The 1st step

[Istoryahe]

Hi guys. I registered on here i think last year or so and put my question forth, but now cannot find my topic or let alone remember where i posted it.

So this is me, starting again.

After 2 years relationship with my girlfriend, and visiting the family over at Christmas and new year, i've been welcomed into the family.
I'm not one to jump into marriage after 1 week of chatting. I just wanted to do it the English way.

So my question is please, how do i start the ball rolling to get to the stage of marriage. Ive heard from some people that i need lots of paper work and a fiancee application, but i'm very clueless.

Ive seen plenty of help on Google, but this is mainly for US citizens who want to marry a Filipina. Nothing about a Brit.

Her sister told me i can email the British Embassy in Manila, as well as the British consol in Cebu to ask about the required info for marriage. As of yet, no reply.

Maybe i need to contact the Filipino embassy in London.

I really dont know.

Please, what is the 1st thing i need to do to start this process.

Can i buy her a ring when i go and see her or do i need documents for this too?

Thanks guys.

[Iani]

Erm, mate you're going about this in the wrong way.

Sorry if I'm misinterpreting this the wrong way, but......

The way to go about getting married to someone, is to get to know her, know deep inside that she is the lady you want to spend the rest of your life with. You will have a very good idea if she feels the same way - you then ask her if she would like to get married to you

Why not get her a ring, yes, good idea. Estimate her size if you want it to be a surprise, and you can buy a nice one here. If you tell them what you're doing, most decent jewellery shops will let you return it or swap it for a different one, or get it resized later.

Small warning - Pinay seem to regard engagements as short things, wheras we regard 2 year engagements as normal. Suggest that and you might be cruisin for a bruisin

I'm just a bit confused because you seem to be asking if you need permission to buy rings or even to ask her - its nothing like that, its not like you are buying her and importing forbidden goods into the EU or something - its just the same as over here.

If it's any help though (And actually there are good threads about it on here), if you get married in the Philippines, yes you need some forms to do this. They aren't keen on anyone just walking in and marrying their citizens.

Very briefly -

You need a form from your local registry office saying you are eligible to marry (not already married basically)
You make an appointment with the British embassy in Manila and swap this for a local version
You take this to the council office of the area you want to marry in - they give you a marriage license after a wait of 10 days.
You can already of course make arrangements with the priest or whoever.
You can then get married.

Of course this is sort of simplified, you need birth certificate, she will need this, ID paper, a few other things, but it's not the biggest of big deals - getting married is a serious thing, so it's right that it takes a bit of organising

That's it really - its little different to meeting a girl in your hometown and deciding to get married. You dont need permission!

[bigmarco]

Hi and welcome to the forum
Here's a thread that you might find helpful

http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....-Which-is-best

[Terpe]

I found your other post on this subject:-

14 July 2012
Your post#84
Here's the link Here's the link

Ive been going out with my gf for over a year. I was wondering what is the 1st step i need. What form of ID to start the ball rolling. I know one thing is for sure, and thats to have the blessing of the parents, but i would rather do that in person and not over the phone.

Ive looked on other websites, namely Americans marrying a filipina and one of the requirements is to prove you've been baptised. As i'm CoE, i gather RCC would not accept this. Would i need to convert to Roman Catholic before they except.

I also followed the link which someone gave to the British consol in Cebu for the CNI, but thats the last thing i need to do/collect. I need the other stuff 1st which i'm unsure of.

Can anyone tell me please. Thanks

Anyway, here's some useful general information about Overseas Marriages and some British Embassy information about Marriage in The Philippines

Here is some information about How to apply for a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI)

Note that from 1 February 2013, there's a new system to book an appointment at the Consular Section in Manila which should be done through the Clickbook Consular Appointment site. See this link Online appointment system for Consular services

Remember that for Philippines the UK CNI has only 3 months validity, so plan out carefully what needs to be done and when. It's a good idea to make a project plan from wedding day backwards

Note that from 1 February 2013, there's a new system to book an appointment at the Consular Section in Manila which should be done through the Clickbook Consular Appointment site. See this link Online appointment system for Consular services

Be informed that for Philippines the UK CNI has only 3 months validity, so plan out carefully what needs to be done and when. It's a good idea to make a project plan from wedding day backwards so you can line it all up.
The local Philippine CNI that is given to you by the British Embassy also has a validity of 3 months.

The UK CNI is available from your local registry office. It takes 22 days from time of application. It's 21 days for the 'bans'.
You need to present the UK CNI to the British Embassy in the Philippines to be issued a Philippine version called a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry.
This certificate is needed for the application of a marriage license.
Incidently many folks are now been reporting that a lot of authorities are now asking that the foreign partner also secures their own CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage) from Philippine NSO (National Statistics Office) in order to process the marriage licence. You would be well advised to include this contingency as well.

The CNI is a Certificate of no impediment (sometimes called Legal Capacity to Marry) and provides evidence to officially authorised people that the marriage will be recognised as a valid marriage in both Philippines and the country of the foreign spouse.
A valid CNI is required by Philippine law.

A CENOMAR ( Certificate of No Marriage Record) is available from the National Statistics Office (NSO) and is simply what its name implies.
It is a certification issued by the NSO stating that a person has not contracted any marriage within the Philippines.

In connection with the Marriage Licence the Executive Order No.209 (The Family Code of the Philippines) states:-

Art. 17. The local civil registrar shall prepare a notice which shall contain the full names and residences of the applicants for a marriage
license and other data given in the applications. The notice shall be posted for ten consecutive days on a bulletin board outside the office of
the local civil registrar located in a conspicuous place within the building and accessible to the general public.
This notice shall request all persons having knowledge of any impediment to the marriage to advise the local civil registrar thereof.
The marriage license shall be issued after the completion of the period of publication.

Just for completeness it goes on to state:-

Art. 20. The license shall be valid in any part of the Philippines for a period of one hundred twenty days from the date of issue, and shall
be deemed automatically cancelled at the expiration of the said period if the contracting parties have not made use of it.
The expiry date shall be stamped in bold characters on the face of every license issued.

As I'm sure you may know by now, there are always 'local variations' in the Philippines.

After all, if the licence is not issued until after 11,12 or 13 days then it still complies with the legal requirement provided it has been posted continuously for a minimum 10 consecutive days.

Best advice is to always check locally when it actually WILL be issued.

Generally, with good organisation, and things go fairly smooth along the way, you should have no problems getting married within a 20-30 day timeframe.

I'm sure there are some folks who will say you can achieve it in only 14 days. In my opinion that can only be achieved if you are very lucky, the organisation is really slick or if you use an agent who just might be able to find ways and means for some workarounds.

Most folks will tell you that 21 days is enough time, and I think on balance that's a reasonable time without major problems, but not much time left for honeymoon.

I suggest you always check the latest information for paperwork needed etc but in principle to apply for the Marriage License you should consider having the following:-

Your birth certificate
Your passport
Your C.N.I.
Your NSO CENOMAR
Your Divorce decree asbsolute (if applicable)

Certificate of 'Pre-Marriage Seminar' (if needed, please check well beforehand)

Her N.S.O. birth certificate (This should be fresh from NSO on latest type of security paper. Check)
Her Passport (or other appropriate ID)
Her Barangay clearance (if needed, please check well beforehand)
Her community tax certificate (often called Cedula)
Her postal I.D. Address
Her cenomar
Her Parents signed advice form (if under 25 years age)
Her Parents I.D.

Apply for the Marriage License in your fiancée's home town at the registry office. (or locality of where marriage will take place)
You might also be requested to attend the "Pre-Marriage Seminar" counselling sessions prior to being allowed to be married. Check and ask when you apply for the marriage license

After you apply for the license there is a mandatory 10 day waiting period while the marriage bans are published

By the way just be sure that you have authorised copies of the Marriage Certificate after the wedding or that you request fast-tracking /Expediting for NSO copies. Quite a few get into a long waiting time for the marriage certificate needed for a visa application. Worth thinking about

Take a look at this thread for information on fastracking the marriage certificate - Advance Endorsement Birth ,Marriage and Death Certificate

Hope that helps

[Istoryahe]

Ive looked 3 times on that link about CNI and i cant see anything about it.

So getting the proof that i've never been married before is my first thing i have to do?

Also, how much is a Philly wedding. I mean everything. Cos i aint got a clue on how they do things like we do in England.