Marriage

Getting married in the Philippines.

In principle you can get married at any church or any city hall in the Philippines. A church marriage is recognized by the Philippine authorities as being a legal marriage. It is not possible to get married at the Embassy.

What do I need to get married in the Philippines?

The City hall or church where you would like to get married  will ask you for a “Legal Capacity (to contract marriage)”. In the Netherlands this is called “Huwelijksbevoegdheidsverklaring”.  It is advisable to contact the city hall or church early on, to inquire what other documents you will need to get married. These requirements are different in each municipality.

How do I get a “Legal Capacity”?

The Embassy will issue a “Legal capacity” statement after it has been determined that there is no legal objection against the intended marriage.  In other terms, this means that it will have to be determined that both you and your future spouse are not currently married.

In order to do this you will need the following original documents:

• A recent extract from the birth registration, recent meaning not older than 6 months.
• A recent extract (not older than 6 months) from the population administration of the municipality you are residing/last resided in the Netherlands; this extract should mention your civil status. You are advised to ask for an international extract. In case you have been living outside the Netherlands for longer than 6 months, you will also need a legalized certificate of not being married from your current and previous countries of residence.
• A valid passport

  Your future spouse (in case he/she has the Philippine nationality) will need the following documents.

• A valid passport
• A legalized birth certificate (not older than 1 year)
• A legalized certificate of not being married (not older than 6 months).

More information on the legalisation of documents can be found under the heading Legalisation.

Once you have all the documents required, you can apply for a “Legal capacity” every  Monday to Friday between 9 am and 12 pm. The costs are Euro 30,00. This can be paid in Philippine Pesos at the current exchange rate.

If your documents meet the set requirements the “Legal Capacity” can be issued the same day or at most the next business day.

With this “Legal Capacity” you can apply for a marriage license at any church or city hall. You need to apply for this marriage license at least 10 days before the actual wedding date, please keep this in mind when planning you wedding.

Is a marriage conducted in the Philippines also valid in the Netherlands?

Yes. We advise you to register your marriage with the “Bureau Landelijke Taken” at the municipality The Hague.

Address:
Bureau Landelijke Taken
Dienst Burgerzaken
Postbus 12620
2500DL Den Haag. 

Information on how to register your marriage with “Bureau Landelijke Taken” can be found on the website www.denhaag.nl