APPLICATION FOR A PHILIPPINE MARRIAGE LICENSE
Marriage License: a requirement for either a Civil or Church wedding to be held in the Philippines. The Application Form for a marriage license must be secured at the Local Civil Registrar from the city, town or municipality where either the bride or the groom habitually resides. The personal appearance of those getting married is required in applying for a marriage license.
Each of the contracting parties shall file separately a sworn application for each license with the proper local civil registrar. Philippine law prescribes a ten-day waiting period from the filing of the Application to the issuance of the marriage license. The license is valid for 120 days from date of issuance and may be used anywhere in the Philippines.
At the time the contracting parties appear to file their application for a Marriage License to the local civil registrar, he or she must also submit the following supporting documents:
Birth Certificate: Certified True Copy required of each the contracting parties with the respective registry number. This document is issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
NOTE: NSO now provides a web service which accepts online application for copies of birth and marriage certificates. It is called the e-Census, a web facility aimed to provide Filipinos within and outside the country an alternative means in applying for copies of their civil registry documents. It also has a 24-7 hotline called the NSO Helpline Plus with telephone no. (632)737.1111. You could also reach them via email through: e-census.L.Hufana@mail.census.gov.ph
PARISH OFFICE OR CHURCH REQUIREMENT
1. Baptismal and Confirmation Certificates: These relates to both the bride's and the groom's. These must be new copies and must have an annotation: "FOR MARRIAGE PURPOSES ONLY" and must have been secured not more than three (3) months before the date of marriage.
FOR MIXED MARRIAGE (different religions or Disparitas Cultas): a dispensation must be secured from the Archdiocesan ChanGeneral Church Wedding Requirements
2. Marriage License: This can be secured from the city or municipality hall where either the bride or the groom currently resides.
For those who are civilly married, a certified true photocopy of the Marriage Contract with the registry number of the city or town where the marriage was performed must be submitted one week before the wedding date.
3. Canonical Interview: This interview with the bride and the groom will be done one month before the wedding date and will be conducted by the parish priest or his assistant. The schedule of the interview will be given upon the signing of the application form. Failure to report on the interview date or failure to notify the office of any change in the schedule will mean cancellation of the application and reservation of the church for the upcoming wedding.
4. Pre-Marriage Seminar: Both the bride and the groom have to attend this. The schedule for the seminar will be given during the canonical interview or you may inquire at the parish office. Some churches may allow attendance in other pre-wedding seminars such as the Catholic Engaged Encounter (CEE) or Discovery Weekend (DW) as a suitable substitute (if you have already attended either one of these, inquire at the parish office if they recognize either CEE or DW in lieu of their Pre-Marriage Seminar.)
5. Permission from bride's parish: a permit from the parish of the bride-to-be must be secured and presented to the parish office of the couple's chosen ceremony venue. The form will be provided by the parish office of your chosen church.
6. Marriage Banns: These will be provided during the canonical interview and have to be immediately brought to the respective parishes of the bride and the groom for posting. These have to be returned to the office after three Sundays. (Note: the respective parishes may ask some requirements for the posting of the banns [i.e. a ID picture from the bride and the groom])
7. List of names and addresses of principal sponsors (Ninongs & Ninangs): This has to be submitted to the parish office one week before the wedding date. Church policy requires at least a pair of sponsors and, ideally, a maximum of six sponsors.
Additional Requirements for Specific Cases
for widows or widowers: A copy of the death certificate of the former spouse must be presented to the parish office.
Renewal of Vows: remember to bring a copy of the Catholic Marriage Contract.
