Women in the Philippines are some of the most beautiful women on earth. That’s why it’s no surprise that you would want to take one as your wife after dating for some time. Whether you’re in the Philippines personally, or you’re getting one of the mail order wives, you’re a very lucky man.
However, Philippine weddings have very stringent standards, both for locals and international visitors. As a result, you’ll need to prepare several documents if you want to marry a you’ve been dating in the Philippines. Let’s take a look at all the things you’ll need to start your life with a Philippine woman.
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Get your marriage license
Once you have your marriage license, you can get married to the woman you love, either in a church or in the municipal court. You can get a marriage license, by applying at the local civil registrar in the city or town where your bride resides.
You’ll also need to prepare a few documents before you head down to the registrar.
They include:
Valid means of identification
A valid ID can be anything from a valid international passport to a voter’s ID. If you’re a foreign citizen, your ID must be recognizable by international standards.
Birth certificates
In the Philippines, there are different rules for individuals in different age groups. These birth certificates will show your real ages and make the process of getting your license much quicker.
Affidavit signifying parental consent
(Applicable to individuals older than 18 but less than 21 years)
The legal age for people to get married is 18 in the Philippines, but individuals between 18 and 21 still need parental input. If one of you is below the age of 25, you’ll have to get a parent to sign an affidavit. The document will show that they are aware of the union and that they approve.
Affidavit signifying parental advice
For individuals from 21 to 25 years old)
Individuals in this age group only need a parental advice affidavit. In a situation where a parent is unavailable, a guardian can also sign the affidavit. While dating, the age of your prospective bride will certainly come up in conversation.
A certificate of singleness, also known as a CENOMAR
(Certificate of no marriage)
Like the international standard of many countries, marrying more than one woman (or man) is illegal in the Philippines. To prove you qualify on this basis, you’ll have to provide a CENOMAR. If you’re a foreigner, you’ll have to get an international, recognized one from your country.
Annulment certificate
This applies to a situation where either you or the woman you love have been married before. You need it to show that the concerned party is now divorced. That’s the important circumstance as without it it’s impossible to get married in the Philippines.
Spousal death certificate
This certificate applies to individuals who have lost the man or woman in their life. You’ll have to provide the death certificate of your dead spouse. Again, bigamy is outlawed here, and local women would never accept that.
Certificate signifying that you attended pre-marriage counselling
This certificate also covers seminars on family planning, Filipino customs, and married life in the Philippines in general. It’s essential to create time to attend these seminars while dating. Basically, it is a guarantee of your happy life in an intercultural marriage.
Recent passport photographs
The passport photographs can either be 1 x 1 or 2 x 2, depending on your local civil registrar. It’s a regular procedure to signify your appearance for the moment of time.
Barangay Certificate
You’ll have to request a certificate from your barangay. Some fees may apply. It is sort of a local certificate of appearance.
Community Tax Certificate (CREDULA)
The CREDULA is issued by the city or your barangay. You will usually get it after you pay community tax. As you see, preparing all the doc for marrying a Filipino brides can cost you some money – yet, you have to be ready to provide for your family, so that must not be a big deal.
Filled Application Form for Marriage License
You can get this from the local civil registrar’s office. You can begin the process of compiling the other documents and fill this when you submit them at the registrar’s office.
This process may seem long but it’s not. You can start gathering the documents after you begin dating or after you begin the courtship process. That way, you won’t have so much to do when you’re finally ready to tie the knot.
If you’re able to provide these requirements, the civil registrar will usually release the license to you within ten days. The exact duration varies between local registrars — some take it as ten days of the week, and others take it as ten working days.
Get married!
Once you have your license, you’re good to go. You can walk into any court or church and finalize your marriage. The municipal court is the less expensive and quicker option, but you can also get a religious wedding. It is a good idea to decide where you’re going to get married while dating.
For the court wedding, all you’ll need is your marriage license, a solemnizing officer, and a ceremony. It’s common for couples to select their solemnizing officer while dating. For the church wedding, you’ll need your marriage license, baptismal certificate and confirmation certificate. You can request your marriage certificate online once all that is done and begin your life together.
Dating a woman from the Philippines is quite exciting, but marriage is even more so. When you decide to take your relationship to the next level and start your life together, everything you need to know about the documents is in this guide. Good luck!
