in order to marry in Hong Kong.
Thanks so much Markham for your reply and all of the helpful information that you have provided. We will be getting married in the area of Malinao Albay, in the Bicol Region. So any helpful hints you may have on this location will be greatly appreciated as much as your previous response!
