Lee_337

Hi there good people of the forum,

I wonder if anyone of you know about the subject of getting married to a Filipina? I am hearing conflicting things!

Am I right in thinking, if I get married in the Philippines to my girlfriend (she is from Cebu), it will be recognised in the UK and (after some lengthy checks) she can then get a spouse visa to live with me in the UK and also able to work? (Yes I can earn more than £18,600 per year and prove it).

Also, do we just need our passports, a local marriage licence and one of those affirmation forms filled in to confirm I haven't been married before, or are there other things we need?

Thanks in advance.

Lee.

quiltman

Yes, your marriage will be recognised in the UK but it's a little more complicated than just getting the licence! Also, remember if you marry here, then divorce is not possible but weirdly the Phils does recognise divorces from other countries. There are plenty of sites that explain the procedure for getting married here and all the documentation you'll need to provide.
Regarding a spouse visa for UK. Again, yes, this is possible but be aware that it will take some time - months - as the Philippines is one of the "suspect" countries for forged documents etc. Unless you have £62,500 in immediately available savings then you need to have either: hold a job in UK for at least 6 months, paying at least £18,600 , OR held a job overseas for 6 months paying the same equivalent AND have a job to go to back in UK paying the £18,600. Be prepared to be apart for quite a few months!
These two links should help you to find what's needed for a spouse visa and the financial requirements "

https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration and https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...equirement.pdf

Stokkevn

The conformation of either not being married before or being legally divorced is called a "Certificate of no Impedance" and you need to get it from your local UK town hall.

carjay

hi Lee

i got married last summer to my now wife also from cebu.
in order to get married i had to go to
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...he-philippines
choose either a
Affirmation of marital status or a Affidavit of marital status
one is if you want to swear on a koran or a bible, that one is affidavit
or the affirmation is the one you need if you have no belief in god.
they are both the same.
also they must be printed by you on a4 paper BEFORE your interview
then you book you appointment at https://www.consular-appointments.se...ts/slot_picker
get a map when your in manila as the embassy does not stand out nor did i see any union jack flag.
you must get their say 20 mins early due to checks
when i went i was the only person there so it was not busy but maybe i was just lucky.
the interview is very basic indeed and it was a Filipina woman who did it.
i need my passport and proof of address like credit card bill or gas bill ect.
it cost i think around P3500
then once in cebu you must register to marry and you then have to take a day course
truthfully this is the part that was murder and took bloody ages
you go back and fourth and if your gf is below 25 she must have both her parents with her.
it took us about a month to get our license to marry
they require your birth birth certificate,passport and your wife's
though if she has no passport i guess local valid government photo id.
once you have that you can then go to the church or court who will marry you.
if you wish to have a court wedding in mandaue cebu forget it
the judges refuse to marry westerners to Filipina's
it can take sometime to get a date so have your gf do research in advance
if she knows someone who is a judge that greatly helps.
i guess my advice is plan in advance, not when you get there.
as it is getting the license from the local government in cebu that takes the time.
if you plan to get married in a church that can take time as they require you to take a course.
the whole process made me see how simple it is to get married in the uk.
if your wife wants more advice she can also contact my wife and i am sure
my wife will help her.

also the Certificate of no Impedance you NO longer need.
you do not need ANY paperwork from the uk.
you only need to print the form i told you about on a4 paper
and the embassy will give you your affirmation or your Affidavit
on the day,i got mine within 10 mins of saying the oath.

quiltman

I thought I read on one of the other expats forums you could get it from the embassy in Manila, if you were over here? I'll have to go check!

quiltman

Well, took me all of 10 seconds : How to Obtain a Certificate of No Impediment

Stokkevn

I got mine from the local council office in Aberdeen, I don't think the web site could cope with me and my wife I was a UK/Norway duel citizen and my wife was a Ph/UK duel citizen. Both of us with previous marriages.

carjay

From 1st March 2014, the Consular Section will issue a new-style affirmation or an affidavit to marry. Local authorities have confirmed that they will accept this document. This replaces the old-style Certificate of No Impediment (CNI).

source https://www.gov.uk/government/public...he-philippines
i did think before i got married that i needed a How to Obtain a Certificate of No Impediment but my local town hall told me i never then i read on the uk embassy website that it had been replaced.
when i went to the embassy i did ask the lady and she confirmed it had been replaced.
as i said if in doubt go to https://www.gov.uk/government/public...he-philippines it is their in black and white.
if in doubt call or email the uk embassy in manila

BritInParis

https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad/y...s/opposite_sex

Lee_337

Thanks for all the replies and great information. Cheers guys!

Lee_337

My girlfriend in Cebu is under the impression we don't need to go to Manilla.

Did you have to go there or were you there anyway?

mikemike

Lee contact the embassy they will tell you, do not rely on third party information. I do not know what powers the consulate representative in Cebu has.

Crystal Dale

Why marry her over there, unless she's insisting? Just apply for a fiance visa and do it in Uk....

Lee_337

That would be great if that was possible, but the way I understand it, if we get married here my girlfriend must go home after the marriage, then reapply to enter on a spouse visa? That is too expensive to do because it means paying for a fiance visa first, return flights to and from London, return flights to and from my home (I'm in Cornwall, not London!) and then forking out the same amount again after she returns home!!

Lee_337

Thanks Mike. My girlfriend is going to do that...