Quick Guide to Getting Married in the Philippines

Welcome, February!

In celebration of the “Love Month”, we are sharing a quick summary of important facts you need to know if you plan to get married in the Philippines.  We hope you find this article helpful.

Requirements:

1. PSA Birth Certificate of couple.
2. PSA Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) of both parties.
3. If one of the parties is not a citizen of the Philippines, he or she needs to present his or her passport and a legal capacity to contract marriage.
4. Age requirements:

• Below 18 years old cannot get married, even if parents give their consent.
• 18 years old to 25 years old can get married with parental consent.
• 26 years old and above, can get married without parental consent.

4. Apply for a marriage license at the local civil registrar of the city or municipality where either the bride or groom resides. The marriage license is valid for 120 days from the date of issuance. If you fail to get married within the 120 days, you will have to secure a new one.
5. Attend pre-marital counseling and family planning seminars. The LCR will ask for your attendance certificates to these seminars before you are issued your marriage license.
6. Previous Marriages.

If any of the parties has a previous marriage, he or she needs to provide the PSA death certificate of the deceased spouse of the judicial decree of annulment or declaration of nullity of the previous marriage.  Without these documents, the couple will not be issued a marriage license.

7. Witnesses:

There must be at least two witnesses to the marriage; both must be of legal age.

8. Officiants:

The following may officiate marriages:

• Members of local judiciary;
• Priests, Rabbis, Imams, Ministers of registered churches or religious sects;
• Consul Generals, Consuls, Vice-consuls.
• Military commanders in the absence of a chaplain and ship captains and airplane chiefs can solemnize a marriage in articulo mortis.

9. Locations:

The Philippines is known to celebrate marriages in fun and exciting areas such as the beach, a garden, by the mountains.

Marriages may be solemnized publicly in a church, chapel, temple, judicial chambers, or offices of consuls.

10. Proxy Marriage:

This is not allowed in the Philippines.

11. Common Law Marriage:

The Family Code of the Republic of the Philippines states that:

“No license shall be necessary for the marriage of a man or a woman who have lived together as husband and wife for at least five years and without any legal impediment to marry each other.  The contracting parties shall state the foregoing facts in an affidavit before any person authorized by law to administer oaths.  The solemnizing officer shall also state under oath that he ascertained the qualifications of the contracting parties are found no legal impediment to the marriage. (76a)”

12. Cousin Marriages:

The Family Code stressed on such marriages as “prohibited”.

Section 1, Article 38: The Family Code prohibits marriage of relatives up to the fourth civil degree (or first cousins).”

Of course, these are just the basics.  Preparing for your marriage can be a walk in the park or a circus complete with chimpanzees and roaring lions, it is really all up to you.  But to be sure that your union is legal and binding, pay close attention to the list we shared above.  Because no matter how big or small your wedding is, what is important is you are able to seal this lifetime deal through legal and binding means.

Congratulations on your lifetime commitment.

Reference: http://www.gov.ph

 

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