DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR A FOREIGN NATIONAL INTENDING TO MARRY A FILIPINO SPOUSE IN THE PHILIPPINES
- CERTIFICATE OF NO IMPEDIMENT (CNI) TO MARRY – if the civil registry of the foreign spouse’s country of origin provides such a document.
- Original copy or certified true copy of birth certificate.
- Original copy or certified true copy of divorce decree absolute or death certificate of deceased spouse, if applicable.
All the above specified documents must be submitted to the prospective foreign spouse’s Embassy/Consulate in the Philippines upon arrival. The Embassy/Consulate will then issue a CERTIFICATE OF LEGAL CAPACITY TO MARRY to the prospective foreign spouse.
The prospective foreign spouse, together with the Filipino contracting party, may then apply for a marriage license at the Office of the Civil Registrar where the Filipino contracting party habitually resides. The Civil Registrar’s Office, after receiving such application, is required by law to put on public notice the intended marriage for a period of ten (10) consecutive days. During this ten (10) day public notice, both the contracting parties shall not be allowed to leave the Philippines, as objection to the intended marriage may be raised by any person. No marriage license may be issued until this requirement has been fully satisfied.
The requirements presented here pertain only to the civil aspect of marriage under Philippine law and that those who intend to have a church wedding or marriage rites under other religions may have to comply with additional requirements.
