Civil Wedding Ceremony Abroad While Processing VISA

[OneWingedAngel915 0]

Hello Everyone. I’m unsure where to post this because my situation is weird. So I decided to place it in a couple of places because my wife and I need help. 

 

My name is Ray, and I recently married my Filipina wife in August of this year via a virtual ceremony from MarryFromHome.com. She still lives in the Philippines, and we’ve shared a condo there since the end of September. We ultimately want to live in the US, where I’m from and still live, and I’ve only been visiting her in the Philippines. 

 

We understand the entire visa process from beginning to end could take a while, so we decided to get our marriage (which is fully legal and official in the US) officially recognized in the Philippines. We made that decision partly for my tourist visa extension and because my wife is a federal employee as a teacher, and having our marriage recognized would help me receive some of the benefits she gets. 

 

We went to the local Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) to get our marriage recognized here, and they told us we had to apply for civil registry through the Philippines Embassy in the United States that serves the jurisdiction our wedding took place. After talking with a close friend, she suggested my wife and I have a civil wedding ceremony here in the Philippines at the local City Hall. 

 

Before we married virtually, we considered having a civil wedding in the Philippines. That would have required us to go to the US Consulate in Cebu or the US Embassy in Manila to get an Intent to Marry. Once we had that, we could process a request for a ceremony at city hall or a courthouse. That’s where we are a little stuck and need help.

 

We would like a civil ceremony where we are staying right now, so we don’t have to go through all of the paperwork and mailing of documents to go through the Philippines Embassy in the US. But we are not sure if we would still need to appear before the Consulate or Embassy to get an Intent to Marry or if they will honor our marriage certificate. Our marriage certificate is valid and legal in the US, showing Salt Lake City, UT, where our marriage is registered. 

 

Any help, guidance, suggestions, or feedback is openly welcomed and deeply and sincerely appreciated. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions or need clarification of our situation. Thank you all so very much in advance. 
 

[Mike E 11,739]

You are already married. Generally to remarry you have to dissolve your current marriage.  The moment  you meet your spouse in person, in eyes of USCIS are married, back dated to when  marriage service was performed.  
 

Why do you think you need to marry again? 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Mike E

[powerpuff 6,708]

~~ Duplicate thread removed. Please post only once per query, thank you ~~ 

[Bob in Boston 716]

19 hours ago, Mike E said:

Why do you think you need to marry again?

So the Philippines will recognize the marriage and he will be able to recieve benifits from his wifes philippine job. Marriages need to be reported in the philippines (a ROM needs to be filed) and he wants to avoid all that paperwork and just get married in the Philippines.

[Mike E 11,739]

30 minutes ago, Bob in Boston said:

So the Philippines will recognize the marriage and he will be able to recieve benifits from his wifes philippine job. Marriages need to be reported in the philippines (a ROM needs to be filed) and he wants to avoid all that paperwork and just get married in the Philippines.

1. I thought OP’s spouse  wants to immigrate to the U.S. Why are benefits from a job in the Philippines a consideration, especially since OP characterizes OP’s current presence in the Philippines as “visiting”

 

2. Is it the case that the Philippines doesn’t recognize marriages solemnized in other countries, such as the USA?

 

3. Is it the case that the Philippines lets people marry if they are already married? Even if married to each other?

 

4. What date of marriage will OP uses when I-130 is filed? What marriage certificate?

 

5. https://www.nuptials.ph/marriage-requirements-for-foreigners-philippines/ says a foreigner marrying a citizen if of the Philippines in the Philippines has to get a CENOMAR, certificate of no marriage from the foreigner’s embassy. Is the advice here for OP to commit perjury in front of U.S. consular officer?

Edited November 13, 2022 by Mike E

[powerpuff 6,708]

~~ Topic moved from CR1/IR1 forum to Regional discussion: Philippines as the questions are country specific ~~

[Bob in Boston 716]

34 minutes ago, Mike E said:

1. I thought OP’s spouse  wants to immigrate to the U.S. Why are benefits from a job in the Philippines a consideration, especially since OP characterizes OP’s current presence in the Philippines as “visiting”

He plans on visiting alot while he waits for his wifes Visa. Reristering the Marriage allows him better visa options while he waits with her and if they ever visit in the future.

 

37 minutes ago, Mike E said:

2. Is it the case that the Philippines doesn’t recognize marriages solemnized in other countries, such as the USA?

You need to register the Marriage, Complete A ROM

 

38 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Is it the case that the Philippines lets people marry if they are already married? Even if married to each other?

This is the question he is trying to get answered.

 

39 minutes ago, Mike E said:

4. What date of marriage will OP uses when I-130 is filed? What marriage certificate?

 

5. https://www.nuptials.ph/marriage-requirements-for-foreigners-philippines/ says a foreigner marrying a citizen if of the Philippines in the Philippines has to get a CENOMAR, certificate of no marriage from the foreigner’s embassy. Is the advice here for OP to commit perjury in front of U.S. consular officer?

And this is why I think he should not get married again. Just do the report of Marriage (ROM)

[RO_AH 1,659]

You are married. You must go through the ROM process. Simple answer to you question is no, you should not get re-married there. It will cause you a lot of problems down the road.

 

Next problem. They have stopped issuing ROM's for online weddings for now until they decide on how or if they will accept them.

On 11/12/2022 at 7:34 AM, OneWingedAngel915 said:

Before we married virtually, we considered having a civil wedding in the Philippines. That would have required us to go to the US Consulate in Cebu or the US Embassy in Manila to get an Intent to Marry.

Key word is "before". You should have done it.

On 11/12/2022 at 7:34 AM, OneWingedAngel915 said:

Our marriage certificate is valid and legal in the US, showing Salt Lake City, UT

You are marriage is valid and legal anywhere in the world. However in the case of the Philippines it need to be reported. It is a process you cannot avoid.