Marriage in the Philippines
Explanatory notice to British nationals contemplating marriage in the Philippines.
Documents
Details
The document you need to provide depends on where you are ordinarily resident. If you are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and wish to marry in the Philippines, you need to obtain a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI).
If your partner is British, they will need to follow the same process and pay the fees to get their own CNI.
You can normally get a CNI by giving a notice of marriage at your local register office or registrar in the UK. Find your local office or registrar in England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, or Guernsey.
A CNI issued in Scotland is valid for 3 months. A CNI issued in England, Wales or Northern Ireland will not expire. Check with your local register office to find out how long a CNI is valid if you live in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man. You should also check with the local authorities in the Philippines to find out how long a CNI is valid under local law.
Once it has been issued, you will need to obtain an apostille for your CNI before it can be used in the Philippines. You must do this through the Legalisation Office. There is no requirement for the British Embassy in Manila to re-legalise or add the Embassy seal/stamp on the Apostille certificate issued by the Legalisation Office. This should then be submitted to the Local Civil Registry (LCR) in the Philippines.
If you are resident in the Philippines, or in a third country outside the UK, you must swear an Affidavit/Affirmation of Marital Status at the British Embassy in Manila. This should then be submitted to the Local Civil Registry (LCR) in the Philippines.
Those applying for an Affidavit/Affirmation of Marital Status at the British Embassy in Manila administer an oath, affirmation or affidavit for opposite sex marriage for the complete list of requirements.
Book an appointment to administer an oath, affirmation or affidavit at the British Embassy Manila
For more information on the changes in process and requirements, refer to the PSA Memorandum Circular No. 2023-23 issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Visit marriage abroad for more information on getting married in the Philippines.
Last updated 23 May 2023 + show all updates
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Routine review. The page is up-to-date.
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Edited form for affidavit of marital status
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Limited resumption of notarial services, including details of updated requirements and procedures.
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Visa or Mastercard payment option is now available
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changes on requirements
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Guidance has been updated
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First published.