CFO confusion and annoyance!

I think it's quite easy for your gf to get a CENOMAR for you - but she will need the Certificate of No Impediment - think I got mine from the Cebu Consulate - so you'll probably need to get one in the UK and then send it out to her - then she can go to the NSO/PSA and get the CENOMAR ... back to CFO... It's more fun in the Philippines

I cant say for sure you need a certificate of no impediment in your situation but it is the correct document to prove your single status take a look at this link
https://wikiprocedure.com/index.php...e_of_No_Impediment_(No_Objection_to_Marriage)

You can obtain a CENOMAR for yourself from the Philippine Authorities. I seem to recall that I ordered one online, and it arrived at my partner's home.
I needed to show that, before I could register to be married in the Philippines. My wife then used our marriage certificate in the CFO Semina - so I would expect a Philippines CENOMAR would be appropriate.
To cover all your bases though, I would suggest that you obtain some form of UK-based 'Certificate of No Impediment' and DHL that there. And present both documents to the CFO.

The CFO actually can ask you for almost anything they want (there is no prescriptive list - they can ask for anything that they deem relevant) so the best thing to do is to grin and bear it and be prepared.

Not sure if this will get you out of a bind with the CFO? They do Cenomars.

https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Default.aspx

I sourced one from them a few years back but never used it in the end. But they do provide the service. It could easily be the very same as the one Choi is referring to.

Thankfully, it all worked out in the end. Due to tight time scales, my options were going to be limited.

I made an appointment online to have my sworn affidavit certified at the British Embassy in Manila. My flight arrived on 13th May and the next appointment slot was 14th May. Quite handy. This was an election day and the nearby Korean Embassy was closed, so was fortunate that the Brits were carrying on doing their own thing.

First time I've been to that embassy. There were 5 other couples there for sworn affidavits (I left Miss R in the hotel). I assumed it would be British consular staff doing the particulars, but it was a Filipino guy called Emmanuel instead. Perhaps he was dual national? Either way, it was quick and painless. It cost P3700 and did not accept Sterling despite indicating online that £50 would be accepted.

Our flight to the UK had already been booked for 16th May. I know they say not to book flights before the CFO, but honestly this was meant to be the easy bit. The CFO had given Miss R an appointment at 8am on 16th May to finish everything up. I didn't want to risk delay so we went unannounced on 15th May only to find the place was still shut! Bugger.

Went back the next day and they accepted all the paperwork and said come back at 2pm to pick up her passport. Considering the flight from NAIA was at 3.05pm, this was something rwe did not want to hear. After severe remonstrations in Kapampangan (very much unlike Miss R), the sticker was casually placed in her passport.

Overall, I found the CFO staff in Clark to be more obstructive than helpful. I know they have a job to do (no matter how futile) but they seemed more keen in making their own working life easy and embarking on power trips (the sour faced woman in Clark was truly unsuitable for any customer facing role). I can't say it's uniquely Filipino as we have our own British officials deporting some poor souls back to the Caribbean who have lived in the UK for 50 years since childhood which is even worse.

Oh well. All done now. At least other people can learn from my mistakes, assumptions and experiences!

Sounds like a nerve-wracking time.

I have all this to come, and am dreading it!

Out of interest, I contacted my local registry office today, on the possibility of obtaining a Certificate of No Impediment, and they advised under no circumstances for my situation (bringing my Filipino fiancee to the UK to marry) would they provide such a certificate. I explained what I'd read here but she was adamant, there was no option for me getting one. They just advised getting an affidavit from a solicitor.

Not in your case, but for anyone wishing to marry in the Phils,

go to the British Embassy (Manila) website.

Everything you need to know about cenomars/affidavits/affirmations, etc, plus the needed online forms, is there for you.

@graham59

I looked at the site, but,
"Administer an oath, affirmation or affidavit
This service is only for customers who will need to make an affirmation or affidavit of marital status in order to get married or register their civil partnership in the Philippines."

We're talking about getting married in the UK aren't we? Doesn't that statement rule that service out?

Yes.

Two different situations.

The CFO business relates to Philippines Citizens... and the restrictions placed upon them, due to ' people-trafficking' issues, etc.
We are fortunate in this country, in being treated for the most part, as adults... who don't have to ask permission to leave the country.

This was my argument also. We were not getting married in the Philippines. A visa for the UK had already been issued with my name added to it. Common sense would dictate this is proof that I am legally single. Maybe if it was a visa to Saudi Arabia the Filipinos may be sceptical that Miss R is in line to become wife #3.

However, the CFO in Clark saw fit to have me run through hoops for what I still consider to be a waste of everyone's time. I would recommend using Manila or Cebu where hopefully they exercise common sense more frequently.

The affidavit itself (if required) can be downloaded as a template from the embassy website and you fill in the blanks.

When Emmanuel at the embassy was delivering his closing speech, he told me to present the affidavit at .....then he paused whilst reading my details.....Blackburn & Darwen Registry Office? He clearly was expecting the ceremony to be a Filipino venue. I just told him I was taking it to Angeles and kept the affidavit close to my chest before he could change his mind. He just nodded and wished me a pleasant morning. Emmanuel was a very nice man.