Cenomar for US Citizen to marry in Philippines

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

If one is getting married in Philippines and they are a US Citizen only, can you get a Cenomar from PSA?

 

I was under the impression that non US citizen couldn't get one, and had to go to USEM and get a some type of paper work in lieu of affadivit to marry 

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married/

 

I am not familiar with this process, and was told different on another forum that US Citizen needs a Cenomar.  

 

 

[ourjourney_pc 118]

11 minutes ago, Chris Duffy said:

If one is getting married in Philippines and they are a US Citizen only, can you get a Cenomar from PSA?

 

I was under the impression that non US citizen couldn't get one, and had to go to USEM and get a some type of paper work in lieu of affadivit to marry 

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married/

 

I am not familiar with this process, and was told different on another forum that US Citizen needs a Cenomar.  

 

 

I used to think that psa only keeps ph citizen records but since you asked this.. I have found this... Seems like first hand blog.. Anyway.. You can get cenomar online and it's cheap..

 

https://travelbacolod.blogspot.com/2012/11/requirements-to-get-married-in.html

[Hank_ 9,174]

25 minutes ago, Chris Duffy said:

If one is getting married in Philippines and they are a US Citizen only, can you get a Cenomar from PSA?

 

I was under the impression that non US citizen couldn't get one, and had to go to USEM and get a some type of paper work in lieu of affadivit to marry 

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married/

 

I am not familiar with this process, and was told different on another forum that US Citizen needs a Cenomar.  

 

 

 

Yes a foreigner can request a CENOMAR and if married in the Philippines or completed ROM previously PS will issue a CEMAR

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

2 hours ago, Hank_ said:

 

Yes a foreigner can request a CENOMAR and if married in the Philippines or completed ROM previously PS will issue a CEMAR

So do you as a US Citizen need the CENOMAR to get married now?

 

I thought US Citizens couldn't get one, did things change?

[Hank_ 9,174]

If things changed it happened many years ago.  Quezon City hasn't accepted the Affidavit from the embassy for a number of years, requires a CENOMAR from the foreigner.

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

2 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

If things changed it happened many years ago.  Quezon City hasn't accepted the Affidavit from the embassy for a number of years, requires a CENOMAR from the foreigner.

I could be wrong they may have always wanted one I don't know, I never looked to deep into the requirements for getting married in Philippines

 

So my next question is: "How in the world can the PSA issue a CENOMAR for a US citizen?  They is no record of marriage or divorce kept by any governmental agency in the USA?

[John & Rose 7,239]

I was required to present one to the local registrar.  It was on the list of required documents for the marriage.  It was to make sure I wasn't married to another filipina.  They ran it and we submitted a copy of the CENOMAR in my name.  It showed that I was not married.  They need it for the Philippine side, not the US side.  The registrar mentioned that she has seen foreigners who were previously married to a filipino try to get away without getting the annulment.

[Hank_ 9,174]

50 minutes ago, Chris Duffy said:

I could be wrong they may have always wanted one I don't know, I never looked to deep into the requirements for getting married in Philippines

 

So my next question is: "How in the world can the PSA issue a CENOMAR for a US citizen?  They is no record of marriage or divorce kept by any governmental agency in the USA?

^^^   What John said.  

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

1 hour ago, Hank_ said:

If things changed it happened many years ago.  Quezon City hasn't accepted the Affidavit from the embassy for a number of years, requires a CENOMAR from the foreigner.

Here is a post from 2009 and it saying US Citizens couldn't get a CENOMAR back then, I guess things changed

 

 

[Hank_ 9,174]

7 minutes ago, Chris Duffy said:

Here is a post from 2009 and it saying US Citizens couldn't get a CENOMAR back then, I guess things changed

 

 

 

Nowhere in that topic was it stated it wasn't available IF a foreigner was to request a CENOMAR .. everyone posted back to get the affidavit from the embassy instead.

 

That falls in the the "he said - she said"   gossip realm .. no facts.  

 

 

 

 

[dnavinnie 132]

I am getting married on Midanao in July. One of my requirements is a CNI (Certificate of No Impediment). My fiancé was told a CENOMAR was needed for this. I sent her an official sounding email authorizing her to request a CENOMAR. She took that email with a copy of my birth certificate and it cost her 400 php for both of our CENOMARs. She had no problem. My guess it is to prove I am not married to any other Filipina. I hope this helps. BTW...some of the great people from this site helped me with questions regarding all of my preparations. 

Edited March 12, 2019 by dnavinnie

[jg121783 3,915]

On 3/12/2019 at 10:38 AM, Chris Duffy said:

So do you as a US Citizen need the CENOMAR to get married now?

 

I thought US Citizens couldn't get one, did things change?

 

On 3/12/2019 at 11:22 AM, Hank_ said:

If things changed it happened many years ago.  Quezon City hasn't accepted the Affidavit from the embassy for a number of years, requires a CENOMAR from the foreigner.

I married my wife in the Philippines in 2016 and the town where we got married only needed the affidavit from the US embassy and a CENOMAR for my wife in order to issue the marriage license. It is my understanding that it is left up to each individual town what they will accept as evidence of no previous marriages from a foreigner. Some accept the affidavit. Some don't. I have even heard (don't know if this is true or not) in some towns they will only accept it if you slip them a few pesos under the table. I was not aware a foreigner could get a CEMONAR until now. Things may have changed but the way I described it above is how things were to the best of my knowledge 3 years ago.

[jg121783 3,915]

On 3/12/2019 at 5:19 PM, dnavinnie said:

I am getting married on Midanao in July. One of my requirements is a CNI (Certificate of No Impediment). My fiancé was told a CENOMAR was needed for this. I sent her an official sounding email authorizing her to request a CENOMAR. She took that email with a copy of my birth certificate and it cost her 400 php for both of our CENOMARs. She had no problem. My guess it is to prove I am not married to any other Filipina. I hope this helps. BTW...some of the great people from this site helped me with questions regarding all of my preparations. 

One word of advice for you. Apply for a national copy of your marriage certificate and pay the expedite fee asap after the city has their local copy available. The sooner you get it the sooner you can prepare your I-130 and it takes time to get the marriage certificate even with expedited service.

[Hank_ 9,174]

^^^  For sure!!

[dnavinnie 132]

8 hours ago, jg121783 said:

One word of advice for you. Apply for a national copy of your marriage certificate and pay the expedite fee asap after the city has their local copy available. The sooner you get it the sooner you can prepare your I-130 and it takes time to get the marriage certificate even with expedited service.

Thanks! Any help speeding up the process is greatly appreciated.