Report of Marriage: A few questions and assumptions

[spicynujac 23]

On 6/19/2024 at 10:44 AM, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

Another question about my birth certificate: Apparently, I can order an apostille version. Is this what the consulate expects, or should I just get a regular certified copy?

We sent photocopies of both our birth certificates, which were accepted (still pending recording in the official Manila PSA records, which takes months, but the consulate contacted us about a different issue and they said everything was in order).  I don't believe it asks for originals.  The only thing original is the marriage certificate (and the notarized Report of Marriage form).  Just follow the rules of the SAN FRANCISCO consulate if you did a Utah online marriage.

Edited June 20 by spicynujac

[Theersink 20]

5 hours ago, spicynujac said:

I don't believe it asks for originals.  The only thing original is the marriage certificate (and the notarized Report of Marriage form).

This is correct. 

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 17]

Right; I am following the rules. The question I had for the Consulate was which rules, which they have now answered.

[michelleb4619 0]

My son is also trying to file the Report of Marriage for a Utah online marriage.  His wife (in the Philippines) is having problems getting someone to notarize her signature on the ROM.  They insist that my son has to be with her even though he lives in Texas.  My son contacted the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco to ask if they would accept the form with just his notarized signature and a woman called him back and told him it had to have BOTH signatures notarized.  So I'm not sure if just one signature is a viable option currently.  

Edited June 26 by michelleb4619
adding country

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 17]

4 hours ago, michelleb4619 said:

My son is also trying to file the Report of Marriage for a Utah online marriage.  His wife (in the Philippines) is having problems getting someone to notarize her signature on the ROM.  They insist that my son has to be with her even though he lives in Texas.  My son contacted the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco to ask if they would accept the form with just his notarized signature and a woman called him back and told him it had to have BOTH signatures notarized.  So I'm not sure if just one signature is a viable option currently.  

 

I decided to just go back to the Philippines (which I was anyway) and do it all there.

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 17]

19 minutes ago, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

 

I decided to just go back to the Philippines (which I was anyway) and do it all there.

 

There are a couple of annoying things about doing it this way:

1. I will lose access to my marriage license apostille for the duration of the processing (several months, last I heard). I'll have to order a second one to take with me to the Philippines in case I need it. I already had to order a second certified copy of my birth certificate for the same reason.
2. The return envelope will have to be addressed to some other mailing address in the US (probably my parents' house).

Something to think about.

Edited June 27 by Nathan Alden, Sr.

[RO_AH 1,659]

1 hour ago, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

 

I decided to just go back to the Philippines (which I was anyway) and do it all there.

If you did an online Utah wedding you can't file for a ROM in the Philippines as far as I know. You need to file at the consulate with Jurisdiction over Utah which would be San Francisco.

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 17]

1 hour ago, RO_AH said:

If you did an online Utah wedding you can't file for a ROM in the Philippines as far as I know. You need to file at the consulate with Jurisdiction over Utah which would be San Francisco.

 

Yes, that's our plan. I'm going to mail the San Francisco consulate the packet from the Philippines.

[RO_AH 1,659]

2 hours ago, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

 

Yes, that's our plan. I'm going to mail the San Francisco consulate the packet from the Philippines.

Ok, now I got it. I would suggest sending the packet via DHL

[Jon and Krissy 452]

Thoughts on this requirement - since it doesn't exist in the real world?

 

"US Marriage License/Certificate
(extended/long form indicating number of
marriages contracted by both parties)"

 

I've never seen a marriage license in the U.S. that includes this information.

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 17]

2 hours ago, Jon and Krissy said:

Thoughts on this requirement - since it doesn't exist in the real world?

 

"US Marriage License/Certificate
(extended/long form indicating number of
marriages contracted by both parties)"

 

I've never seen a marriage license in the U.S. that includes this information.

 

AFAIK that is not a thing in the US. We also don't have the equivalent to CEMAR/CENOMAR since marriages are registered civilly at the county level. The Philippines is basically forced to go on the honor system to some extent. Providing divorce decrees is necessary, though.

[top_secret 2,411]

When comparing experiences with different consulates it's important to remember there is no consistency whatsoever between them and the requirements at one may be quite different from another.  Plus the requirements 'today' might be different from the requirements two years ago when they last updated their web site.  It's important to e-mail the specific consulate and ask their current requirements.

 

If you are filing from the Philippines it IS possible to file it at the DFA ASEANA office in Manila.  It will still get forwarded and processed by whatever consulate or embassy has consular jurisdiction but the application can be dealt with in person in Manila.

[LeRoY DrAgOn 2]

On 6/19/2024 at 5:27 AM, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

I think I have a decent grasp on the Report of Marriage process at this point. However, I do have a few questions:

 

Logistics

 

I am proceeding assuming that my bride should fill out the completed forms in the Philippines, get her signature notarized there, then mail me the completed forms along with a certified copy of her birth certificate from the PSA, the five physical passport photos, and the CENOMAR. I then add my signature with notarization and send the completed packet to the consulate in San Francisco, which has jurisdiction over Utah County marriages.

 

Notarization

 

Will the Philippine government accept a form notarized twice, once by a foreign entity?

 

Marriage License

 

The instructions at the link above say "Marriage Contract / Certificate (original copy should be submitted to the DFA)." I am assuming they want an apostille version of the marriage license (in my case, a Utah County marriage license). Do I have to do anything to the apostille copy or do I just send it as-is?

 

Birth Certificate

 

I only have one copy of my birth certificate in my possession and I'd rather not go long periods of time without it. It looks like the Philippine government wants an "original copy," so I'll probably have to order a copy.

 

Passports

 

Will they accept photocopied print-outs of each page of my passport?

 

Additional Documents

 

The link above says "For applicants in the USA and Canada – kindly submit documents specified in a & b together with any of the following." However, I have neither a green card, nor a copy of a visa, nor a job contract or working permit. I'm assuming these are not needed in my case because I'm a US citizen rather than a Filipino living in the US.

 

We just got finished submitting our ROM at the end of April 2024 and took the SF consulate about 2-3 weeks to complete and return our Documents and the Original ROM back to us... very easy process if you follow the checklist on the SF Consulate website...

 

if its allowed here I made a Video of Our ROM Packet process if anyone likes to see what we did and submitted to the SF Consulate for our UTAH Online Marriage.

 

Just waiting for the time to be able to Order a ROM from the PSA 's Website now. 

 

 

 

[Jon and Krissy 452]

Does the SF consulate typically send an email acknowledging having received the packet, and if so, when? They received it two weeks ago, no email, original documents not returned yet. I ask because others have reported receiving an email acknowledgment of receipt. Thanks.

[Jon and Krissy 452]

On 8/7/2024 at 11:21 AM, Jon and Krissy said:

Does the SF consulate typically send an email acknowledging having received the packet, and if so, when? They received it two weeks ago, no email, original documents not returned yet. I ask because others have reported receiving an email acknowledgment of receipt. Thanks.

Anyone?