Evening All I am trying to find out about the certificate of non marriage, or certificate of non impediment, while there is a mechanism for my partner in the Philippines to obtain one, I can fine no such mechanism in the UK, does anyone have any experience advice of this? Cheers in anticipation. Stewart
Here is some useful general information about overseas marriages and civil partnerships and some CNI information here including the British Embassy appointment system and how to apply Please do remember the CNI has only 3 months validity, so plan out carefully what needs to be done and when. It's a good idea to make a project plan from wedding day backwards so you can line it all up. The CNI is available from your local registry office. It takes 22 days from time of application. It's 21 days for the 'bans'. Kuya will be online pretty soon. He just went through this whole process for his recent Philippine Wedding and will be able to provide first hand "chapter and verse".
Yup......... Easy peasy........ Go to your nearest registrar of marriages and ask for one.......... If you are divorced, you will also need copies of your Decree Nisi and Decree Absolute...... Your certificate of no impediment will have to be exchanged at the British Embassy for a local one, and it is usually issued on the same day, by appointment.
Ahh yes, the Certificate of No Impediment (CNI)! I got mine from my local registrar, which was also the place that I picked up a copy of my birth certificate. I used the birth certificate, passport and some written ID (bank statement I think) in order to obtain my CNI. The registrar take 3 weeks after you have an interview before they can provide you with that CNI, where you sign a document confirming details of your impending wedding. You will need details regarding your future wife (where she is from, parents, job/college), some info about where the wedding is being placed and you are set.. Then after getting to the Philippines you need to provide your CNI to either the British Embassy or the British consulate in Cebu, along with your fiance who also needs to provide her CENOMAR (which is a Philippine equivalent of the CNI), both of your passports and birth certificates as proof of ID (not 100% sure on the birth certificate, but you need it anyway so no harm in showing it to the Embassy - foggy memory). You sign a document and the official will go away and produce for you a CENOMAR that can be used in the Philippines. Then, head to the town or province of where you intend to marry and start the process at city hall straight away. Local rules differ, I had to plant trees!!!! Oh, not to mention attend a counselling session of some sort. For me, the councillor spoke no English so I got away with filling out a questionaire and both myself and my wife answered most of the questions the same - so we were classed as compatible (yaaay).. The worst part is the timescales.. You need to allow 3 weeks for the British registrar to issue the CNI. Email the British Embassy in the Philippines a good 3 weeks before you want your appointment to get your CNI (make the email explicitly clear that it is for a CNI to marry) and it takes a couple to 3 weeks after starting the planning process of your wedding to actually getting to that day.
Also.... Make sure that your mahal has an up to date CENOMAR! This is very important! None of your paperwork should be older than 3 months..
Brilliant thank you guys, I presume the same applies for getting a fiance visa to marry in UK? i plan to go to Manila when my partner applies for his visa.
For the fiance visa you will need to CNI as part of your documentary evidence for the visa application, as your partner will need the CENOMAR. And sorry for going on with my last post about how to get married in Pinas, as I nicked a write up intended to be a blog post I did for another site a couple of weeks ago.. Failed to edit it, falling asleep but must stay awake for a webchat soon... sleepy head.. Oh, and nice to hear back from you. I take it things are going good for you and your fella?
Thanks Kuya, That's good, will get on to it, yes all going well with us thankyou, and I forgot to say congratulations. I will post progress, and am I sure ask more questions -and hopefully answer a few- in the coming months. Salamat
