Philippine marriage law, how to marry in the Philippines

How to Marry in the Philippines

A step-by-step marriage guide for foreigners requirements on how to get married in the Philippines first step requires a cni certificate how to lodge your marriage application.

Step one

Australian embassy Manila Philippine marriage law requires a certificate of no impediment (CNI) by the embassy of the applicant's country in the Philippines. If you have been married before you must bring your divorce certificate and your passport you will also need your partners id. The Australian embassy Manila is located in the RCBC plaza Makati Manila. Note before you make your trip to Manila you have to ring the embassy for an appointment. When I made an inquiry about an appointment schedule, they told me it could take up to one week before I would be able to get an appointment. The appointment for the CNI takes less than 30 minutes. On arrival at the embassy, you fill out your application form sign the appropriate documentation then you are issued with three CNI certificates one certificate for your wife visa application. You also receive one certificate for the city hall where you intend to lodge your marriage application and one for your own records

Step two NSO Clearance Philippines marriage requirements

After you receive you CNI, you and your partner must proceed to the NSO to get a clearance certificate from the NSO stating you and your partner have never been married before in the Philippines. This process will take about 2 hours but make sure you arrive early at the NSO. My Wife chose to get our certificate at her local NSO. My wife was worried if we went to the Manila NSO, we could be waiting all day because of how many people would be there waiting for their requirements to be processed.

Step Three City Hall Philippine marriage requirements

After you and your partner have the CNI the clearance certificate from the NSO, you have both your birth certificates, and divorce certificate you are ready to proceed to the city hall where your spouse resides. The city hall will require you and your spouse to attend marriage counselling unfortunately this is one law you cannot avoid no matter how old you and your partner are even the counsellor said to us we were old enough not to need counselling but the law states we must have counselling to receive our Marriage licence. This is another step you should plan ahead in Calbayog they had limited appointments. At one stage we were told we would have to wait a month before we got an appointment, we got lucky and were able to get an appointment one week later. After your counselling session, you will receive your licence you cannot get married in the Philippines without this certificate. Once you have your certificate you can lodge all your paper work to apply for your marriage licence but you have to wait ten days before you receive your licence. Philippine marriage law state you must wait ten days from the date of application before a licence can be issued. When you receive your licence, you are legally allowed to get married in the Philippines.

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