Got my certificate in England that I was free to marry etc.... had to wait 21 days for that to clear in England. When I came to Phils. went to British Embassy in Manila (although no Brits. work there as far as I can see) - went through several thousand security checks - ended up in an office where I waited about an hour and got my Phils. equivalent - paid a couple of thousand piso (why don't they say 'pesos?') and lo and behold - Hanna and I were free to marry.
All quite painless really. Good luck.
Al.
P.S. The pain comes AFTER you get married - changing names on birth certs. getting marriage cert. on NSO paper otherwise it is not valid (YES - TRUE) - changing names on passports blah blah ......ad infinitum!!!!
But I loved it really - 'cos it was all for Hanna and I to be officially recognised as man and wife. People moan - but this is the Phils..... as a wise person once said in answer to the question, 'What is the time difference between UK and Phils?' - 'Eight hours and about fifty years!'
Al.
