How to get a Marriage License in the Philippines

Getting married is one of the biggest part of one's life that change all aspect of his/her whole life. Preparation is exciting and stressful at the same time for the nuptials. Planning, arrangements and meeting to different suppliers to make their wedding be successful is needed a lot of focus and attentions. But, most couples should keep in mind that one of the first things they would have to be preparing is their individual marriage licenses.

MARRIAGE LICENSE

Marriage licenses are documents issued by local government units (City / Municipal Hall) that authorizing a couple to marry. The requirements needed in obtaining a marriage license depend on one’s civil status and residence or nationality.

WHERE TO GO

To apply for a marriage license, the couples should get an application form from the Local Registry Office Both of them have to fill out the form (the groom fills out the left half of the sheet, the bride fills out the right half), and then submit the form to either your or your groom's municipal or city office.

WHAT TO BRING

Here's the list of requirements for applying for a marriage license.

• Birth Certificate - Certified true copy issued by the  National Statistic Office (NSO)
• Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) - Certified true copy issued by the NSO
• Residence Certificate / Community Tax Certificate (Sedula) - from Barangay hall or Mincipal / City hall
• 1 x 1 ID picture - colored or black and white
• Pre-Marriage Counseling - from local DSWD and Maternal and Child Health at Municipal / City Health office
• Affidavit of Parental Advice - If the bride and / or groom is 21 yrs. old to 24 yrs. old)
• Affidavit of Parental Consent  -  If the bride and / or groom is 18 yrs. old to 20 yrs. old)
• Divorced Paper/ Annulment Paper - if the bride and / or groom is divorced/ annulled
• Death Certificate -  If the bride and / or groom is widow/ widower
• Legal Capacity to marry issued by the Embassy -  If the bride and / or groom is foreigner
• Photocopy of foreigner's passport -  If the bride and / or groom is foreigner

EXPECT UPON THE FILING OF MARRIAGE LICENSE APPLICATION

When you've accomplished the requirements, you will be given a slip of paper that asks you to attend the Pre-Marriage Counseling seminar. Check your Municipal / City DSWD for seminar schedules.

After finishing the seminar, you will obtain a certificate of attendance, which you will present to claim your marriage license. You will have to wait for 10 days before your marriage license is released. Once it is issued, the marriage license will only be valid for 120 days or four months, including the actual date of the wedding.

If ever marriage license was expired before the wedding date, the couples must apply again for marriage license and submit the expired license to prevent attending pre-marriage counseling seminar.

Acknowledgment:

CENOMAR photo -  Maricris Adan