You can’t get married if you don’t have a marriage license! 😀 Before applying for anything, we suggest securing all of the requirements since that takes a bit of time. You need to furnish a certified true copy of your birth certificate and CENOMAR, which you can order online and pay via credit card from http://www.psaserbilis.com.ph. You can get your barangay certificates and CTC/cedula at the barangay hall (at your place of residence).
One of the requirements for the marriage license application is the pre-marriage counseling certificate, meaning you have to attend the pre-marriage seminar first at your City Hall and then get the certificate right after. You will need to submit this along with the other requirements. Just so it’s easier, here’s the step by step process:
1) I called the city hall, asked for the available slots and paid for the pre-marriage counseling fee (P100)
2) We attended the scheduled seminar from 8am-12nn. While waiting for the certificate, we were taught how to fill out the marriage license application forms (4 copies, hand-written by both the groom and bride)
3) Once we received the certificate, we went to the cashier, paid for the fee (it’s P200, folks. Please make sure you check the change given to you and keep the receipt) and went to the City Civil Registrar section and submitted the requirements:
-Pre-Marriage Counseling Certificate
-Birth or baptismal certificate (both the bride and the groom)
-Cenomar (both the bride and the groom)
-Barangay Clearance
-CTC/Cedula
-1×1 photos (bride and groom)
-Marriage license application form
4) We were then given a reference number and had to come back after 10 days to get our license
5) After they post the notice for 10 days, return to the City Civil Registrar and then give your reference number. The marriage documents will be handed over to you, sign the receiving log and off you go! Please take note that the marriage license is valid only for 120 days. You have to get married within that allotted time or you will need to reapply again.
Kindly check the website of your own city hall, just to make sure. There are also additional requirements if you:
a) are a widow/widower
b) are a foreigner
c) have gone through divorce or annulment
d) are 18-25 years old
Ingrid Nieto-Pagulayan 