I’m writing about getting a Marriage License first because it was the first thing we accomplished (but I failed to publish this immediately.) You don’t necessarily have to accomplish this first, though, specially if you’re still in the early stages of planning.
Getting married in the Philippines… is no joke. There are papers to fill out and documentations to provide. There’s leg work, and I hated leg work.
I’ve read and reviewed and read this article over and over until I almost memorized it, still it did not reflect the exact process we went through. I suppose it differs from one locale to another.
We applied for our license at the Local Civil Registrar of the Taguig City Municipal Hall. The process is as follows:
Prepare all prerequisites.
- NSO Birth Certificates of both parties, three to four photocopies of each: This document can be procured by either going to your local SM (go to the customer service counter) and filling out a form and paying the fee upfront or requesting for it online at e-Census and paying either via BDO/Unionbank Online or at any BDO/Unionbank branch.
- CENOMAR of both parties, three to four photocopies of each: You can follow the same process as that of the Birth Certificate, since CENOMARs are also requested from the NSO.
- Affidavit of parental consent or advice: As I’ve read, a written consent from the parents or legal guardian is essential for any couple whom one or both is 18 to 21. It’s also stated that anyone within the age of 22 to 25 are supposed to present a written parental advice indicating your parents’ awareness of your intent to marry. This merits either a notarized letter of consent/ advice or the presence of any parent. This does not apply to marrying parties 26 and above.
- Certificate of attendance in a pre-marriage counseling, family planning and responsible parenthood seminar, three to four photocopies of each: The pre-marriage counseling is done in the church for those who opt for a church wedding and the family planning and responsible parenthood seminar is conducted by the DSWD and/or City Health Office.
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Community Tax Certificate or Cedula, one for each: This is needed when you start filling out the forms. You can procure this within the City Hall or your Barangay Hall during procurement of your Barangay Clearances.
- Barangay Clearances for each party, three to four photocopies each: The required Barangay Clearance should be procured within the time that you’d apply for your license and should be annotated as “For Marriage Purposes/License.”
- At least two valid IDs, three to four photocopies of each: This will be used for verification.
- Recent 1×1 photos, any background: We weren’t required of this, but it pays to be prepared.
- Proceed to the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and inquire.
The Taguig City LCR provides clients numbers and are called in an orderly fashion (I just have to commend them for this) for a review of your documents with their personnel.
- I was 25 years old, and my fiance 28, at the time of application and was worried I needed to ask my Dad to be in the LCR for this process, but we weren’t asked for the “advice” letter nor the presence of my parents.
- At the time of application, we were aiming for a civil wedding. Therefore, we did not pay notice to the “pre-marriage counseling” stipulation. We were not asked for it either.
- My fiance’s CENOMAR had a typographical issue on the maiden middle name of his Mom. We were asked to come back after procuring a notarized letter saying the two names refer to the same person. Word of advice: Ensure your parents’ names are correctly inputted both in the CENOMAR and everywhere else. Your birth certificate might say otherwise.
- In Taguig, you only need to go to the City Health Office for a Family Planning Seminar, it’s located outside the City Hall complex across the front gate, find the door beside Goldilocks and proceed to the third level. We initially have been advised at the LCR office that the seminar is scheduled Tuesdays 1PM (we were there on a Monday). So, while getting the notarization done, we inquired about the family planning seminar and was provided a certification after them finding out about our current living-in status (over four years without kids.) The certificate is a prerequisite.
Once all your documents receive a “go” signal, you will be asked to submit them for filing and pay the fee (PhP 190.00) at the cashier to get your forms. A photocopy of the form was required.
After payment, we showed the receipt to the “Documents” counter of the LCR and we’re provided four copies of the Marriage License Application Form which we needed to get photocopied.
Upon going back, we were tasked to fill out the photocopy version of the form. This is a practice and the LCR personnel will check your input and tell you if correction is needed.
Once all corrections have been discussed, you’ll once again be tasked to fill out the forms – all four of it, separately (groom’s side for the groom, bride’s side for the bride.)
- From our experience, you need to prepare “ballpoint pens” and will not be allowed to use sign pens or gel pens.
- Make sure you have two pens in tow, this will make the process faster as each of you can work on a different form simultaneously.
- You will need the details of your Cedula to fill out the conforme part of the form. You’ll probably end up memorizing it’s number in the process.
Upon completion of all forms, go back to the LCR personnel and submit. They will check your submission, and have someone interview you. You’ll be asked to wait outside for the interview.
Wait for the call for interview. This is mostly procedural and you’ll be asked a few questions related to your wedding plans, and whether or not you’re sure you wanna marry would be brought up quite a number of times. Once this is done, you’ll be sent outside once more to wait for your claim slip.
- Marriage Licenses are issued to the couple after 10 calendar days from the date of application. This is valid for 120 days.
Wait for the call and retrieve claim slip.
Be back after 10 days and provide claim slip to the LCR personnel. Wait to be called.
Pay another fee (it was PhP 50.00 but I cannot remember what this one was for, really) and claim your license and original documents. You’ll be provided two sets: one with the license up on top, which should be provided to the person who will officiate your marriage and another for your reference, I suppose. The other one has all your original copies. Keep your documents secure.
…and voila~ you’re done!
Where you’ll apply for the license depends on your addresses, if you do not live together just yet, that doesn’t mean you’ll apply from each of your LCR. It will be your choice which LCR you will file the documents with.
Keep in mind that you can file for a Marriage License only in your local LCR(s), but it can be used ANYWHERE in the Philippines. Wherever you choose to tie the knot would also be where your marriage would be filed, in essence, do not look for your Marriage Certificate from your local LCR if you did not get married within their jurisdiction. Araso?
I was taking a break from doing my invitations layout as I completed writing this. I hope this helps you in your preps. Feel free to hit me up if you’ve any questions!
threemonthsabride 