I'm getting married to my beautiful Filipina fiancé next year. We're getting married in the Philippines, and I need to know what documents I may need, what I need to do, anything and everything I need to think about just regarding our marriage in the Philippines.
Do a search on here first. Lots of helpful threads on this. You basically need proof that you're SINGLE and free to marry... plus docs such as final divorce cert, if you've been divorced, birth cert and passport. Then, you'll first need to go to the British Embassy in Manila, to swear an Affidavit or Affirmation, as regards your freedom to marry. Go to their website for details and online form to complete and print out. DON'T sign it. You will later sign this at the embassy. You need to show this to the registrar in the Phils. Your fiancee needs to check what the requirements are for her, at the locality /registrar where you plan to marry.
everything Graham says is correct, just one thing to add, your fiancee needs to ask what the local requirements are for you as well as herself, I to had to get a Cenomar to say that i was not married in the Philippines, that was in addition to the Affidavit/Affirmation incidentally its your choice to make whichever you prefer the of those two, good luck.
Question about getting affidavit signed at British Embassy in Manila.... Once I've made appointment and got all my paperwork together and go there for signing, is it a case of getting the signed papers returned to me there and then so can then get on with wedding, or must I wait several weeks before collecting the affidavit? On the affidavit it has question When and Where is the wedding. I wanted papers signed before I made those arrangements, do I need to type in a specific date and venue or can it be left blank or tba?
You will receive the signed form more or less 'there and then'. Place and date of wedding, I don't remember being asked. I would have made something up. Stupid question anyway, if they haven't even given you a required document to enable you to marry, at that point.
Thanks for quick reply Graham59. Now I know I should get papers back straight away I probably can arrange the Where and When wedding.
No need to give them a where or when i wasnt asked that question back in March, its a pretty simple thing to do at the Embassy, all done and dusted in about 30 minutes, the hardest thing was the Taxi driver finding the place..
Depending on your local wedding requirements, you may need to get certain other documents, you will probably have to do that thing whereby you and your wife to be, have to be told what being married is all about, about having a family, about Birth control etc etc, and you may need to get a Cenomar for yourself, saying that YOU havent previously been married in Phills, all these local requirements vary from region to region.. I had to get a Tree Planting certificate..
Thanks Heathen. When I was in Panabo, Davao last month we got most of the required details for wedding, they just didn't know about the British Embassy side of things. I'm guessing I can get married on my normal 30 day waved visa and that there is no such thing as a marraige visa for a Brit marrying in Philippines? Enjoy your tree planting now that you are qualified.
Just make sure you have the correct change when going to end embassy. I was planning to pay in GBP (was only in Philippines for a few days), but contrary to website advice, they would only accept peso. The affidavit itself is dead simple. Print out the template in advance, swear on a Bible, and the young man stamped an impressive seal on the document. Unless you are asking something complicated (my affidavit was just too affirm my eligibility to marry), it will all be done right in front of you .
