Marriage in Gensan

After meeting my now fiancé in Singapore while we both worked for the same company some time ago now I have decided I want to be with her for ever now. I asked her to marry me and she said yes.

We are planning to get married both in Gensan and Scotland. Gensan is planned for Jan 17 and Scotland May 17. We will have the official wedding in Gensan with Scotland being more so I can have my friends and family all there.

I have read a few articles about what I need to get married over there but what do I need to make the marriage legal in the UK? We plan to marry in Gensan then apply for her to come to the UK.

Hello Dean, welcome aboard British Filipino

Congratulations to you both on the engagement

As a first step take a look through this recent forum thread and follow the indicated links:-

http://www.british-filipino.com/index.php?threads/marriage-in-the-philippines-timescales.11425/

Regarding specific documentation you should plan to have the following available when you apply for the marriage licence:-

Your birth certificate
Your passport
Your Embassy issued Affirmatio/Affidavit (CNI)
Your NSO CENOMAR
Your Divorce decree asbsolute (if applicable)

Certificate of 'Pre-Marriage Seminar' (if needed, please check well beforehand)

Her N.S.O. birth certificate (This should be fresh from NSO on latest type of security paper. Check)
Her Passport (or other appropriate ID)
Her Barangay clearance (if needed, please check well beforehand)
Her community tax certificate (often called Cedula)
Her postal I.D. Address
Her cenomar
Her Parents signed advice form (if under 25 years age)
Her Parents I.D.

I suggest you always check beforehand for the latest information on needed paperwork.

Just shout out if you have any concerns.
Plenty of folks here to share their valuable experiences.

A marriage properly and legally conducted in the Philippines will be accepted without any problems for UK visa application.

Have you been to Gen San before ?

I'm in Davao City which is North of Gen San.

Welcome to British Filipino, Dean. My husband and I were both born in the Tuna Capital as well. We got married here in the UK but we're planning to have a church wedding in our hometown. If you're planning to marry in church, I got a list. Last year, just a few weeks before I left the Philippines, I took this photo of the Catholic church's requirements for marriage.

I just noticed we got a lot of 'Kababayans' or partners of 'Generals' here in the forum.

Proud to be a General!
*Generals-- people who live/lived in General Santos City, Mindanao, Philippines

I'm glad you explained what Generals are Anne, I was getting a bit confused when I read your opening sentence

Hi Timmers,

Thanks for the advise.

No never been but will be visiting soon. What's it like? The write ups seem to be bad but personal options I read seem to be good.

Hi Anne,

Yeah we plan to get married in a church. I am not Catholic though but nowadays doesn't seem to be an issue.

What's the difference between an ordinary and Special wedding?

I'm not really sure what would be the difference. I guess, for the special wedding, you have to pay the church's own organist and singer. I'll get back to you once my friend who got married there replies.

I think the special wedding the priest gets to eat better food that week.

My Uncle just recently got married in a Catholic Church in GenSan. My Aunt said, in ordinary wedding, there are 2 or more couples being officiated/presided by a priest in a specific date. For special wedding, you are the only couple and can decide which date you want to get married.