10 Steps To Avoid While Getting Married in Philippines

I remember, we collected all documents to obtain the marriage certificate in order to marry in philippines. Things didnt turned out well! Before I share our experience, I'd like to say that these blogs are for those individuals who are in the process of getting married in Philippines keeping in mind that they are Indian citizens. I have visited Philippines atleast 3 times in 4-5 years, and learing each and every step in gathering information across the internet or in person regarding on how you can get married in Philippines with your Filipino fiance is quite wild. I'll shine complete light through these steps first, make sure to note important points: 1. AVOID REJECTION OF LEGAL CAPACITY TO MARRY

The basic information that you will get it at the embassy's website is your documents that are required to submit for marriage purposes, keeping in mind if the website is under maintainance or not. But there's more to it: This certificate you'll get only when you meet all 12 requirements/documents i.e. yours and your fiance's requested documents by the Embassy of India, Manila.

Keeping in mind that each original document is processed as per what I will suggest through this blog later on. What you should avoid is to not process document until and unless you know the process for each document. (Especially your Bachelorhood Certificate & your fiance's documents). HOW TO AVOID REJECTION In my past experiences getting rejected of legal capacity certificate is traumatic when you know you're going to marry and you've invested your time and money to it. Going back empty-handed is quite traumatising and no one should be going through it. The reason why my appointment got rejected was because of my Bachelorhood Certificate. I will shed more information on it and others on how to avoid rejection.

Bachelorhood Certificate: What they said:

(Bachelorhood Certificate/Affidavit notarized, attested by your local SDM (state-district magistrate), counter-attested by the Home Department, apostiled by the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) under the C.P.V. Division. What they didn't said: Bachelorhood Certificate should be certified by the government itself. It should NOT be an affidavit but a certifiate only. It should also be authenticated by the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippinnes. Right after getting it checked with the Admistrating Officer Mr. 'Frankey Kishore' that will soothen the process of getting it authenticated. The MEA Sticker should only have your local state offical sealed-stamped not Delhi's SDM by default.

These 3 important points weren't completely provided by the embassy or the government. Various Agencies that MEA recommended were charging like bonkers and failing to get the right Apostile is what I am devastated about when it happened with us.

What to do: Step 1: Go to your DM Office/Collector's Office in your state that will officiate your Marriageability Certificate that is Bachelorhood Certificate stating that you are unmarried.

Step 2: Then and there itself you will be asked to get them a hindi-translated notarized document of you being unmarried. A police verification and SDM verification will take place at your residing home address. Step 3: After your police and SDM verification is taken successfully, you will be requested to post an advertisment on a hindi newspaper stating that "you are unmarried and getting married in philippines and if anyone has any issue with the marriage can report it the DM office within 15 days". This notice will be published and after 15 days confirming that it is successful. Step 4: Marriage Administrating Officer will take signature and send the document for the final verification of the Certificate to the Ministry office and so you get your Certificate. Step 5: Get your Certificate attested by the Home Department of your State. Later on get it Apostile by the MEA through an agency I will be getting it done later on.

Step 6: Contact Mr. Frankey Kishore and get your supporting documents notarized along with the certificate in hand with you and send him the soft copies for Philippines Embassy Authentication.

2. DON'T LIE TO EMBASSY BEFORE APPLYING FOR TOURIST VISA TO MARRY