Civil Wedding in the Philippines : Legality, Requirements and Process

"ADVERTISEMENT"

Civil wedding is a legal binding law on marriage no lesser than the church wedding, only at a lesser cost. It is usually conducted by a judge and can also be performed by a mayor of a municipality or a city. Many Filipinos resort on this alternative due to tight budget and much quicker preparation. Submit the needed requirements, provide witnesses and your wedding is set.

 Legality
A marriage whether civil or at the church is valid provided that it meets all the requisites under the Family Code. 

Requirements
1. Marriage License – is the most important document you needed to secure before a wedding, whether civil or church ceremony.

• Certified True Copy of NSO Birth Certificate of  both parties (1 original and 2 photocopies)
• Affidavit of Parental Advice (for 21 yrs. old to 24 yrs. old)
• Affidavit of Parental Consent (for 18 yrs. old to 20 yrs. old)
• Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR)or Certificate of Singleness (1 original and 1 photocopy)
• Certificate of Attendance in Pre-Marriage Counseling, family planning, and responsible parenthood seminar (from DSWD and MHD)
• Community Tax Certificate or Cedula (1 original and 2 photocopies)
• Barangay Clearance / Certificate (1 original and 1 photocopies)
• At least 2 valid IDs
• Recent 1×1 photo (colored or black and white)
• Marriage License Application form (issued by the LCR office)
• Divorced Paper/ Annulment Paper (if divorced/ annuled)
• Death Certificate (if widow/ widower)
• Legal capacity to marry issued by the Embassy (if foreigner)
• Xerox copy of foreigner’s passport (if foreigner)

2. Certified True Copy of NSO Birth Certificate and Baptismal Certificate of both parties

3. Community Tax Certificates (CEDULA) of both applicants.

4. 1 ID photo (colored background or black and white) of each applicant

5. Certificate of Attendance to a wedding seminar. First and foremost, the legal offices encourage and require couples to attend a pre-wedding and a family planning seminar conducted at the City Hall. Before you can claim your Marriage license, you must have completed this seminar. 
"ADVERTISEMENT"

Letter of Intent to Marry

 This letter should express both parties' intent to marry and the name of your fiancée, your signature and your suggested wedding dates.

Other requirements: 

• If widowed, Certified True Copy of Death Certificate o deceased spouse. 
• If divorce or annulled, a copy of Final Decree of Absolute Divorce or Court Decision and Absolute Decree of Finality from the court. 
• For foreigners, Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry (or Certificate of No Impediment issued by the consular office / embassy of the foreigner’s country and a photocopy of passport (showing the date of Arrival and Data) 

The Process

After meeting all the needed requirements for your wedding, all you need to do is go through the process which may just take a while.

Step 1

Go to your civil registrar’s office to apply and pay the required fees. Make sure to deal only with the Civil Registrar’s Office.

Step 2

Proceed to the Mayor’s office and submit the Letter of Intent to Marry together with the marriage license to the secretary.

Step 3

Wait for the confirmation that you suggested wedding dates are available. If you have preferred venue, seek the approval of your chosen officiate first.

Step 4

Find at least two people within the legal age who will serve as your witnesses. A parent or a guardian is required if either of the parties are under the legal age of 18.

Step 5

During your wedding day, you need to pay a filing fee which usually costs 100 pesos. This is to enable them to forward their own duplicate of the marriage contract to the local civil registrar.

Step 6

Proceed to the official civil wedding ceremony.

Whether its a  simple civil wedding or a luxurious wedding at a famous cathedral, all that matters is your genuine love for each other.

"ADVERTISEMENT"

This article is filed under: Philippine Law, Civil Wedding, Civil Wedding Legality, Civil Wedding Requirements, Civil Wedding Process

Read More:






Dominador Say, undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), said that talks are underway with Chinese embassy officials on this possibility. China’s five major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen will soon be the destination for Filipino domestic workers who are seeking higher income.

©2017 THOUGHTSKOTO

www.jbsolis.com

SEARCH JBSOLIS, TYPE KEYWORDS and TITLE OF ARTICLE at the box below

Want To Get Married at the Philippine Embassy? Here's How To Apply.

The month of June is near, which means it's wedding season everywhere.

So if you and you're hubby are planning to get married this year, but you are currently working or living abroad, read this guide on how to apply for and get married at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in your country.

Solemnization of Marriage at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, 2011

The steps are similar in every Philippine Embassy with only minor differences in fees as well as country-specific requirements.

Take note that not all Embassies and Consulates are allowed to solemnize a marriage. The ceremony is performed by the authorized or duly commissioned consular officer within Embassy premises. Also, marriage can only be between Filipino nationals, one male and one female, even in countries where same-sex marriage is allowed. Inquire at the nearest embassy for clarification. 

The General Requirements for Marriage at the Philippine Embassy (Riyadh)are:

1. Original Birth Certificate from NSO, authenticated by DFA Manila.
2. Original Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) from NSO
• within 6 months validity at the time of application, authenticated by DFA Manila
3. IF aged 18 – 21 years old: Parental consent, notarized and authenticated by DFA Manila
4. IF aged 21 – 25 years old: Parental advice, notarized and authenticated by DFA Manila
5. For Widow/Widower (Balo): NSO issued Marriage Contract and Death Certificate, both authenticated by DFA Manila
6. IF Annulled from a Previous Marriage: NSO issued Amended Marriage Contract as well as Certificate of Finality of Decision and Court Order, both authenticated by DFA Manila
7. Passport copy of each party (data page only).
8. (2x2 photo) 2 pcs. for each party. (smile, these will be posted in the embassy website)
9. Application FORMS for Marriage: Available in the Embassy website http://www.riyadhpe.dfa.gov.ph/donwloads. These forms are embassy specific. Check the Philippine Embassy in your country for their forms. THESE FORMS SHOULD BE TYPEWRITTEN (EXCEPT FOR THE SIGNATURES) WHEN BROUGHT TO THE EMBASSY, TO MINIMIZE ERRORS AND FOR LEGIBILITY
   • Application for Marriage License
   • Marriage License
   • Joint Affidavit
   • Public Notice
   • Applicant’s contact details

Wedding at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, 2013.
The Venue Was Moved to the Underground Parking Area. The Main Hall Was Allotted for Passport Renewal.

For NSO documents, you can easily order them online thru e-census. They accept payment via online banking and the fee is PHP315 per document. Courier services can also be requested.

All DFA notarized and authenticated documents mean they have to bear the Red Ribbon as seen below:

If you're currently abroad, have the documents delivered to your home and ask a relative to get the necessary authentications at DFA Manila. A Special Power of Attorney may be needed. Have the documents sent to you via travelling friends, relatives or via courier service.

Philippine Consulate Dubai Wedding, 2016

The Procedures for Application for Marriage at the Philippine Embassy (Riyadh)are:

1. 1. Once all documents are ready, submit the required documents to the Consular Section (Counter No. 4). Personal appearance is required for both parties.
   2. Pay the required fees at the cashier. Take the receipt and submit it to Counter 4.
   3. Check the Embassy's Marriage Applications Page after a few days to see if your public notice has been posted. Once your wedding announcement is up on the page, you can call the consular office to arrange the schedule of your wedding. The date must be beyond the prescribed 10 days from the initial publication of your Application to Marry. (Example: If your public notice is posted January 1, you can call them on the same day to schedule your wedding, but the earliest wedding date has to be January 11 to comply with the 10-day requirement)
   • Tel.No.(+966) 11-4823816
   • or e-mail: consular1@philembassy-riyadh.org.
   4. Service Fees are:
      1. 1. Joint Affidavit: SR100.00
         2. Application for Marriage License: SR100.00
         3. Marriage Solemnization: SR 240.00
   (Partial payment of SR200. upon submission of all the requirements.)
   (Full payment of SR240. on the day of solemnization). Total= SR440.00
   5. You are allowed a maximum of four (4) guests to bring with you to your wedding. This, however, is flouted easily by friends who pretend to enter embassy premises for other appointments or services.
      
   6. Marriage ceremonies at the embassy (Riyadh) is held every Tuesday and Thursday only. This means there is a big chance that you will share the moment with five or more couples saying "I do's". Be on time, It's your wedding so don't be late.
   7. Dress code:
      • Bride - Formal/Semi-Formal dress or gown
      • Groom - Barong Tagalog/Business suit/Long-sleeved shirt with tie
   8. The ceremony itself is done under an hour, faster if there are fewer couples tying the knot. You will get the Marriage Certificate complete with Red Ribbon after the ceremony.
   9. In Saudi Arabia, you need to have the Marriage Certificate translated to Arabic, and stamped by the Embassy in order to be accepted by the government.

Some notable difference in other countries are listed below:

Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden

• Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage for each of the contracting parties is required. Oobtain the list of requirements for the issuance of a legal capacity to contract marriage from the Consular Section of the Philippine Embassy.
• Should one or both of the contracting parties be 25 years or below, the marriage license shall be issued after three (3) months from the completion of the ten (10) day publication of the application, unless the contracting parties obtain a certificate from a marriage counselor duly accredited by the proper Government agency in the Philippines to the effect that the contracting parties have undergone marriage counseling. The certificate must be notarized and authenticated by the Office of the President and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila

Spain

• Names of two (2) witnesses above 21 years of age
• Three (3) photocopies of witnesses’ identification cards (passport, residence permit, etc.)
• Personal appearance for interview with the solemnizing officer

USA:

• Due to the infrequent requests for Solemnizing of Marriage in the US, applicants are urged to directly contact Consular Jurisdictions covering their State. See here.  

Qatar:

• Letter of No Objection to Marry issued by the employers of both parties.

UAE:

• If parent is based in UAE, personally appear at the Consulate to execute affidavit of parental consent/advice. Bring copies of valid passport and visa page.
• Passport must be reverted to bride’s single or maiden name prior to submission of application - in cases of previous marriage being annulled OR previous husband's death.
• If the applicant whose current residency is outside UAE and Philippines, submit Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (LCCM) certificate issued from the Philippine Embassy/Consulate which has jurisdiction over the place of residence.

Japan:

• If the deceased spouse is Japanese, please submit Family Registry (Koseki Tohon) of the deceased spouse.

READ OUR OTHER ARTICLES ON MARRIAGE:

Be Aware of this Before Entering Marriage

REMINDER FROM PHILIPPINE CONSULATE OF JEDDAH: FAKE MARRIAGE CONTRACTS

Bigamous Marriage Is Void- Do You Still Need To File Annulment?

©2017 THOUGHTSKOTO

www.jbsolis.com

SEARCH JBSOLIS