Philippines Weddings/Marriages

[chrisepic 0]

Anyone on here have a legal wedding in the Philippines? I am going to need some guidence in the months to come- I will have a three week window in the Philippines this July to do the following:

Fiancee to file for marriage certificate with town of prospective marriage

Fiance to get Affidavit en lieu of Legal Capacity to Marry in Manila

Marriage Seminar

Fiancee and Fiance to get marriage lisence in said town of wedding

Wedding

Where can I go to find a marriage seminar in her town? She lives in Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte, Mindanao, PHI

if we both haven't previously been married, do I still have to have proof of this to get the Affidavit in Manila? Or will me just stating "I haven't previously been married" suffice?

Is it plausible to assume I can get all of this done in three weeks?

I hear she can apply for the marriage certificate before I get there- its a 10 day process for the marriage certificate once she applies- all we have to do is render the Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry and proof of Marriage Seminar, together in person, and we can get the marriage certificate.

Anyone here done this?

Thanks!

[Jasman0717 9]

Take a look at this link, it might be helpful:

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_757.html

I had to look up your fiancee's city, I hadn't heard of it. I have been to Gingoog City, Duka Bay and of course Camiguin several times. My wife is from Cagayan.

[chrisepic 0]

Take a look at this link, it might be helpful:

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_757.html

I had to look up your fiancee's city, I hadn't heard of it. I have been to Gingoog City, Duka Bay and of course Camiguin several times. My wife is from Cagayan.

Thanks- yes, I've read all of that- it doesn't mention the marriage seminar, but I know its required. Didyou get married in the Philippines? My fiancee took her nursing board exam in Cagayan- Cabadbaran is 5 hours west of Cagayan, near Butuan.

Did you do a marriage seminar?

[frdmrk2 0]

all are required to attend the marriage seminar to get a marriage license,

but if your wife know someone working at city hall you can just pay them,

it cost us P1,500 to get a license w/o attending the seminar but of course the papers state we did

[chrisepic 0]

all are required to attend the marriage seminar to get a marriage license,

but if your wife know someone working at city hall you can just pay them,

it cost us P1,500 to get a license w/o attending the seminar but of course the papers state we did

Well, unfortunately she doesn't know anyone that works in City Hall. I just need to find out where and when one of these seminars is so we can do it while I'm there.

About the Affidavit for LEgal Capacity to Marry: if we have had no previous marriages/divorces- do we need proof of that or do they just take my word for it when I tell them

[frdmrk2 0]

Well, unfortunately she doesn't know anyone that works in City Hall. I just need to find out where and when one of these seminars is so we can do it while I'm there.

About the Affidavit for LEgal Capacity to Marry: if we have had no previous marriages/divorces- do we need proof of that or do they just take my word for it when I tell them

if you have proof just bring it with you

I don't know anyone also who works at City Hall, your wife may ask somebody who knows, even the maintenance guy can help.

[Jasman0717 9]

Take a look at this link, it might be helpful:

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_757.html

I had to look up your fiancee's city, I hadn't heard of it. I have been to Gingoog City, Duka Bay and of course Camiguin several times. My wife is from Cagayan.

Thanks- yes, I've read all of that- it doesn't mention the marriage seminar, but I know its required. Didyou get married in the Philippines? My fiancee took her nursing board exam in Cagayan- Cabadbaran is 5 hours west of Cagayan, near Butuan.

Did you do a marriage seminar?

This is a link to a Filipino government web site:

http://www.gov.ph/faqs/marriage.asp

We did not do a marriage seminar. I brought Claudeth here on a K-1 because it was much quicker at the time we decided to file only taking a little over four months from filing until she arrived.

Edited March 15, 2007 by jasman0717

[turtle74 0]

I got married in the Philippines, all I needed was a passport and "some letter from the embassy" that said I was single and legal to marry. And my wife, she just needed her passport. This is the Philippines you're talking about, and the area you're talking about is a province. You're wife must know how to "grease" someone to get this done. It will be easier for you with a short window, for someone to do all the leg work. In the Philippines, you can't get anything done without a little help. In most cases, people just don't even know they're paying someone; they think they're paying a "fee." Just ask your wife to find someone in her town whom can take care of everything. It's election time there. They need the flow. I'm not saying bribe someone to doo something illegal; I'm saying "find" someone inside who knows how to lead you and take care of you.

[Rob and Melinda 0]

Doing everything in 3 weeks is going to be very stressful, we did it and we worked non stop.

You cannot get the marriage lic in the Phil without the certificate of legal capacity, and you have to be at the embassy to swear an oath before the consul to get that.

The 10 days is concrete, not way to get it in less time, we tried.

The Seminar for Philippinos overseas has to be done in Manila or Cebu. Even after you get the semminar done, you have to go back and get the K-3 visa stanped at the overseas office before you can depart the Philippines.

Don't be surprised if you cannot get all this done the first time, plan on a second trip at least once the interview date comes.

Rob and Melinda

[CherylandMike 0]

The US Consular Office in Cebu can also issue the affidavit, but be sure the office is open and the CO is there. The day I wanted to get mine, the CO was not going to be there, so I went to Manila. They suggested calling a day or two ahead (Cebu), because there are days the CO is requested to be in Manila. The affidavit is required, if you're trying to do this "by the book".

If you are really taking the seminar, which we did, we were told the license would be issued 10 days from the seminar, not 10 days from the application. The office where we applied for the license gave us the information about the seminar, when and where it could be taken. It's not easy getting it done in 3 weeks, but it is possible.

Good luck,

Mike

[beameup 0]

Filed for: N/A??

The best way to get married is on a K-1 Fiance Visa.

The Religious Ceremony can always be done at a later date.

And, of course you realize that this entails a "Fiesta" for perhaps the whole Barangay?

Just thinking about having only "three weeks" gives me a headache.

Anyone on here have a legal wedding in the Philippines? I am going to need some guidence in the months to come- I will have a three week window in the Philippines this July to do the following:

Fiancee to file for marriage certificate with town of prospective marriage

Fiance to get Affidavit en lieu of Legal Capacity to Marry in Manila

Marriage Seminar

Fiancee and Fiance to get marriage lisence in said town of wedding

Wedding

Where can I go to find a marriage seminar in her town? She lives in Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte, Mindanao, PHI

if we both haven't previously been married, do I still have to have proof of this to get the Affidavit in Manila? Or will me just stating "I haven't previously been married" suffice?

Is it plausible to assume I can get all of this done in three weeks?

I hear she can apply for the marriage certificate before I get there- its a 10 day process for the marriage certificate once she applies- all we have to do is render the Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry and proof of Marriage Seminar, together in person, and we can get the marriage certificate.

Anyone here done this?

Thanks!

Edited March 16, 2007 by beameup

[archie07 0]

Anyone on here have a legal wedding in the Philippines? I am going to need some guidence in the months to come- I will have a three week window in the Philippines this July to do the following:

Fiancee to file for marriage certificate with town of prospective marriage

Fiance to get Affidavit en lieu of Legal Capacity to Marry in Manila

Marriage Seminar

Fiancee and Fiance to get marriage lisence in said town of wedding

Wedding

Where can I go to find a marriage seminar in her town? She lives in Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte, Mindanao, PHI

if we both haven't previously been married, do I still have to have proof of this to get the Affidavit in Manila? Or will me just stating "I haven't previously been married" suffice?

Is it plausible to assume I can get all of this done in three weeks?

I hear she can apply for the marriage certificate before I get there- its a 10 day process for the marriage certificate once she applies- all we have to do is render the Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry and proof of Marriage Seminar, together in person, and we can get the marriage certificate.

Anyone here done this?

Thanks!

You need to rent a motel across the street from the embassy when you get there and get your butt to the embassy first thing in the morning for your capacity to marry, just hold up your american passport and they will let you in. get thier early. If you can spend a couple days in manila I have close friends that work in the city hall. They can help you out.

[Glen Charles 0]

Anyone on here have a legal wedding in the Philippines? I am going to need some guidence in the months to come- I will have a three week window in the Philippines this July to do the following:

Fiancee to file for marriage certificate with town of prospective marriage

Fiance to get Affidavit en lieu of Legal Capacity to Marry in Manila

Marriage Seminar

Fiancee and Fiance to get marriage lisence in said town of wedding

Wedding

Where can I go to find a marriage seminar in her town? She lives in Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte, Mindanao, PHI

if we both haven't previously been married, do I still have to have proof of this to get the Affidavit in Manila? Or will me just stating "I haven't previously been married" suffice?

Is it plausible to assume I can get all of this done in three weeks?

I hear she can apply for the marriage certificate before I get there- its a 10 day process for the marriage certificate once she applies- all we have to do is render the Affidavit of Legal Capacity to Marry and proof of Marriage Seminar, together in person, and we can get the marriage certificate.

Anyone here done this?

Thanks!

You need to rent a motel across the street from the embassy when you get there and get your butt to the embassy first thing in the morning for your capacity to marry, just hold up your american passport and they will let you in. get thier early. If you can spend a couple days in manila I have close friends that work in the city hall. They can help you out.

...For a price.

I got it done in 3 weeks. No problem at all.

IIRC, I got in near midnight and stayed in the Bayview hotel across from the embassy, got the affidavit of non-marriage the next day. Bayview kinda sucks by Philippines standards- its expensive and crummy, like an american restraunt.

I filed for the marriage license that same day.

10 days later I got married by a judge in a fried chicken place. http://www.maxschicken.com/wedding.html

[chrisepic 0]

Doing everything in 3 weeks is going to be very stressful, we did it and we worked non stop.

You cannot get the marriage lic in the Phil without the certificate of legal capacity, and you have to be at the embassy to swear an oath before the consul to get that.

The 10 days is concrete, not way to get it in less time, we tried.

The Seminar for Philippinos overseas has to be done in Manila or Cebu. Even after you get the semminar done, you have to go back and get the K-3 visa stanped at the overseas office before you can depart the Philippines.

Don't be surprised if you cannot get all this done the first time, plan on a second trip at least once the interview date comes.

Rob and Melinda

my fiancees father told me we do the seminar at the city hall in the town we are marrying and getting the lisence- not in Cebu or Manila- the only thing I have to do in Manila as far as marriage is concerned is go to the US Embassy for the oath to get the affidavit- then I go to the town we are to marry in, take the seminar, apply for the lisence, and get married....yes?

[chrisepic 0]

You need to rent a motel across the street from the embassy when you get there and get your butt to the embassy first thing in the morning for your capacity to marry, just hold up your american passport and they will let you in. get thier early. If you can spend a couple days in manila I have close friends that work in the city hall. They can help you out.

Time-wise, I can only afford to stay in Manila for one day: to get the affidavit, then I'm going to jump on a plane to go to Mindanao (south) and start the marriage process there...